Empowering Program Encourages Caregivers to Donate Time to Worthwhile Causes

Caregiving has always extended beyond Cleveland Clinic’s walls. Through the years, the organization has committed millions of dollars to combat food insecurity and support nutrition and educational initiatives in its surrounding communities. Now, thanks to a special program designed to foster connection, the healthcare system is encouraging caregivers to follow its lead.

By providing paid time off for volunteering, Cleveland Clinic’s Community Service Time Off (CSTO) program supports caregivers’ contributions to the community says Maria Schmitt, Executive Director of Human Resources Operations. From crafting fleece blankets for a local men’s shelter to staffing a mobile food pantry, planting a community garden or replacing faulty smoke alarms for elderly neighbors, the program helps connect caregivers with charitable endeavors that align with their personal interests.

Launched in 2019, CSTO provides Cleveland Clinic employees with four paid volunteer hours per year, which can be spent serving at approved community partner organizations. Although the program was temporarily paused in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was relaunched in 2022 – now under the direction of the healthcare system’s Caregiver Office – and has been growing ever since.

“The relaunch has been an ideal opportunity to share and celebrate the unique goals this program supports,” notes Schmitt.

Far-reaching opportunities

While all CSTO hours must be served at an approved nonprofit, volunteers are encouraged to choose from a diverse assortment of nearly 50 partnering organizations in Ohio, Nevada, Florida and Toronto. The list includes organizations such as the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, MedWish International and Habitat for Humanity. Local partners like Cleveland florist BigHearted Blooms often use caregivers to rearrange donated floral arrangements and deliver them to care facilities. Volunteers at the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank prepare donated books for young readers in need.

“Cleveland Clinic has long been known for its commitment to community health, but the CSTO program gives every caregiver the chance to play an active role in that longstanding mission,” says Mike Krebs, a member of the Human Resources team.

Among the program’s most popular volunteer organizations is the Alliance for the Great Lakes, whose “adopt-a-beach” project routinely deploys caregivers to conduct beach cleanups. In fact, both Krebs and Schmitt recently teamed up with their own coworkers to collect trash along the Lake Erie shoreline.

“I think we all enjoyed getting away from the day-to-day routine and seeing one another in a different light,” says Schmitt. “It was obviously fun because we were outdoors in the fresh air, beautifying a space. But beyond that, the experience was also a special opportunity for us to get to know each other as individuals, beyond our work roles. Honestly, it was just a great way to spend time together.”

Prior to making a volunteer commitment, each caregiver must receive approval from their manager, Krebs explains. Remote employees can use their CSTO at a local chapter of any approved partner. To ensure a diverse and meaningful range of opportunities, caregivers are also encouraged to nominate additional nonprofit organizations as potential partners.

Time well spent

The volunteer efforts are celebrated regularly. “Caregivers regularly submit photos that show how they’ve spent their CSTO, and we seize the opportunity to share them through our internal channels,” he says. “Taking part in this program is completely voluntary, of course; there is no pressure to do it. But the photos provide us with a fun way to recognize each other and highlight the spirit of volunteerism.”

When describing the many benefits of CSTO, Krebs emphasizes the mental health boost that can come from helping others. “It’s energizing to be of service, and it can also be an excellent way to counter the risk of burnout.”

Schmitt concurs, recalling the afternoon she spent combing the Lake Erie beach. “The experience really made me appreciate the fact that I work for an organization that would enable me to spend paid time off contributing to such a worthwhile cause,” she says. “It made me feel good about myself – and good about Cleveland Clinic as a civic-minded institution that genuinely cares about its employees.”

The program is clearly paying off. Caregivers donated an impressive 5,800 volunteer hours to approved community partners in 2023 alone. “The CSTO program underscores our investment in the community,” says Krebs. “We’re building bridges one volunteer hour at a time.”