When people are approached with an unexpected request for a donation to an organization or a charitable cause, “I gave at the office” is a stock response to deflect the solicitation.
But many workers do offer charitable giving at workplaces, and the practice has a 102-year history in Jacksonville.
The Community Chest, now known as the United Way of Northeast Florida, was founded in Jacksonville in 1924 to collect small cash contributions from a deep pool of donors to create substantial funding for charitable causes in the community.
The focus in the 21st century is to use the same format to partner with businesses to raise funds for the United Way’s programs that benefit underserved populations in the region, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and northern St. Johns counties.
Initiatives include United Way 211, a 24/7/365 telephone helpline that directs callers to service providers for community resources, crisis intervention and veterans services.
The 988 Florida Lifeline, another around-the-clock telephone helpline, provides support for people experiencing emotional distress, suicidal thoughts or a substance use crisis
Mission United connects military veterans and their families to health, human and social services, and case management.
United Way’s Full Service Schools program enables United Way and its partners to connect nearly 3,500 students and families to a range of therapeutic, health and social services, and to address nonacademic barriers to success in school. Free services include individual and family counseling, mentoring, after-school tutoring, medical and health services, and case management.
RealSense, United Way of Northeast Florida’s free tax preparation program, helps families file their federal income tax return at no cost. IRS-certified volunteers provide support to low- to-moderate-income families, ensuring they receive the refunds and credits they’ve earned.
Continuing to operate on an as-needed basis, the First Coast Relief Fund was established in 2016 in response to the regional devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew. Five of the area’s leading philanthropic organizations joined to create the fund: The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida, United Way of Northeast Florida and United Way of St. Johns County.
According to its annual audited financial report published June 2025, United Way of Northeast Florida delivered $23.7 million in services, including $16 million in grants to regional nonprofits.
To provide those programs, United Way partners with businesses that conduct fundraising campaigns among their employees – giving at the office – and also to encourage people to volunteer to help service organizations and schools.
“We connect with companies through volunteerism and running a campaign because we need dollars to do the work that we do, but we also want them to advocate for us, to speak on our behalf to their friends and neighbors,” said Alecia Givens, director of corporate engagement at United Way of Northeast Florida.
Givens’ staff works with businesses to develop short-term campaigns that last a couple of weeks, plus payroll deduction plans that are year-round.
“Our role is to help them decide on a theme and what they want to support that we do. We help companies find their passion and where they want to put their dollars,” Givens said.
“We are here for people to reach out and we’re able to assist them with what they want to do in the community and how they want to do it. We have something for everyone who comes to us.”
Givens said in addition to the internal capital campaigns conducted by businesses, United Way also helps connects companies that want to contribute human capital.
“Some of our larger companies are really passionate about volunteering,” she said.
Adopting a school
For the past eight years, Fidelity Investments has conducted “Transformation Days” one or two Saturdays a year at Southside Middle School.
About 50 Fidelity volunteers and their families paint murals, improve the landscape and do other work at the school, such as refurbishing restrooms and the school’s community garden.
Volunteers from the company also fill backpacks with school supplies that are given to students, collect toiletries and make stuffed animals for children staying at shelters that serve families in crisis.
“United Way helped us choose the school,” said David Johnson, regional public affairs lead at Fidelity.
Through the Fidelity Cares program, engagement in the Jacksonville region during 2025 included approximately 800 associates participating in community relations efforts and contributing more than 1,000 volunteer hours. During that time, associates helped package 15,000 meals at Feeding Northeast Florida and provided school supplies for 600 students in Duval County Public Schools.
Through Communities In Schools of Jacksonville, Fidelity associates volunteer monthly at Jean Ribault High School to facilitate career exploration and financial literacy.
With Junior Achievement of North Florida, Fidelity associates support programs such as the Day of the Girl Financial Education Immersion Day and the Stock Market Challenge, where students apply real-world financial decision‑making skills with volunteer support.
“We are low-key on what we do. We collaborate with organizations that embrace a broad spectrum of the community,” Johnson said.
‘In our DNA to give back’
Cogent Bank Jacksonville focuses much of its giving back to the community on financial education for elementary school students, people who want to start a small business and entrepreneurs.
Bank employees conduct programs at Beaver Street Enterprise Center, a business incubator that provides training and office space for early-stage ventures.
