When TD Bank planned a customer event in Miami last month, no one expected it to unfold in a sprawling apparel manufacturing plant instead of a glitzy ballroom. But that was precisely the point. “We’re not just building the bank—we’re building our community,” said Kimrey Newlin, Executive Credit Officer at TD Bank and a longtime board member at Goodwill South Florida. What began as a brainstorm to tour the Goodwill South Florida facility quickly evolved into something far more meaningful: a full-fledged customer event highlighting not only the bank’s investment insights, but also the life-changing work of a community nonprofit. Most companies would’ve opted for steak dinners and live entertainment. TD chose eggs, croissants, and a facility tour showing off Goodwill’s employees, a large majority of whom are living with a disability or barrier to work, the Spirit of Goodwill Band and how they give back to the Miami community in so many ways. Cathy Alexander, Private Client Relationship Manager for Miami-Dade County, helped them find their hook: a presentation from Sid Vaidya, TD’s Chief Investment Strategist, who would offer timely insight on economic trends and political changes. Cathy added, “This partnership highlights a shared commitment to empowering individuals through financial knowledge and community support. The clients walked away with a renewed perspective about how we support the businesses we serve, but more importantly, how we give back to the community.” For many attendees, the real revelation came from learning what Goodwill truly is. “When people think of Goodwill, they think of the drop boxes for used clothes,” said Nick Miceli, Regional President of Florida Metro at TD. “But that’s just one aspect. The core of their mission is job readiness—especially for individuals with disabilities. They train them, they employ them, they give them purpose.” Inside Goodwill South Florida’s massive facility, attendees saw rows of sewing machines creating military uniforms under government contracts.
Goodwill South Florida also runs a commercial laundry business serving hospitals, and a janitorial service cleaning over 130 government buildings, all employing individuals with disabilities or barriers to work. In fact, Goodwill South Florida makes nearly 1 million garments for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs annually, and 85,000 of those are interment flags for the families of fallen soldiers. At the end of the day, the Goodwill South Florida event is a microcosm of a bank trying to be different, unique and make an impact for the better in the community it serves. At its heart, the TD-Goodwill event wasn’t just about community service. It was about redefining what corporate engagement looks like.