Fundraiser Spotlight: i3 Cares Office Bake Sale

Leading up to Veterans Day, we are encouraging Americans to honor veterans and give back through our 11-day Boot Salute. We are always inspired by the creativity of our supporters, which is why we want to encourage and support the creation of unique events that rally and relate to the community at hand. 

For instance, the team at i3 Cares recently hosted a bake sale to raise money for our individualized programs and spotlight the YOU MATTER movement amongst their coworkers, many of whom are veterans. We were blown away by their generosity (and the yummy looking treats their staff baked for the event!), which is why we chatted with Laura Patrick from i3 Cares to understand their passion for our military men and women and how this purpose-driven, in-office fundraising event came together! 

What did this event mean to you and your team? 

My grandfather was in the Navy and my father was in the Marines and, believe it or not, they got along. Also, having served in Afghanistan for 4 years, most of my very close friends are prior service and I consider them all family.

PTSD in our veteran community is something I feel doesn’t get the visibility it deserves. These men and women served for us, left their families for us and I’m honored to be a part of an organization that puts that at the forefront of their mission. It is a very personal thing to me and it inspires me in my role with i3 Cares to do as much as possible for the veteran community. 

What drew you to give back to Boot Campaign?

Boot Campaign’s YOU MATTER initiative stood out to many of us here at i3. It not only puts a spotlight on something that needs to be more openly discussed, but even just telling someone that they matter is a powerful message. Putting information out there on how to recognize when someone is in need of help and providing resources for them makes the campaign essential. 

How did others on your team feel about the event? 

“i3’s affection for our military really showed in this event. It let me know I’m in the right place, around the right people, supporting those who deserve it most. And for those who went to war for us and came home just to continue fighting that war; stay strong, keep fighting, You Matter.” 

– Laura Patrick, Automation Team Lead and Veteran Quadrant Lead for i3 Cares

“I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the i3 Cares Bake Sale benefiting Boot Campaign. Our i3 team really rallies together for all of our i3 Cares events and opportunities, especially those related to our warfighters. This event garnered so much support and excitement in our headquarters building! It was encouraging to see so many people being incredibly generous with their donations for an amazing organization.” 

– Brianna Martratt, Growth and Development Specialist and i3 Cares Vice President

“The Bake Sale for Boot Campaign was my favorite i3 Cares event yet! It was fun to see so many of our colleagues’ baking skills showcased. However, the absolute best part was witnessing the incredible donations that came in. The bake sale gave people the opportunity to donate directly from their hearts instead of paying a set price. i3 team members are passionate about suicide prevention for veterans and it showed!” 

– Katie Bivens, Recruiting Team and i3 Cares Secretary

“i3 was honored and proud to participate in the 2021 Boot Campaign You Matter initiative. With a team member population of over 41% Veterans, the Boot Campaign mission: “To honor and improve the lives of Veterans and military families”, hits close to home.  At i3 we strive to be a responsible Corporate citizen and do what we can to impact our community and those in it.  

“In attending the Boot Campaign bake sale I was inspired by my colleagues and their dedication to helping those that have given so much to protecting our freedoms and the freedoms of so many citizens around the world.  The atmosphere surrounding the event was fun-loving and electric. Hand baked cookies, muffins and brownies went quickly, fueled by good natured challenges to dig deeper and partake in more goodies. While disappointed to lose a robust competition for one of the many tempting silent auction cakes, I was further inspired by the amount of money raised for this worthy cause. Thanks to Boot Campaign for their continued support to our Nation’s Veterans.“ 

– Rich Kretzschmar, CEO of i3