Movement raises over $130K for Toys for Tots
Thanks to Movement Mortgage, Christmas was made a little bit brighter for kids all over the country.
Movement team members raised $131,372 for Toys for Tots after the dollar-for-dollar match by the Movement Foundation. Once again, the company exceeded the previous year's donation. Last year, employees raised over $112,000 for the program that distributes gifts to children whose parents cannot afford them.
"Thanks to all who donated and all who showed up to make it happen," Thrive Director Aimee Dodson posted on Facebook. "Thank you Casey Crawford and Toby Harris for your continued commitment to loving and valuing people." Thrive helps promote and maintain Movement's culture through initiatives and projects designed to spur employee engagement and wellness.
That money was used to purchase toys and bikes in Charlotte, N.C., Tempe, Ariz., and Virginia Beach, Va. Team members who donated were chosen at random to participate in shopping events earlier this month.
They took their fistfuls of dollars and cleared the shelves.
"I have never seen so many carts full," says Brian Covey, a Movement regional director, on video from Virginia Beach's shopping event. "I can't wait to see the smiles on the faces of the kids. This is awesome."
Movement started participating in Toys for Tots when Michelle Geurtsen, an assistant vice president and underwriting manager in Virginia Beach, asked co-founder Toby Harris if she could place a donation jar out to raise money. He agreed, and Geurtsen spent her lunch break trying to stir donations from her coworkers, who at the time numbered 14. Together, employees at the Virginia Beach operations center raised enough money for one and a half bikes. A monetary match from Crawford and Harris gave them enough money to buy three.
"I am so blessed to work for a company that allows me to raise money for Toys For Tots every year," Geurtsen posted to Facebook before the Virginia Beach shopping trip. "So blessed to work with people who have the same heart and passion to give back that I do. So excited to share with you all how much we have raised this year! Tomorrow is going to be an epic day. Thank you again to everyone who donated!"
