Companies in the mortgage finance business are measured in a hundred different ways: by the number of homes that are bought or sold, the dollar amount of loans originated, the performance of those loans, by customer experience and so much more. But there's another metric of success that is harder to determine, and sometimes overlooked: the ways that a company and its employees give back to their communities.
In a special sponsored supplement to the August issue of HousingWire Magazine, The Housing Industry Gives Back, we recognize some of the outstanding ways that companies in our industry are contributing to the well-being of individuals and families across the country. We spotlight charitable giving in our magazine's Kudos section each month, but we wanted to expand that coverage and tell some larger stories.
This was such a fun project to work on! The methods companies use to give back are amazingly varied — from holding a charity golf tournament, featured in our cover story, to volunteering time at children’s hospitals, food banks or homeless shelters. And our industry is truly one of the most involved when it comes to helping veterans.
Interviewing a number of people for these stories I found a common theme: a deep gratitude that finds its natural expression in acts of service. At every company, there were visionaries who rallied others to the cause. Oftentimes leaders have a vision and are able to share that effectively, but one of the most inspirational aspects of the companies we profile was how many employees at all levels work hard to make charitable giving happen.
At Castle & Cooke, employees at every branch committed to finding, coordinating and delivering a meaningful charitable experience for their Year of Service, adding up to 226 volunteers working on more than 27 projects.
During Ellie Mae's Week of Giving Back, 70% of their employees volunteered in some way for charity, resulting in 800 different acts of service.
And HousingWire is involved in giving, too. We were the presenting sponsor for the Ellie Mae Classic's Pro-Am Tournament on Aug. 6, which supports the MBA's Opens Doors foundation.
Our hope in publishing this section is to shine a spotlight on some of the amazing things companies and people in our space are doing for others, and to galvanize new efforts across the industry. Let us know what your company is doing — we can't wait to be inspired! Check out the supplement here:
