Synovus Financial Corporation
11/27/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Financial education brings stability to Georgia communities
Financial education brings stability to Georgia communities
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Autumn Hawk leads by example to help others. As a child, her mother took her along to volunteer activities and set an example through her own service work. What Hawk witnessed left an indelible mark on her. Today, she volunteers for various organizations in Newnan, Georgia. In 2023, Hawk received the Synovus Donald D. Howard Heart of the Community award. Like her mother, she continues to set an example with her team.
"My mom is always volunteering. Helping others makes her heart feel full," the Synovus retail market manager says."
Hawk's win of the Heart of the Community award was a tremendous honor and surprise for her because helping others is a staple in her life. "I volunteer because it's just something I enjoy. It was so nice to receive the recognition for doing what I do," she states. As she points to the award sitting on her office bookshelf, she recalls how she was proud to be a part of a team that values reaching out to others to help improve the lives of those in their community.
A few organizations she supports are the Goodwill Business Center, Family Patterns Matter, Frontline Housing (Clayton County), Midwest Food Bank, Girl Scouts and others. She hosts a bimonthly meeting with west Georgia and south Atlanta teams to discuss and encourage volunteer efforts in the South Georgia region.
"It makes me feel good that I can help someone get to that next step in their life or just give back to the community. Volunteerism is so impactful in helping others find their place. It makes me feel like I have a purpose," Hawk shares.
In the youth-based organization Family Patterns Matter, she loves seeing the children learn how to manage finances in a fun way. "Their holiday event had more than 150 children in attendance. Children were given coats, Santa stockings, and they earned play money to spend in Santa's workshop for holiday gifts," Hawk explains. "It's a fun volunteer effort that puts a twist on how we benefit and teach the kids a little something along the way."