Time Well Spent: Giving Back Across Collective
It's 6am at the rink, and someone showed up early to make sure she did too. A dog leaned into a stranger's hand because someone took the afternoon to help him trust again. A knock on a door, and someone's day just got a little brighter because a stranger decided to show up.
Giving back at Collective doesn't look the same for everyone and that's exactly the point.
Every Collective team member gets eight hours of paid volunteer time each quarter. It’s up to each individual to choose how they use it. People use it how they want, for causes and organizations that matter to them on a personal level.
“Living out our values even when we aren’t at work matters,” said Scott Houle, President of Collective. “If we can give people the time and space to do something meaningful, that’s worth it.”
That time gets used in many ways, all of it making a difference. Here are a few of those stories.
Hope Blooms
Hannah Savoy, Director of Marketing at Collective
What happens to flowers after a wedding, a funeral, or an event? Most are thrown away. In Fargo, one nonprofit is doing something different.
For the past 10 years, Hope Blooms has taken donated flowers and put them back into the community as bouquets for people who need them.
Volunteers create each arrangement by hand, then deliver them directly to people in the community through the Petal It Forward program. It’s a simple gesture, but it can mean a lot. A knock on the door, a quick conversation, and something that brightens the day.
Hannah keeps coming back because of what it does for other people, and for her. In the middle of busy days and long to-do lists, volunteering gives her a reason to slow down and focus on something simple.
“You don’t always realize how much a small gesture can mean,” Hannah said. “A vase of flowers can completely change someone’s day. And honestly, it does the same for you. It makes you slow down, be grateful, and appreciate the small things.”
It’s also about the people behind it. Dozens of volunteers from all walks of life, showing up together for a common goal. Community doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes people choosing to be part of it and choosing to do something small for someone else.
“It’s a small thing, but it’s how you build community,” Hannah said. “Just showing up and doing something for someone else.”
Homeward Animal Shelter
Kylie Kanwischer, Digital Strategy Specialist at Collective
Homeward Animal Shelter cares for between 180 and 220 animals at any given time, far more than the building itself can hold. Fewer than 50 are housed on-site, with the rest placed in foster homes. Since 1966, more than 44,000 animals have found new homes because of their work.
It only happens because of volunteers.
Kylie is one of them. She gives her time to the shelter, helping animals get ready for the moment they find a home.
The shelter recently partnered with the
Fargo Theatre on Broadway during a showing of Best in Show, a satirical take on the dog show world. These dogs might not be headed for the show ring, but they’d happily take a spot on someone’s couch without hesitation.
Kylie was paired with Kaiser, a calm, easygoing dog who was more than willing to soak up the attention. The event gave dogs a chance to socialize and meet potential families, which is exactly what keeps her coming back. Time with the animals is the easy part. Helping prepare them for a home, and getting to see that moment when it finally happens, is what matters.
“The animals can’t tell you what they’ve been through, but you can see it,” Kylie said. “Being part of helping them feel safe again and find a home is incredibly rewarding.”
Those moments aren’t always big. Sometimes it’s a dog like Kaiser settling in, opening up, and finally leaning in for the attention.
As for Kaiser, he found his home just a few days after his Broadway debut.
Sports Mentoring
Kayla Goebel, Graphic Designer at Collective
Sports do a lot more than keep kids active. They build confidence, teach resilience, and give kids something to belong to.
But not everyone sticks with it. Studies show girls are more than twice as likely to drop out of youth sports by age 14. Kayla is doing what she can to change that.
She spends her time working with youth hockey players through the West Fargo Hockey Association, mentoring young female athletes and helping them build confidence that carries well beyond the rink.
“It’s important to me because we see it happen. Girls drop out of sports because they lose confidence,” Kayla said. “I do this because sports teach so many incredible lessons. If we can build confidence and focus on mental health early, those kids carry that with them. It’s bigger than the game. It leads to healthier people, and honestly, a better world overall.”
It’s something she’s taking even further. Kayla is pursuing additional education in sports psychology and is already working on what comes next, a 12-week program designed for teen girls, along with resources for coaches and parents to support them along the way.
The goal is simple. Give young athletes the tools to build confidence on and off the rink.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
It starts with showing up and being there for someone.
That’s the foundation of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Through mentorship, kids, known as “littles,” build confidence, stay engaged in school, and develop stronger relationships at home. It’s the kind of support that sticks and makes a lasting difference.
Matches typically begin between ages 6 and 14, with volunteers spending a few hours each month together. Sometimes it’s as simple as grabbing lunch, going to a game, or just having someone to talk to.
While “bigs” volunteer their time, the program still relies on funding to operate. More than 30% comes from events like Bowl for Kids’ Sake, which brings communities together across the country each year. In the Fargo–Moorhead–West Fargo area, 60 companies participated, including Collective.
Collective team members Kendra Lange, Tara Bennett, Cait Heinen, Carissa Wald, Rob Puhr, and Dirk Monson took part in this year’s event, leaning into the spirit of it with team names and a little friendly competition. Other teams showed up in matching shirts and full-on themes, adding to the energy of the afternoon. Collective’s team, “Collective Chaos,” was voted Best Spirit, bringing plenty of chants, high fives, and fist bumps along the way.
Rob Puhr hasn't always been a casual bowler. Back in high school, he competed on his high school’s bowling team. So when Collective put together a team for Bowl for Kids' Sake, it felt a little like coming home.
But the event wasn't really about bowling. It was about showing up for kids who just need someone in their corner. That's the foundation of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Mentorship builds confidence, keeps kids engaged in school, and gives them someone to talk to. Sometimes it's as simple as grabbing lunch or going to a game.
“This is a fun event, but it’s for an incredible cause,” Rob Puhr said. “Helping raise money for an organization that values mentorship and making sure kids are cared about is incredibly gratifying.”
Collective Cares
Giving back looks different for everyone at Collective. It all matters, and it adds up in the communities we’re part of.
A kid who stays in the game. A dog who finds a home. A stranger whose day turns around because someone knocked on their door. None of it happens without people deciding to show up.
That's what eight hours can do.
