Skip to main content
Citizens (Home)

Search

Important: Planned Maintenance Notice Our careers site will be under maintenance from Friday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET through Sunday, October 18 at 8:00 p.m. ET. During this time, you can browse jobs, but applications, the Talent Community, Returning Users, and Current Colleagues Home will be unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please return after maintenance to apply and access these features. Candidates using Outlook, Hotmail, Live, or other Microsoft email accounts may experience delays receiving application-related emails. Please consider using an alternate email address.

From Blueprints to Big Smiles

A Growing Tradition of Giving Back for Military and Veteran Families

What do you get when you mix 250 volunteers, a few power tools and a whole lot of heart? You get Operation Playhouse: a growing partnership with Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester that brings colleagues together to recognize military and veteran families, one joyful build at a time.

This year, Citizens colleagues across our Johnston, Rhode Island, and Westwood, Massachusetts, campuses built six custom-designed playhouses for military and veteran families. During special presentation ceremonies, families received the completed playhouses and children got to explore them for the first time, opening doors, peeking through windows and imagining the adventures that lie ahead.

These aren't just play spaces. They're places where children can create, dream and build memories with family and friends. And for the families receiving them, they're a reminder that their service and sacrifices are seen and appreciated.

Powered by our people

As with every Operation Playhouse build, the real story was the colleagues behind it.

Members of our Caring for Citizens and Citizens Veterans Business Resource Groups (BRGs) once again led the effort, bringing together colleagues from across the company to build and decorate the playhouses. From the first cuts of lumber to the final touches of paint, colleagues worked side-by-side to create something meaningful for participating families.

But the impact extended far beyond the build sites.

Colleagues across our branches, corporate offices, operations centers and remote teams helped celebrate the families by sending more than 1,000 handwritten cards filled with messages of appreciation and encouragement. Whether they picked up a paintbrush or penned a personal note, colleagues across the company found a way to participate.

“Operation Playhouse has grown into one of our most meaningful volunteer traditions at Citizens,” said Derek Castello, AVP, First-Line Risk Senior Manager and Caring for Citizens BRG leader. “Each year, more colleagues get involved because they see the direct impact it has on military families. It's an opportunity to honor their service while creating joyful memories for their children."

A partnership that continues to grow

Built on a shared commitment to service, the partnership between Citizens and Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester continues to create meaningful opportunities for colleagues to recognize and support military families.

This year also marked an exciting milestone as Operation Playhouse expanded to Citizens' Westwood campus for the first time, doubling the program's reach into a multi-campus tradition.

The program's growth reflects the strength of our partnership with Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester and the commitment of colleagues and leaders across Citizens who continue to volunteer and champion the effort each year.

Citizens Chairman and CEO Bruce Van Saun joined this year's celebrations, recognizing both the military families being honored and the colleagues who helped bring the experience to life.

"What started as one playhouse built three years ago has grown into a tradition that brings colleagues together to recognize and support military families," said Van Saun. "We're proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity and create something that will bring joy and lasting memories to these families for years to come."

  • ALT TEXT
  • ALT TEXT
  • ALT TEXT

Building more than playhouses

Operation Playhouse is a powerful reflection of how Citizens colleagues bring our commitment to community impact to life.

Volunteerism remains a cornerstone of our culture. Whether we’re mentoring students, supporting local nonprofits or building playhouses, our colleagues consistently show up to make a difference. It’s this shared commitment to service that helps us build stronger communities – and a workplace where purpose thrives.