andCo Volunteers in Action: A Month of Purpose, Service and Community Impact

At andCo, volunteering is not something we simply do. It is who we are. 

Rooted in our mission to foster sustainability, uplift our communities, and spread local love across every city we call home, our teams showed up in incredible ways this month. From beautifying neighborhoods to supporting youth programs, serving families, and giving essential goods a second life, our people put Purpose in Action with heart. 

This season has been filled with so many meaningful moments that we could never capture them all, but here are just a few highlights that showcase the power of our people and the communities we love. 

Pine Hills Beautification Day - Our Purpose

On Saturday, November 15, our team joined residents and community partners for Pine Hills Beautification Day. The morning was filled with planting, mulching, refreshing common areas, and picking up litter to bring new life to the neighborhood. 

Thank you to everyone who helped make Pine Hills shine. Your work lives every day. 

Help Keep Kids Off the Streets Walkathon 

At the 14th Annual Help Keep Kids Off the Streets Walkathon, our Kissimmee and Lake Buena Vista team members assisted with event setup, supported local families, ran yard games, and walked alongside participants to support youth programming in the area. 

Special Olympics Florida State Fall Classic and Disney Golf Invitational Become A Volunteer 

Our Housekeeping team members brought incredible support to the Special Olympics Florida State Fall Classic at ESPN Wide World of Sports. They assisted at the powerlifting competition, encouraged athletes, and helped event organizers throughout the day. 

Other team members volunteered at the Disney Golf Invitational, continuing our tradition of showing up for Special Olympics athletes throughout Florida. 

Some of our team also completed their third year of volunteer service at their local Kingdom Hall, demonstrating how meaningful it is to serve both large organizations and the community spaces that matter personally to them. 

These combined efforts contributed forty-eight volunteer hours toward our 2025 goal. 

Ronald McDonald House Share a Meal Program Volunteer - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, Inc. 

Our andCo volunteers prepared a full comfort food dinner for families staying at Ronald McDonald House. The meal included homemade chili, baked macaroni and cheese, sweet cornbread, brownies, salad, and hot dogs for the children. 

One family from Alabama, who has been staying at the House since early August, shared their appreciation for the warm, home cooked meal. It was a meaningful reminder that hospitality extends far beyond our resorts and into the communities we serve. 

Planning for a December volunteer date is already underway due to the strong interest of our team. 

Sustainability in Action: Mattress Donation Initiative 

As part of our commitment to divert waste from landfills and repurpose items responsibly, our team completed two significant mattress donation projects. 

Pinellas Hope Pinellas Hope Homeless Shelter | Providing help. Creating hope. 

Sixteen full size mattresses from The Fold Hotels in Indian Shores were donated to Pinellas Hope, an emergency shelter program serving up to 250 individuals experiencing homelessness. The mattresses will help furnish Hope Cottages and shelter beds, providing comfort and support for residents working toward long term stability. 

The Salvation Army St Petersburg Adult Rehabilitation Center St Petersburg Suncoast - ARC Command 

Thirty-six king size mattresses were donated to the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in St Petersburg. This program provides no cost residential recovery services. The mattresses will support residents focusing on healing, stability, and rebuilding their lives. 

Our team assisted with loading the mattresses to ensure a smooth transition to their new homes. 

Our Year in Volunteering 

This month: 

• Thirty-nine team members volunteered 

• Two hundred seventy-five and a half volunteer hours were completed 

• Eleven additional team members are volunteering this week 

• Eighty-eight more volunteer hours will come from our Backyard Missions Thanksgiving Meals and Turkey Giveaway event 

Throughout the year we have partnered with:  

• Keep Pinellas Beautiful Keep Pinellas Beautiful 

• Give Kids the World Apply Volunteer | Give Kids The World Village | Top-Rated Charity | 

• A Gift for Teaching A Gift for Teaching Home - A Gift for Teaching 

• United Way Home - United Way of Central Florida 

• Nursing homes through Kindness Cards 

• Local beach and community cleanups 

• And many other organizations 

We have completed more than three hundred eighty volunteer sessions so far. Our Legacy Vacation Resorts Kissimmee and Orlando Housekeeping team reached one hundred percent participation for their Day of Hope volunteer hours. 

andCo provides eight hours of Volunteer PTO to help team members reach both their personal volunteer goals and our company wide goal of two thousand volunteer hours and eighty percent participation. 

A Thank You to Our andCo Family 

There are truly too many stories and volunteers to mention, but every single person who showed up made an impact. 

Your time, energy, and compassion strengthen our communities, support our neighbors, and bring our mission to life. 

If you know of a volunteer opportunity that aligns with our purpose, reach out to Megan Dorsey at megan@andco.earth. We would love to explore it.