Across the Greater Rochester region, many businesses are proving that giving back is just as important as doing business. From supporting veterans and uplifting neighbors in need to investing time, talent, and resources in local causes, these companies show that community service isn’t just good practice—it’s part of what makes a community thrive. Their stories remind us that generosity takes many forms: a day of volunteering, a donation, or even a simple act of kindness. When each of us contributes in our own ways, our whole community grows stronger.
Gorbel Employees Uplift Rochester Neighbors Through Service to Cameron Street Mission and Dimitri House
For more than two decades, Gorbel (which manufactures overhead material handling cranes, ergonomic lifting devices, and fall protection products) employees have quietly transformed lives across Rochester, one meal, one repair, and one act of kindness at a time.
The effort began in 2001 when Gorbel’s Jim Stockmaster learned about Cameron Street Mission and Dimitri House through a chance encounter in his karate class. Stockmaster started volunteering to clean, organize, and make repairs, and over the years, this has grown into a company-wide tradition of service.
Each year, Gorbel employees help with spring cleanups, painting projects, and maintenance at both facilities, which serve some of Rochester’s most vulnerable neighbors. Stockmaster’s team recently resurfaced and repainted the kitchen and dining areas at Cameron, where about 200 people receive free meals daily, along with clothing and after-school programs for neighborhood children.
During the holidays, Gorbel employees collect gifts for children and caregivers and assemble Thanksgiving baskets complete with food, baking pans, and table settings.
This summer, Stockmaster and colleagues even organized a bike event and rode 130 miles in 92-degree heat to raise funds for Cameron’s soup kitchen as funding decreases and need rises.
“Gorbel’s mission is to improve people’s lives,” Stockmaster says. “If you want to improve people’s lives, this is a very direct way to do that.” He’s passionate about service at these facilities because “there’s no shortage of people in need, and the need has only risen over time.”
For more information, visit cameroncommunity.org or dimitri-house.org.
Morreall & Company Honors Veterans with ‘Vote a Vet’ Program
In Irondequoit, Morreall & Company Roofing is using its success to lift others up, especially those who have served our country. Owner Nick Morreall, a lifelong Irondequoit resident, created the company’s new “Vote a Vet” program to help local veterans in need of home improvements.
The idea grew from Morreall’s belief that veterans don’t always receive the support they need and deserve once they return home. “You shouldn’t go fight for our country and come home and not be able to support yourself,” he says. Through the program, community members nominate active or former service members who need help repairing or upgrading their homes. The company then provides free home improvements, focusing on veterans who might not otherwise be able to afford the work.
One of the first projects benefited an active-duty veteran in Fairport, whose family received needed trim and gutter replacements as well as a few miscellaneous repairs. The family was deeply moved by the genuine assistance, and Morreall says the veteran even wrote from Afghanistan to express his thanks, saying the repairs meant he could return home knowing his family’s needs were met.
For Morreall, giving back in his hometown feels like life coming full circle. If he can help, he wants to help. Beyond roofing, the company regularly supports local events, sponsoring Little League teams, handing out candy at farmers markets, and simply sharing goodwill within the community.
What began as a way to raise awareness has become a heartfelt mission. Morreall hopes to continue Vote a Vet every year, a way to show gratitude, spread kindness, and remind others that “beautiful things happen every day.”
Canandaigua National Bank’s Community Connections Program Strengthens Bonds Through Employee-Led Giving
At Canandaigua National Bank (CNB), philanthropy is part of the institution’s DNA, according to President and CEO Frank Hamlin III. For 140 years, he says the bank has built its reputation on community connections and listening to and supporting the community they serve. CNB’s spirit of giving has deepened beyond sponsorships and donations.
Five years ago, CNB sharpened its philanthropic focus with an employee-led approach, designating $100,000 annually to a group of employees who decide where to donate the funds locally. Today, CNB donates about $1.5 million annually, supporting 500–600 organizations across the region, many employee-led connections, as the bank believes the staff who live and work locally know best where help is needed.
Ginny Ryan, director of community engagement, notes that CNB leadership wanted to go beyond writing checks by helping employees participate with the organizations they support. This led to the Pillars of Giving program, awarding larger grants and including hands-on volunteer opportunities for the CNB team, including at Homesteads for Hope, Habitat for Humanity, and local food pantries, helping CNB deepen meaningful relationships within their communities. Holiday initiatives like 12 Days of Giving further strengthen those ties, and Ryan and Hamlin are excited for the annual event bringing people together.
For CNB, community banking means more than financial transactions. It means supporting the people and organizations that make the region thrive. As Hamlin says, “Supporting our people to support the community—that’s what it’s all about.”
Fleetwood Accessibility Services Honors and Supports Veterans with Dignity
At Fleetwood Accessibility Services of Rochester, helping people live safely and independently at home is more than a mission. It’s a promise rooted in compassion, respect, and community service. Led by President Dr. Pia K. Nault, the company specializes in creating accessible environments that allow individuals to “stay at home, age gracefully, and die with dignity surrounded by their loved ones.”
Installing, servicing, and repairing ramps, lifts, lift chairs, home elevators, ceiling track systems, bathroom accessibility options, and an array of other accommodations, Fleetwood offers individuals and families safety and peace of mind within their own homes.
That mission takes on special meaning when it comes to veterans. Fleetwood works closely with organizations such as Semper Fi & America’s Fund to make homes accessible for veterans in need and does so without requiring them to pay out of pocket. The company actively partners with social workers and agencies to assess needs, educate families, and increase awareness of resources available for those living with physical limitations.
From custom design and ADA-compliant construction to certified installations and caregiver training, Fleetwood Accessibility Services brings together doctors, engineers, contractors, and business professionals who share a single goal: to restore independence and improve quality of life.
As Dr. Nault puts it, “We give hope to people.” And for Rochester-area veterans, that hope often arrives in the form of a safer home and a renewed sense of dignity.