A multitude of studies have found that corporate philanthropy has many benefits aside from the parties on the receiving end, including increased employee satisfaction, an increase in retention, and other intangible benefits.
In this article, we will spotlight three such meaningful collaborations between corporations and deserving entities that strengthen ties between the two and provide a sense of purpose for those who participate.
Read more about the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta’s annual IMPACT Awards here.
According to Lee Hendrickson, corporate volunteerism manager at The Home Depot, one of the company’s longstanding partnerships with the Atlanta Community ToolBank “exemplifies a longstanding and impactful partnership within Atlanta.”
“Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, and Atlanta ToolBank, both established more than three decades ago in Atlanta, now operate nationally while maintaining strong local roots,” Hendrickson said. “Their shared commitment to providing communities with the tools they need to get the job done fosters alignment, and they frequently join forces in areas such as disaster recovery, skilled trades workforce development, and essential home repairs for veterans.”
Hendrickson spoke of a recent Team Depot project wherein 100 children from the Boys & Girls Club had the opportunity to use ToolBank tools and guidance to construct a variety of items, from Kids Workshop projects to outdoor benches.
“For many participants, this project provided an introduction to the skilled construction trades and using tools for the first time,” he said. “Similarly, in the spring of 2025, 250 Team Depot volunteers built custom garden structures for veterans as part of the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center’s horticultural therapy program.”
The partnership serves as a compelling model for how corporate and nonprofit organizations can work together to benefit both local communities and broader populations, he said.
Roy Neill, who works for Dematic’s Corporate and Community Affairs division, said the company recognizes “the importance of giving back to the communities where we live, work, and serve.”
“By volunteering our time, donating to worthy causes, sharing our thought leadership, and connecting with our neighbors, we create a better environment within Dematic and for those living around us,” Neill said.
Atlanta-based Dematic, a leader in supply chain automation solutions, partnered with Captain Planet starting in 2023 to sponsor Project Learning Gardens in Atlanta, GA and Fort Worth, Texas.
The gardens, which cost about $5,000 to build, according to Captain Planet, “are effective outdoor learning spaces for students to engage in inquiry-driven, project-based learning across all disciplines.”
“The students can experience the full scope of everything involved in growing, preparing and eating food,” Neill said. “We place the gardens in areas where we are located so employees can engage in the process of learning.”
Dematic also supports employee community volunteerism with Volunteer Time-Off (VTO) with eligible United States-based employees and an employee giving program, Neill said.
Brandon Gardner, the community relations manager with Kaiser Permanente, said one of the company’s long-standing partnerships with the Atlanta Community Food Bank assists with “one of the most pressing social drivers of today, food insecurity.”
“Being able to give back to the community is very important to our company,” Gardner said.
Kaiser Permanente recently collected about 10,000 pounds of food for distribution, while also feeding more than 500 people at its Cascade Road location.