Give Back: Businessolver Announces End of Year Foundation Contributions

HR technology company’s charitable foundation supports health, education, and community betterment initiatives for fourth consecutive year.

Businessolver®, a leader in SaaS-based benefits administration technology and services, announced that the Businessolver Foundation donated $350,000 in 2019 to a variety of health, education, and community initiatives in areas where Businessolver has a presence. Of that total amount, employees contributed $34,000, and the Foundation supported 57 organizations across the country.

“At Businessolver, our guiding principle is ‘Technology with Heart,’ and serving the communities where we live and work is an important way in which we bring this principle to life,” says Jon Shanahan, President and CEO of Businessolver. “Our employees care deeply about our core value of ‘Giving Back,’ and since the Foundation began in 2016, they’ve given thousands of hours of their time volunteering for causes that are important to them. We’re proud of their commitment to making a positive difference in their communities and in people’s lives.”

Since its inception in 2016, the Businessolver Foundation has donated over $1,000,000, and employees have donated an additional $100,000 to designated charitable organizations. Additionally, “Solvers” have volunteered over 6,000 hours of their time to charitable activities. In 2019, nearly 3,000 hours were logged by employees participating in philanthropic efforts. The Foundation’s work includes a wide variety of community improvement initiatives in the geographic areas where Businessolver employees and their clients live and work.

Providing for healthy populations

In 2019, Solvers in Charlotte chose to support multiple health-related organizations by participating in fundraising walks, and as a result, they raised hundreds of dollars for the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and Light the Night Leukemia & Lymphoma Walk. Not only did these activities contribute funds to these great organizations, but they gave Solvers the chance to engage with members of their community.

The Businessolver Charlotte office also sponsored and attended galas that benefitted health organizations including the Make-a-Wish Foundation, McLeod Health Foundation, and Brace Family YMCA. By raising money to support these organizations’ important work, the Businessolver Foundation is strengthening health initiatives throughout the community as well as taking these opportunities to connect with their clients in the area.

The Foundation also celebrated with two Make-a-Wish families in Iowa City and Denver. Both Zander and Kimberly wished to go to Disney World, and Businessolver was able to send them and their families there, and also throw them each a Disney-themed party. “Businessolver is very committed to supporting our mission to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. They are invested in bringing hope, strength, and joy for children battling life-threatening medical conditions,” says Chris Wood, Chief Development Officer of Make-a-Wish Iowa.

Jeff Krebs, Director of Philanthropy with Make-a-Wish Colorado adds, “They welcomed Zander and his family into their Denver office to celebrate in style, with incredible decorations, costumes, and even gifts for the family. Make-A-Wish Colorado is so grateful for our partnership with Businessolver and we look forward to granting many wishes together!”

The Foundation values acting as a partner with charitable organizations, and as a result they participated in multiple events with Special Olympics Iowa, including the Special Olympics Plane Pull where teams of 10 pull an 80,000-lb. jet. And, as part of the Over the Edge event, five Solvers rappelled down a building in downtown Des Moines to raise money for the Special Olympics.

Businessolver is a proud supporter of the American Heart Association and demonstrated this support through a number of events. Solvers in Dallas participated in the Dallas Heart Walk, while in Denver they supported Cycle Nation to fund stroke and heart disease research. In Des Moines, the Foundation contributed to Heart Ball, Go Red for Women, Heart Walk, and the Heart Dash at Dusk. And for the fourth year, Businessolver was a premier sponsor of RAGBRAI (The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa), the world’s largest and longest recreational bike ride. Partnering with the AHA and Hy-Vee, Businessolver conducted free blood-pressure screenings at booths along the route. This effort honors the legacy of Chris Charron, a Businessolver employee who passed away suddenly from heart-related complications.

Supporting education at all ages

At Businessolver’s Chicago location, Solvers prepared back-to-school backpacks for students at Roswell B. Mason Elementary School. Supplies and snacks provided by employees and the Foundation helped students start the year on a positive note. This holiday season, Solvers are also playing Santa Claus at Mason Elementary and giving gifts to students.

The Foundation also continued to sponsor key initiatives with Junior Achievement, an international organization whose purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. From a storefront in the Junior Achievement of Central Iowa’s BizTown facility to the Stock Market Challenge in Denver, Businessolver employees have been actively engaged with Junior Achievement for the last two years to foster K-12 work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy skills.

Through its scholarship program, the Foundation also supported older students in 2019, awarding scholarships to 30 dependents of Businessolver employees. The total amount of scholarships awarded this year was $58,000, bringing the total awarded since 2016 to $109,000. Scholarship recipients can use the funds for university and trade school programs.

The Businessolver Foundation believes that access to healthy food is a right, not a privilege. As such, it donated $5,000 to alleviate student lunch debt at schools in numerous communities where the company has office locations. Inspired by Chobani’s contribution, this opportunity allowed Businessolver to make a positive difference for children, their families, and our communities.

Strengthening our communities

As a technology company headquartered in Iowa, tech and STEM initiatives for the community are very important to Businessolver and the Foundation. In 2019, the Foundation sponsored dsmHack, which provides technology services to Iowa nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits face tight budgets and are often challenged to afford technology solutions, or even build a website. The hackathon connects nonprofits with technology experts who spend a weekend solving an issue or building a project for those nonprofit organizations. The Foundation also sponsored Battle of the Brains, which benefits the Science Center of Iowa. This fast-paced, STEM-based trivia event raises money for the Des Moines-located Science Center that provides STEM education and programming for over 300,000 people every year.

Solvers also continued their partnership with Habitat for Humanity, including building a home and sponsoring the annual Key Awards for the Greater Des Moines chapter. Through team-building activities and a “Lego Build” for young children, Businessolver is sharing the mission of Habitat for Humanity with others in the community.

The Foundation gathered together clients and RemoteSolvers to support the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk in Orange County for the third year in a row. This annual walk benefits children with special needs and education.

Lastly, Businessolver was first introduced to Samaritan’s Purse and their project, Operation Christmas Child, by one of their clients. After a successful collaboration last year assembling boxes for Santa’s Workshop, the Dallas team of Solvers again partnered with the local SHRM Chapter, DallasHR, to host a packaging day where they prepared over 200 boxes for kids to enjoy this holiday season.

Through all these activities, the Businessolver Foundation fulfills the company’s mission to give back by making positive contributions around the country where Solvers and their clients live, work, and participate as members of the community. Now in its fourth year, the Foundation looks forward to supporting outstanding charitable initiatives into the new year and the new decade.

“I am excited about the future of the Businessolver Foundation,” says Carrie Clogg, Foundation Director. “We are becoming more focused on impact and creating a strategic approach to giving while staying connected with the causes our employees care about the most. We know when our employees are engaged, our communities become better.”

To learn more about the activities of the Businessolver Foundation, read our blog.