Chef Jeff Freehof, waits for volunteers in the SignatureFD Kitchen at our Ronald McDonald House near Egleston.

Signature FD adopted our kitchen at the Ronald McDonald House near Egleston as part of its SignatureGIVING Program, in which employees select two local nonprofits as partners each year to help deepen its community impact. At SignatureFD, a core tenet of its values is generosity with employees fundamentally believing in giving back to the communities they serve.

“We strive to approach generosity as a way of life, which we measure by the impact we have on our communities, not just dollar amounts,” says Heather Robertson Fortner, Chair and CEO of SignatureFD. “This type of intentional generosity helps us move from transactional giving to a place where our time, money, and resources intersect with the things that matter most. It is a place we like to call ‘Net Worthwhile.’”

In addition to adopting the Gatewood House kitchen, SignatureFD is donating time for many other volunteer opportunities, including two chef-led Meals That Heal, where volunteers will come in and work under a professional chef’s guidance to prepare and serve meals to families. They’ll also be helping greet families, restock shelves, shop, and wrap gifts for the annual Ronald’s Holiday Shop in December.

SignatureGIVING is a program that they company rolled out in 2021. Every year the company takes nominations from team members and asks for their input on the organizations near and dear to their hearts. Then, employees vote as an entire group on the two organizations they want to support that year, give a $50,000 donation to each organization, and align all its volunteer activities to assist both of those organizations.

“We are proud to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities on their mission to improve the health and well-being of children,” Fortner says. “The responsibility we have as an organization to support the communities we serve is an honor and a critical component of how we make a difference and live our Net Worthwhile.”