At Chime, financial progress isn’t just something we deliver through our products. It’s something we live in our culture, our values, and how we show up for our communities.
Because financial progress doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it’s shaped by the everyday realities people face, like access to food, education, safety, health, and opportunity.
Our commitment to our communities is the foundation of Chime It Forward®, our annual dedicated month long season of service where Chimers across the country give back through volunteerism, mentorship, and acts of kindness. From food drives and donation campaigns to resume reviews and community partnerships, Chime It Forward turns our values into impact.
And this year, we’re scaling that impact from the ground up—with the launch of the Chime It Forward Champions Council.
The Champions Council is a volunteer-led group of Chimers working to amplify service across the company. They’re not just organizing initiatives—they’re creating new pathways for connection, culture, and purpose.
We’re proud to spotlight a few of the Champions who are turning good intentions into real outcomes. Their stories reflect who we are—and how we’re building a culture of service, together.
Jahsade Gladden | Security Officer | New York
Before he became a Chimer, Jahsade Gladden was a Chime member. Now, as a Security Officer and one of our most active Chime It Forward Champions, he brings lived experience and a deep sense of purpose to everything he does.
Because Jahsade connection to service isn’t surface-level. It’s personal: He was raised by a single mother and spent part of his childhood living in a shelter. The oldest of five, he helped care for his siblings, dropped out of high school to support his family, and has held a job since he was 12.
Today, he volunteers with organizations like New York Common Pantry and Harlem-based Convent Ave Family Living Shelter which serves over 75 families—often families who, like his once did, don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
“These are the most forgotten people in America,” he says. “They’re so hard-working—and they deserve to be seen.”
Jahsade’s goal as a Champion is simple but powerful: to use his platform to make space for others. “I always wished there was someone like me in the rooms where decisions were made,” he says. “Now I get to be that person—and speak up for people who can’t be in the room.”
Even before Chime It Forward began, Jahsade was organizing donation drives and recruiting others to get involved. “Everything I do, I do for the people,” he says. “It’s not about me. It’s about them—because for so long, I didn’t have someone who did that for me.”
Shay Hatley | Senior Compliance Associate Operations & Member Experience | Chicago
For Shay Hatley, service has never been an afterthought—it’s been a way of life. “Even when we didn’t have much, my parents made giving feel easy,” she says. “We’d pack up toys and give them to relatives who had less. It was just what you did.”
That mindset has stayed with her, from volunteering at food banks as a kid to mentoring adult learners through One Million Degrees today. Shay helps students going back to school later in life gain the skills and confidence they need—from interview prep to career guidance.
At Chime, she brings the same care and precision to her work in Compliance, helping ensure our members are treated with clarity and fairness. And as a Chime It Forward Champion, she’s helped turn personal challenges into collective purpose.
After finishing her own cancer treatment, Shay learned that her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The experience drove Shay to lead a breast cancer awareness event at Chime, partnering with the Silver Lining Foundation to bring education and support to fellow Chimers.
“When you put an idea out there, your tribe will come,” she says. “People will rally around it, but someone has to go first. Don’t be afraid to be that person.”
Shay is already planning future events focused on health equity, food security, and education—because for her, service is about creating lasting access to opportunity. “We’re lucky to be at a company where this kind of work matters,” she says. “Not every place is investing in community the way Chime is.”
Jing Liu | Lead Data Analyst, Spending | New Jersey
When Jing Liu moved to the U.S. as an international student, she quickly saw how unforgiving traditional banking could be. “I remember getting charged $15 fees—twice—just for dropping below the minimum balance,” she says. “It felt unfair. That’s why Chime’s mission resonated so deeply.”
Now a Lead Data Analyst on Chime’s risk team, Jing’s job is all about protecting members—spotting loopholes, reducing fraud, and minimizing loss. And her passion for protection extends beyond the platform.
When she first heard about the Champions Council, she immediately raised her hand. “Service makes you feel good, but it also makes those around you better,” she says. “I’ve benefited from other people’s kindness. I want to pass that on.”
As a Champion, Jing led a resume review initiative with America On Tech, focused on helping underserved students break into data science and analytics careers. She rallied 15 fellow Chimers to review 45 resumes and LinkedIn profiles, offering expert, actionable feedback.
“Everyone can contribute something,” she says. “Even remotely, there are so many ways to give back—resume reviews, mentorship, interview prep. You just have to look.”
Andre Smiley | Senior Compliance Associate, Product | San Francisco
Andre Smiley has spent his career working to protect consumers at big banks and the Federal Reserve. But after decades in traditional finance, he wanted to try something different.
“When I found Chime, I was looking for a new pace,” he says. “I didn’t want to go back to the same old thing. I wanted to be part of a mission—and a team that actually lives it.”
Andre found both through Chime It Forward. As a Champion, he’s helped organize food bank volunteer days, supported holiday giving drives, and is planning a family adoption initiative for the winter season.
But giving back is nothing new for him. From charity bike rides to feeding the unhoused, service has been part of Andre’s life since childhood. “Even as a kid, I was raising money through reading programs and volunteering at schools for the blind,” he says. “It just stuck with me.”
For Andre, being a Champion has opened up new connections across Chime. “It gives you visibility—not just with leadership, but with coworkers. I’ve met people I wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise,” he says. “If you’re thinking about getting involved, just do it. There’s no downside.”
Christina Bracero | Executive Assistant | New York
Christina Bracero doesn’t love the spotlight—but she’s often the person making things happen behind the scenes. A 25-year veteran Executive Assistant, Christina’s career has spanned IPOs, M&A, and leadership support roles. But her passion runs deeper than process. She believes EAs have real influence—on culture, business, and how people feel at work.
And she’s using that influence to give back.
Raised in the South Bronx, Christina knows the indignity of poverty firsthand. “Most of the time, we ate because the church fed us,” she says. “Being poor in this country is shameful and undignified—even when it’s not your fault.”
That experience drives her quiet, relentless commitment to service. She’s led initiatives supporting foster youth, military veterans, and underserved families. And as a mother to a Marine, she’s seen up close how hard the transition from service to civilian life can be.
“They’ve lived a regimented life, stood on the wall to keep us safe—and then come back with limited tools and support to start over,” she says.
Christina’s mission? Help them get those tools and give them that support. Whether it’s resume building, financial education, or just a safe space, she’s showing up to restore dignity to people too often overlooked.
“I volunteer because someone once told me I was smart and worth investing in—and now it’s my turn to pay it forward.”
The culture we build, together
Chime It Forward is more than a season of service—it’s a reflection of who we are and how we want to be a force for good in our communities.
With the Champions Council, we’re scaling that spirit. Not just through hours logged or events planned, but by empowering Chimers across the company to lead on the causes that matter most to them. These Champions are culture carriers, momentum-builders, and connectors. And together, they’re proving that being a force for good starts within.
Stay tuned for more Chime It Forward spotlights—and more ways to get involved. Because when we show up for each other, we all move forward.
