Volunteering is at the Heart of Impact in our Communities
Across Southwest Michigan, nonprofits, schools, and community partners rely on volunteers to help meet critical needs. These needs range from fighting hunger to supporting families during the holidays. At United Way of Southwest Michigan, Volunteer United exists to make those connections easier by bringing together organizations with needs and teams of volunteers ready to help. I’d like to tell you about one of those teams: Gast Manufacturing of Benton Harbor.
In 2025, 115 Gast employees volunteered, representing more than 43 percent of the company’s workforce. Their involvement shows what is possible when companies are supported in giving back and when volunteers are connected to opportunities that align with real community needs.
Gast Manufacturing is a business unit of IDEX Corporation, and through that relationship, employee volunteer efforts are often strengthened by additional support from the IDEX Foundation. This model allows local teams like Gast to combine hands-on service with philanthropic investment, increasing their overall impact in the communities where employees live and work.
Through Volunteer United partnerships, Gast employees helped address food insecurity, one of the region’s most pressing challenges. Volunteers participated in six Mobile Food Pantry distributions, with an average of 17 employees serving at each event. Together, those efforts helped provide food to 3,008 individuals, including 1,266 children, 626 seniors, and 157 veterans. In addition to volunteer support, the IDEX Foundation donated $30,000 to Feeding America West Michigan, extending the impact even further.
Health and lifesaving efforts were another focus. Gast hosted four workplace blood drives, collecting 53 whole blood units and 42 double red units. These donations directly support hospitals and patients across the region and demonstrate how coordinated volunteer opportunities can make a meaningful difference close to home.
Gast’s commitment also includes long-standing participation in United Way volunteer initiatives. In 2025, the company marked its 15th year participating in Rake a Difference, one of United Way of Southwest Michigan’s signature volunteer efforts. Through Rake a Difference, teams of volunteers support older adults, people with disabilities, and neighbors in need by completing outdoor and seasonal projects that help individuals safely remain in their homes. That same year, 50 Gast employees took part.
Teams also joined Rock the Boat, a United Way event that brings volunteers together in a creative and team-focused way. Gast employees built and raced boats in support of United Way’s work, showing that volunteering can strengthen both community connections and workplace relationships.
Volunteer United opportunities reach employees at every stage of their careers. Gast interns volunteered alongside their mentors during a community service project at Eden Springs Historical Park, reinforcing that service is not only encouraged but modeled and shared across generations of employees.
Gast employees also responded to immediate community needs throughout the year. Through the IDEX Food Challenge, the Salvation Army received 1,391 pounds of non-perishable foods in addition to a $15,000 donation from the IDEX Foundation. Employees donated 39 turkey certificates to support families during Thanksgiving and helped ensure families at the Emergency Shelter were cared for during the holiday season. When a longtime Toys for Tots volunteer passed away, Gast employees stepped in to help collect donations from local businesses, ensuring the program continued without interruption.
Gast Manufacturing is one example of how Volunteer United works alongside companies and community partners to turn willingness into impact. By identifying needs, coordinating opportunities, and removing barriers to service, Volunteer United helps teams show up where they are needed most.
Organizations and individuals interested in making a difference can explore volunteer opportunities or post a need at volunteer.uwsm.org. The website is free for agencies and volunteers, and opportunities range from one-day projects to ongoing engagement, thanks to the De Groot Family Foundation. Together, through Volunteer United, teams like Gast Manufacturing are helping build a stronger and more connected Southwest Michigan.
