The HNM Systems’ team participated in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in San Diego, demonstrating the importance of employee community involvement.
Making Strides is the nation’s largest breast cancer movement, raising funds to support research and provide essential services to patients and their families.
HNM’s core value of being “Relentlessly People Driven” means our leadership and employees consider the impact of everything they do. That commitment extends beyond the people we work with to the communities around us.
Why Employee Community Involvement Matters
The Society for Human Resource Management has highlighted the connection between community involvement and employee engagement. Companies that actively support their communities can foster stronger connections among employees and create a greater sense of purpose.
In business terms, this can translate to a stronger bottom line. But for HNM, employee engagement has always been about the people before the results. A cause important to one team member can become a cause important to everyone. Giving employees opportunities to support causes close to their hearts helps make community involvement more meaningful.
A Cause Close to Home
Community involvement has always been close to President and CEO Heather Moyer and her team’s hearts. Breast cancer, in particular, has had an impact especially close to home.
At the time of the event, Emily Howe, Head of People Operations, SPHR, shared that several HNM employees had personal connections to the disease. Others knew individuals in recovery or families who had lost loved ones. “We wanted to partner with an organization that brings people together to support a great mission and are excited to participate in the walk and about our fundraising efforts.”
Preparing for the Making Strides Walk
To get ready for walk day, the team incorporated fitness challenges into their daily routines. After meetings, for example, employees would do squats together to build strength and unity. They even invited friends and family to join them on the day of the event.
An HNM employee’s sister also worked for Making Strides, giving the team another personal connection to the cause. What began as a fundraising effort quickly became an opportunity to bring employees, friends, and family together.
HNM Raises $8,386 for Breast Cancer Awareness
For the local 2.5-mile Fun Walk, HNM’s team raised $4,193, including $1,000 from a supplier. HNM matched the amount dollar for dollar, bringing the grand total to $8,386.
Donations from customers, suppliers, and employees helped support the American Cancer Society’s mission to fund lifesaving research and patient services. As individual fundraising efforts gained momentum, the company stood behind its employees. HNM reached out to colleagues and raised awareness through social media.
Getting Behind a Far-Reaching Cause
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer supports patients and their families in a holistic way. Beyond funding innovative research, the American Cancer Society provides resources to help patients, survivors, and caregivers navigate the realities of a cancer diagnosis. These services include free rides to treatment appointments, lodging near treatment facilities, and a 24/7 cancer helpline.
The need for this support remains significant. According to the American Cancer Society’s 2026 estimates, approximately 321,910 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States this year.
The organization also reports that more than 4 million breast cancer survivors are living in the United States.
Early detection remains important. The five-year relative survival rate for localized invasive breast cancer is greater than 99%.
While advancements in research and treatment offer hope, the need for education and support remains great.
Making a Difference Together
HNM’s participation in Making Strides was not only about completing a walk or reaching a fundraising goal. It was an opportunity for employees to rally around a cause that had touched their lives and support others facing similar challenges.
The experience reinforced what being “Relentlessly People Driven” means to our team: showing up for one another and making a positive impact beyond the workplace.
Through employee community involvement, businesses can strengthen their teams while supporting causes that matter. To learn more about the cause or find a future event, visit the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer page.
