As a Birmingham native and a 30-year veteran of the local banking industry, Jay Dennis knows our community. He’s also well aware of the vital role that United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) plays in improving people’s lives and building a stronger community for us all. So, in his role as Birmingham Market President for Trustmark, a very community-focused bank, Dennis is an avid United Way supporter.
While Trustmark has been in business since 1889, it’s based in Mississippi and has had a presence in our area for only a few years. But in just a short time – and true to its corporate values – the company has focused on building relationships here as a strong community partner. In the past six months, that has been highlighted by employees volunteering with United Way Meals on Wheels, which prepares and delivers hot and frozen meals to about 1,200 homebound seniors throughout Jefferson County every week.
Dennis said that volunteering as a team for Meals on Wheels was a perfect opportunity to further support both United Way and the community at large, over and above financial contributions. Each week, several pairs of Trustmark employees are responsible for a daily Meals on Wheels route. Dennis, for instance, pairs up with his colleague John Collier to cover the Ruffner Mountain route in eastern Birmingham.
Jay Dennis, Birmingham Market President, Trustmark Bank
“Together, you’re trying to accomplish a mission, where you’re delivering these meals to folks and finding the addresses. You’re also learning who these seniors are and making sure that you’re both following the notes that we have about clients. It takes collaboration within the buddy system to make sure you execute well on the deliveries, and that has absolutely enhanced our overall team experience.”
On their chosen delivery days, Trustmark teams meet at UWCA’s Forest Park campus to pick up the meals for the clients on their respective routes. Then, one of them does the driving while other navigates to each address. Dennis said the round trip for his particular route takes about 1-2 hours, but most routes can be completed in an hour or less. As corporate volunteers, the time together in the car has paid big dividends.
As a personal bonus, Dennis said that he and many others have begun to build a rapport and friendly relationships with some of their clients. This, he said, has brought great joy to the volunteers themselves.
Trustmark is deeply committed to the community in Central Alabama, Dennis said, and partnering with United Way has been the perfect way to put that into action.
“Outside of what we do on a regular basis in the banking world, giving back to our community through charitable organizations is the highest priority we have,” he said. “It’s clear to me that supporting United Way is the best way we can impact our community. And Meals on Wheels has been a fantastic opportunity for us.”
Ready to make a difference?
Learn how you or your company can access volunteer opportunities, such as Meals on Wheels, through United Way of Central Alabama.
VolunteerFighting Hunger Across Central Alabama
Find out how United Way partners and programs are working to provide Hunger Relief in our six counties.
See How We’re Making an Impact »