“It gives first-time entrepreneurs access to bankers in a two- or three-hour class. It’s about preparing them to be bank or loan ready,” said Cogent Bank First Coast Market President Phil Bravo.
“We want to get them to where they focus on their cash flow and liquidity. It’s a nice way for small businesses and startups to become more bank ready.”
Six years ago, the bank partnered with Twin Lakes Academy Elementary to support the school with Banzai Financial Education, a curriculum that helps children develop financial skills through online and downloadable classes and games.
Bravo said the bank covers the subscription so that Banzai is free of charge to Twin Lakes teachers, students and their parents.
“Financial literacy is a long-term game. We don’t do it just once, we do it over the years,” Bravo said.
The bank’s associates and friends also conduct school supply drives and fill backpacks for new students at Twin Lakes, collecting more than $1,500 worth of supplies in the past year.
Cogent associates volunteer with the Literary Alliance of Northeast Florida, a program conducted via videoconference for people who are seeking a GED.
Bravo said the volunteers stay in their offices on Friday afternoons and provide one-on-one remote tutoring to teens and adults.
‘The program focuses on English and math, so math is our focus,” Bravo said.
In terms of financial contributions, Cogent Bank Jacksonville supports organizations including Beaches Community Kitchen, First Tee of North Florida, North Florida School for Special Education, Sanctuary on 8th Street, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast and others.
Cogent said its total contributions to organizations in its Northeast and Central Florida service areas was more than $1.3 million in 2025.
“Being a locally-owned back, it’s in our DNA to give back,” Bravo said.
A family tradition
One Jacksonville family’s philanthropic tradition started in 1968 when Tom Bush moved to Jacksonville and opened his first automobile dealership.
“My grandfather was always charitable and gave back to the community,” said Megan Bush Del Pizzo, Tom Bush Family of Dealerships vice president.
“It extends throughout our family. We believe in volunteering and being active in the community. Giving back is part of our brand.”
The dealerships contributed about $40,000 for nonprofit sponsorships and events in 2025, Del Pizzo said.
She and her brother, Brian Bush, participated in the Weaver Philanthropic Initiative at the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
“We did it to learn how to be good philanthropists. We don’t just slap our logo on a race T-shirt. We believe in finding out what a nonprofit is about and how we can really make a difference,” Del Pizzo said.
Through The Tom Bush Family Fund, established in 2021, they give to causes including breast cancer awareness and treatment, support for the military community and programs that focus on improving the lives of children and families.
“My grandmother had breast cancer. She invited one of her doctors to her house for lunch and invited all the women at the dealership to her house to talk about early detection. She was doing that before it was cool,” Del Pizzo said.
Something they learned through the Weaver Philanthropic Initiative is the importance of volunteering business experience to support nonprofits. They serve, or have served, on boards and committees including Build Up Downtown Advisory Committee, Friends of the St. Johns River Ferry, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Professional Women’s Council, PACE Center for Girls, Riverside Avondale Preservation, WJCT Public Media and others.
Del Pizzo said the family meets at the end of each year for a discussion about giving.
“My brother, our dad and I talk about how we did financially. Then we pick organizations and write checks,” she said.
“We’re not a giant corporation, but we live here. A thriving Jacksonville is good for our business.”
Dedicated to Downtown
With more than 1 million members and more than $11 billion in deposits, VyStar Credit Union was the second-largest credit union in Florida in 2025, according to iBanknet.
“Credit unions are based on people helping people.We are owned by our members. Our belief is that by lifting not only our members, but also their neighbors, we are helping our members,” said VyStar CEO and President Brian Wolfburg.
The credit union’s 2025 annual report states that VyStar donated $8.2 million to 447 organizations in its Florida and Georgia service areas last year. Its employees recorded more than 45,000 volunteer hours and served on 136 nonprofit boards.
VyStar supports local organizations and projects including:
In terms of Downtown development, VyStar invested more than $100 million to build-out its headquarters tower at 76. S. Laura St. The credit union also invested $22 million to build a parking garage near its headquarters with more than 750 public parking spaces and 12,000 square feet of restaurant and nonprofit space.
A separate entity, VyStar Foundation was established in 2023 and has since awarded nearly $1.9 million to 62 organizations that deliver services focused on supporting military-related causes, youth services and community building.
“We believe we are one of the top community supporters in Northeast Florida and one of the top donor organizations in our industry,” Wolfburg said. “We do it because it is at the core of who were are. Our business is to do good and lead by example.”