American Express Colleague Kristina Hunt Brings Passion for Volunteerism to Work

Photo: Courtesy of Madison Square Boys & Girls Club

American Express colleague Kristina Hunt, Vice President, Product Management & U.S. Business Development, saw an opportunity to connect the dots between passion and purpose, bringing together her work life and volunteer commitment to New York's Madison Square Boys & Girls Club. This affiliate of the national organization has a mission to save and enhance the lives of New York City boys and girls who by reason of economic or social factors are most in need of its services.

For Hunt, who attended the Boys & Girls Club in Roxbury Massachusetts, the organization provided a safe and fun place while her parents were working. She wanted to pay it forward - and her enthusiasm inspired her to introduce this relationship to the company in order to help make a positive impact on the local community.

Since helping to make the connection between American Express and the organization, the team has rallied 150 other colleagues to join volunteer opportunities through Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, including helping out with the affiliated food pantry and leading youth workshops focused on personal brand, college readiness and financial education.

American Express and Madison Square Boys & Girls Club share a commitment to improve the lives of today's youth from underrepresented communities through support across education, equity, and workforce development. In June this year, American Express received the 2022 Corporate Champion of Youth Award by Madison Square Boys & Girls Club in recognition of its support for the organization's COVID-19 relief fund and sponsorships of the Christmas Tree Ball and the Madison Golf Tournament.

As part of the company's broader ESG commitment to build financial confidence through programs that promote resilience and equity in communities, American Express is committed to supporting a range of community partners, including Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, to empower young people, particularly those from underrepresented communities.

Hunt discusses more on the meaning of the organization and how work with American Express can help today's youth and future generations:

Why was it important to bring your personal work with Madison Square Boys & Girls Club to American Express?

One of the things that I love about Amex is the company's commitment to bring our powerful backing to the communities in which we live and work. I also love that we are a company that encourages colleagues to bring our full selves to work each day. Given this corporate mission, I believe it is important to not only support organizations during our annual giving program, but to double down by bringing my energy and passion to organizations I care about.

Why do you think this partnership has been so successful?

Madison Square Boys & Girls Club has a great mission and a long legacy. Founded in 1884, they aim to create a safe, stable and supportive environment for children in some of New York City's most underserved neighborhoods. Given that Amex is headquartered in NYC and has colleagues that live across the city, there seemed to be a natural synergy there and we have an amazing colleague base who are always looking for ways to give back.

What does it mean to you to work for a company whose culture encourages colleagues to show up each day with strong sense of purpose?

I've been at Amex for 16 years and one of the reasons I'm proud to work for the company is the quality of the culture and the colleagues I have the pleasure of learning from each day. My teammates are genuinely interested in what motivates me - both at and away from work - which is an amazing and unique benefit of working here.

What impact do you hope this joint work and commitment will have on today's youth?

I hope that children will feel empowered and motivated by meeting with colleagues at Amex. I was honored to host a panel for high school students with the organization where several colleagues shared their journey and advice for how to succeed, sometimes under adverse circumstances. I really believe that having the opportunity to see a diverse group of successful Amex professionals can expand a child's thinking on what is possible for themselves. This is what motivates me and what I hope the impact of our partnership will be.

Why do you think it's important for colleagues to engage in volunteering and connect with communities?

I firmly believe we all have a role to play in making a better tomorrow. Whether it is a park clean-up, delivering meals to neighbors, or simply donating to causes you care about, we all have a role to play. I am proud that Amex not only recognizes this, but supports it. And I think that volunteers get something themselves from volunteering - it can boost morale, drive team engagement and help us to get to know each other better as people. These benefits, plus the feeling you get by helping others while driving impact to people who need it is an amazing cycle I am happy to help contribute to.

American Express colleagues can also contribute to a variety of causes and engage in volunteering through the company's Give2Gether program, which matches employee donations to eligible non-profits dollar for dollar and the company's Serve2Gether volunteering and pro-bono support programs.

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