Lending a hand in difficult times: How Raymond James associates care

When Florida’s gulf coast was hit with back-to-back hurricanes this fall, many Raymond James associates and their loved ones faced devastating destruction. Neighborhoods across Tampa Bay, home of the firm’s corporate headquarters, experienced several feet of storm surge following Hurricane Helene in late September which resulted in flooded homes and extensive loss of material possessions. Then, following Hurricane Milton in early October, many homes and businesses across the same area suffered severe wind damage, days of power and water outages, and in some cases, even more flooding.  

Following the storms, the firm’s top priority was supporting our associates, advisors, clients and communities. Raymond James and its leadership team contributed nearly $11 million to associate and community relief, including stipends for eligible associates and donations to Friends of Raymond James, the American Red Cross and other community partners. Friends of Raymond James, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting associates in times of crisis, granted over 430 requests for assistance totaling more than $1 million. 

The firm’s corporate headquarters reopened as a recharge station in the week following Hurricane Milton. Hundreds of associates, advisors and their friends and family members stopped by for access to air conditioning, power and internet, took home pantry items and cleaning supplies, and enjoyed a hot meal together. 

Behind the scenes, in a testament to our culture of putting people first, associates across the firm stepped up to ensure their colleagues were taken care of and receiving the individualized support they needed.

Connecting willing volunteers with associates in need

In the days immediately following Hurricane Helene, leaders at Raymond James Bank received an “overwhelming” number of calls and emails from associates asking how they could help their colleagues most impacted by the storm. The outpouring of support gave Raymond James Bank CEO Amanda Stevens an idea: Create a hurricane help matching survey to pair associates in need with associates willing to lend a hand.

“Within half an hour of the idea, bank leaders had created the survey, and within a matter of two days, over 50 associates had signed up to help,” Amanda said. “It was amazing to see how people stepped up, from physical labor to weekend babysitting to offering a place for their colleagues to stay.”

One bank associate experienced flooding in her home following Hurricane Helene, resulting in severe damage to furniture, clothing and other possessions. Colleagues offered to help her wash her clothes and replace items that were beyond repair. 

Another associate requested assistance with replacing fence panels following Hurricane Milton. Just a few hours later, the request had been fulfilled by two bank volunteers. 

Raymond James Bank’s matching survey was so successful that several other department leaders adopted a similar process for their own teams. Associates have continued to utilize this method to help one another in the weeks following the storms. 

Acts of kindness and selflessness

Like so many others, Jenna Grooms, director of Workplace Hospitality, experienced devastating flooding in her home following Hurricane Helene. She says her manager, Bradley Freed – vice president, Corporate Real Estate – was at her home within hours with food, coffee and information on how to use the firm’s resources to help with her family’s needs.

“There are no words to describe the amount of care that I received from my team,” Jenna said. “So many people reached out to offer help with cleanup, hot meals and even a place for my family to stay. I was on the receiving end of unbelievable acts of kindness and selflessness.”

Likewise, Kay Clark, vice president of Associate Cultural Experience, received an outpouring of support from associates after her parents’ home saw significant flooding (pictured: right).

“Joanne reached out at a time when I was feeling very overwhelmed,” she says of colleague Joanne Korth, a senior manager on the corporate communications team. “I shared some of what I was dealing with, and next thing I knew, I got a message that said ‘I have a shop vac and gloves, and I will be there soon. What else do I need to bring?’”

Vice President, Corporate Communications Lora Rodriguez and Brand Strategy Director Christina Klapper-Gonzalez also came by to lend a hand. They hauled out wet furniture and other items that needed to be disposed of and helped salvage what could be saved.

“These are people who know me and how I work. Having them there to help me make quick decisions about what could be saved and what needed to be tossed was exactly what I didn’t know I needed,” Kay said. “In a house full of memories, that would have been really hard for me to do on my own.”

A people-first culture

“Giving back to the communities in which we live and work” is a phrase that has been a part of the firm’s mission from the beginning. This value has been adopted by our associates, who exemplify it daily, and especially during times of crisis.

Raymond James associates have demonstrated their support for hurricane relief efforts not only through direct offers of assistance to their colleagues, but also through community giving and volunteerism. Associates donated more than $150,000 to the American Red Cross and United Way Disaster Recovery Fund, which will be matched by Raymond James. Many associates also elected to donate their stipend money to Friends of Raymond James in support of associates more heavily impacted by the storms.

“It’s times like these that I feel most proud to work alongside each and every one of you,” said Chair and CEO Paul Reilly in one of multiple memos sent to the firm. “The strength, resilience and commitment you continue to show is admirable. Thank you – and remember, we will get through this together."

Raymond James Cares

Together, we make a difference to build, strengthen and grow our communities. To learn more about the firm’s corporate philanthropy, click here.

To see how associates give back all year long, follow Raymond James on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.