Giving employees time and opportunities to volunteer supports a Texas health care system’s mission to improve community health—while also delivering worthwhile benefits for employees and the organization.
Texas Health Resources, based in Arlington, Texas, offers a variety of volunteer interests and strengths.
The health system’s Community Time Off (CTO) program has supported employees’ desire to give back since its inception in 2001.
Under the CTO program, the system’s 30,000 full- and part-time employees receive one day a year of paid time off specifically designated for volunteer service in the 16 counties served by the system’s 29 hospitals. Through this program, employees are encouraged to engage in volunteer opportunities with nonprofit and community partners across North Texas while remaining on paid work time.
“CTO is company‑sponsored and centrally supported, with designated internal contacts who coordinate nonprofit partnerships and volunteer requests,” said Jeanette Oliveros, director, strategic employee relations and experience at Texas Health.
Nonprofits, including 501c(3) charitable organizations, faith organizations, health care/social services organizations and schools, can apply to the system to receive volunteer help. The opportunities are then available through an internal portal that allows employees to review and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Employees may participate individually or as part of team‑based service events.
Participation and Projects
Employees across the organization take part in CTO, both individually and in organized team events, Oliveros said, adding that activities vary based on community needs and nonprofit partnerships.
Examples include the following.
- In‑person service projects such as packing supplies, organizing materials, providing meals, sorting food at food banks, volunteering at the Special Olympics, as well as setting up and organizing fundraising walks.
- Team-based volunteer days tied to specific events or observances
- Virtual volunteer activities
Hundreds of volunteer opportunities are posted annually, representing more than 300 nonprofits in 19 different cause areas. The system estimates that it has provided the equivalent of $3.6 million in services to Texas Health communities since 2009.
In 2025 alone, Texas Health employees volunteered more than 14,000 CTO hours and completed nearly 1,000 projects.
Employees participating in a CTO event are encouraged to wear special navy-blue volunteer T‑shirts that each new hire receives for free. “The shirts serve as a visible symbol of service and help create a sense of unity across the organization,” Oliveros commented.
The CTO program is also integrated with the system’s “Culture and Connection” activities. “For example, if there is a particular observation that we are honoring, such as Black History month, we will coordinate volunteer projects around our communities that align with the observances being celebrated and honored,” Oliveros said.
Supporting a Mission
Texas Health’s mission is to improve the health of the people in the communities it serves, and the CTO program directly supports that mission by empowering employees to contribute their time and talents beyond the workplace, Oliveros explained.
“Volunteerism is viewed as a way to strengthen communities while reinforcing a culture of service and purpose among employees. We know that our employees want to make an impact in their communities, and supporting that desire is both a key driver of engagement and a differentiator in our talent value proposition,” she added.
The CTO program helps employees build connections and find purpose and fulfillment through service, often alongside colleagues, and boosts morale, Oliveros said. Team-based volunteer activities also promote relationship building and engagement across departments, she noted.
Because volunteer hours and participation are tracked, Texas Health can measure engagement levels and overall community impact through documented service hours and nonprofit partnerships.
“Our retention rates are above industry benchmarks, and our core engagement scores rank in the top decile of the benchmark database. While we cannot attribute these key performance measures, we know this is a contributor,” Oliveros said.
April 2nd is National Employee Benefits Day! The 2026 theme is Caring in Action: Strengthening Communities Through Organizational Volunteer Initiatives. Visit www.ifebp.org/BenefitsDay for more resources and data on the organizational impacts of giving back.
