Kathryn, Senior Director of Human Resources, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCAKathryn, an HR professional of over 25 years, brought HoneyBee to the Pasadena Humane Society because she wants all of her employees to feel financially secure. It was an easy decision when she realized HoneyBee could provide a financial safety net for her employees along with the tools and training to better their financial future. She said, “I knew it was an additional benefit that we needed to offer. Many of our employees have taken advantage of the program to improve their credit rating, pay off high-interest credit cards, and even keep them out of debt at Christmas. A few have had that unexpected expense come up out of the blue and HoneyBee was there to help!”
The hardest part of her job is not taking every animal home with her. She shared how she’s dealt with the urge to adopt every animal that walks through their doors saying, “I pick a favorite every week that I root for until they find their “furever” home. It’s a very happy day when I get to say, Yay! You’ve been adopted!”*
Kathryn with a Pasadena Humane Society employee
Angel, Director of People and Culture, Straus Family Creamery
Angel, an HR professional of over 11 years, talked to us about the impact of predatory loans on her workforce. Angel brought HoneyBee to her employees because she’s seen the effects of predatory lending firsthand. She said, “We have had team members get into serious financial trouble with predatory payday loan houses. Lenders that claim to cater to our Latinx communities take advantage of folks that find themselves in a bind. Team members borrow just a small amount of money but that turns into thousands of dollars in debt with these predatory lenders. And, once a debt has gone past collections and into lien status, we are obligated to do paycheck garnishments. If a team member doesn’t bring home their full paycheck, this causes additional hardship; it’s a vicious cycle.”
Angel takes pride in working hard and making a difference in the food industry. Saying, “I am proud to be part of an amazing team that is relentless in their labors and strives daily to create premium quality, truly delicious organic products.”*
Angel with Straus employees
Sandra, HR Manager, Trademark Plastics
Sandra, an HR professional of over 5 years, brought HoneyBee to Trademark Plastics to increase trust. Offering a benefit like HoneyBee, which can help employees become financially secure, shows her employees that Trademark Plastics cares about them.
She spoke about her upbringing, and how it’s shaped her outlook on leadership and life. She came from humble beginnings, everyone in her family had to work together to make ends meet.
She’s a mixture of hard work, perseverance, and compassion. She’s happy to be at Trademark Plastics, making a positive impact on her employees. Saying, “I stay humble and love taking care of the hand that feeds my family.”*
Sandra with Trademark Plastics employees
Catherine, Chief Human Resources Officer, Asian Art Museum
Catherine, an HR professional of over 30 years, shared how HoneyBee has helped her employees. She said, “One employee had some unexpected bills last December that needed to get paid but if she did that, she couldn’t buy any presents for her three young children. She was trying to figure out how to explain to her kids why Santa wasn’t coming this year. I connected her with Honeybee and she didn’t have to have that conversation and Honeybee got her through the Holidays.”
She values kindness and doesn’t tolerate bullies. She said, “I was always taught that we are judged by how we treat our weakest person. I have tried to remember that and to also instill that in my daughter. I want to be remembered as someone who tried and who made a difference.”*
Catherine with her daughter
Patty, Director of Sales and Enrollment, HoneyBee
Patty became Director of Sales and Enrollment at HoneyBee a little over a year ago. She’s a single mom with a big heart and a close bond to her daughter; their friends affectionately refer to the pair as the Gilmore Girls. She was drawn to HoneyBee because she’s been through financial setbacks herself. She said, “When I met HoneyBee, the first thing I thought was that I have an opportunity to make sure that no one goes through what I went through.”
She loves connecting with others and finds that sharing her story helps HR managers and brokers see the value in Honeybee’s services. She said, “My favorite part about working with HoneyBee is when I see that aha moment that an HR manager, or a broker, understands our mission.”*
Patty with her daughter