PLANADVISER - March/April 2020 - 40

advisers giving back
Investing Time, to Help Kids and Others
O
n PLANADVISER.com, we present profiles of retirement
plan advisers and advisory practices that are
doing philanthropic work. Besides highlighting the
good these advisers do and aiming to attract a new generation,
we hope these stories will inspire those still unsure
what role giving or rolling up one's sleeves to help should
play in their practice. Below are excerpts from the full-length
features, which can be found at PLANADVISER.com/AGB.
ARE YOU AN ADVISER WHO GIVES BACK to the local,
regional or global community? If so, we want to hear about it
for our 2020 Advisers Giving Back program. If you have, or know
of, such a story, please email editors@issmediasolutions.com.
Coordinated Efforts
Janine Moore was a principal in Peak Financial
Group, in Houston, until the firm's acquisition by
Hub International. Peak's charitable efforts began
with an annual event held with an organization that
prepared and distributed meals for children around
the world, Moore says. " We would get together and
make packs of rice, beans and vegetables. It felt
great to be giving back in the workplace context, so
we looked for opportunities to expand our efforts, "
she recalls. " Now that we're part of Hub International,
we can work with its existing program, Hub Gives. It
applauds these types of initiatives. "
Sophisticated Operation
The CAPTRUST Community Foundation
(CCF), in Raleigh, North
Carolina, has a singular vision:
" We want to enrich the lives of
all children, " says Tiffany Larew,
employee relations manager and
2020 president of the foundation's
board of directors. CCF gives small
grants directly to vetted charities,
and/or gives larger grants and
partners with charities, to help
them achieve " more than just
money would provide, " Larew says.
" It's very gratifying to give back to
our communities at a regional and
national level. " To foster participation
beyond payroll deduction
donations, CAPTRUST grants
employees 16 work hours a year, to
volunteer if they would like to.
Running Toward Wellness
" Too many young people aren't
learning basic financial literacy
at school, at home or anywhere
else, " says Jason Chepenik,
managing partner of Chepenik
Financial in Orlando, Florida, and
founder of the Smarter Tomorrow
Foundation. " Smarter Tomorrow is
committed to expanding financial
education because the future of
our kids-and the communities,
cities and country they will lead,
one day-depends on it. " To aid
the effort, since 2015, the foundation
has held an annual 4.01
kilometer race-the 401(k) Race
for Financial Fitness. All proceeds
from the race, now in eight cities,
go to a local organization that
teaches kids basic money skills.
Founder's Commitment
SentinelCares, the charitable and
philanthropic arm of Sentinel Benefits
& Financial Group in Wakefield,
Massachusetts, celebrates its sixth
anniversary this year-but its roots
go back over three decades to the
founding of the firm. Last year, 90%
of Sentinel's staff participated in at
least one volunteer day, dedicating
2,300 hours to 30 community
improvement organizations in
four states. Since 2018, the firm has
donated nearly 4,000 pounds of
food to local food pantries, says
Michael Newhall, vice president of
business and community development.
" People have come to
understand that SentinelCares is a
core part of our overall brand and
mission. " -PA
40 | planadviser.com March-April 2020 Art by (from left) Suharu Ogawa; Jonathan Bartlett; Jackie Ferrentino; Tim Bower

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PLANADVISER - March/April 2020

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