Buckeye’s Helping Hands Donates Nearly 500 Staff Volunteer Hours to Local Nonprofits in September

Date: 10/02/23

Buckeye Health Plan provided nearly 500 staff volunteer hours to local nonprofits in September as part of its second annual companywide “helping hands” volunteer initiative. The 2023 program was expanded to meet growing community needs across the state with the enthusiastic support of Team Buckeye staff who receive paid time off for volunteering.

Volunteers are essential to the success of nonprofit organizations across Ohio.  Over the last three years, many nonprofit organizations saw significant decreases in volunteer service due to COVID restrictions.  In addition, many nonprofits received reduced financial support and in-kind donations. This, combined with a workforce shortage, has led some organizations to decrease service offerings or start waitlists that can be months to even years long.

“At Buckeye, our purpose is to transform the health of the community, one person at a time,” said Steve Province, Buckeye President and CEO. “Buckeye Helping Hands helps fulfill this purpose by providing community partners with added volunteer support for their important grassroot work in communities of greatest need.”

In September, nine community organizations in Akron, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo reaped the benefits of Buckeye Helping Hands. Staff members packed food boxes, sorted donated items, and packed disaster relief kits, among other activities.

“We rely heavily on organizations like Buckeye Health Plan to provide their time, money, and advocacy,” said Mid-Ohio Food Collective Director of Corporate Partnerships Craig Truax. “This support enables us to stretch its funding for over 700,000 customers across our 20-county footprint.”

Buckeye Helping Hands is just one many Buckeye initiatives throughout the year. Learn more about the plan’s social responsibility commitment by visiting Buckeye's Community Outreach webpage.