AMS Cares: Coming Alongside the Causes Our People Believe In
Our mission at AMS is short, and it points in a specific direction: To serve our people so they can serve one another, our customers, and patients to achieve impossible things together.
Most days, that looks like training, support, and the unglamorous work of building a team worth being part of. The AMS Cares Initiative is one more way we try to live it — by paying attention to what our people care about beyond the cases and the call schedule, and coming alongside it.
We started AMS Cares earlier this year for a simple reason. The people who do this work carry causes close to their hearts: organizations they already give to, communities they’re part of, people they’ve quietly been showing up for. We wanted a way to stand with them in that.
How it works
Twice a year — in January and again in July — anyone on the AMS team can submit a nonprofit or cause that matters to them: what it is, why it’s personal, and how support might make a difference. We review the submissions together and choose one or more that align with our core values. Then AMS comes alongside: a direct gift, a match or multiply of a team member’s own giving, or help organizing volunteer support and awareness.
It isn’t about writing a check and moving on. It’s about aligning our resources with the things our people are already pouring their hearts into — the way we read our value of investing in each other.
The causes our team is carrying this year
Now that we’re at the midpoint of the year, here’s where that’s gone so far — the causes our team members raised across both rounds, and what made each one personal to them.
Extra to Love
Submitted by Ryan A.
Extra to Love supports families affected by Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 13 through diagnosis resources, faith-based encouragement, bereavement care, advocacy tools, community connections, and financial assistance. After their baby girl, Ayla, received a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 18, Ryan and his wife found invaluable education and encouragement through organizations like Extra to Love. Connecting with families who had traveled similar paths helped them feel less alone and gave them hope as they navigated an uncertain journey. The organization reflects AMS’s core value of “Humbly Serve” by surrounding families with practical help, compassion, and steadfast support.
Abel Speaks
Submitted by Ryan A.
Abel Speaks walks alongside families who choose to carry a child with a life-limiting diagnosis, providing personalized mentorship, medical connections, educational resources, photography, keepsakes, and support during pregnancy and beyond. Following their daughter Ayla’s prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 18, Ryan and his wife found comfort in hearing from families who understood the difficult decisions, emotions, and unknowns they faced. These shared experiences reminded them of the value of every moment with their daughter. Abel Speaks reflects AMS’s core value of “Humbly Serve” by honoring every child and helping families find connection, meaning, and hope amid sorrow.
Mama Bear Care
Submitted by Ryan A.
Mama Bear Care supports mothers continuing a pregnancy following a prenatal diagnosis through personalized guidance, counseling, support groups, Hope Boxes, and resources that help them advocate confidently for their babies. The organization became meaningful to Ryan and his wife after their daughter Ayla was diagnosed prenatally with Trisomy 18. During an emotionally challenging time, connecting with supportive communities helped them approach the journey with greater hope and reminded them to love and cherish every moment with their baby girl. Mama Bear Care reflects AMS’s core value of “Humbly Serve” through its combination of compassionate guidance, practical support, and tender care for families.
Families for Lead Freedom Now
Submitted by Kiara V.
Families for Lead Freedom Now is a community-led organization working to end childhood lead poisoning in Syracuse through education, family support, environmental justice advocacy, and stronger public-health protections. Through her clinical neurophysiology work, Kiara witnessed troubling patterns of neurological illness among vulnerable patients and recognized how lead exposure may contribute to lasting health and social challenges. This inspired her to join the organization and bring her clinical knowledge, research, and commitment to service together in support of healthier families and communities—closely reflecting AMS’s dedication to meaningful, people-centered impact.
Eagle Ops
Submitted by Cristi V.
Eagle OPS is a veteran-founded nonprofit that helps veterans, service members, and their families build meaningful connections, access valuable resources, and navigate the transition to civilian life. As the wife of a veteran, Cristi began volunteering at the organization’s Rally Points and has witnessed the renewed hope and sense of belonging veterans experience when they find a supportive community that feels like family. Eagle OPS’s commitment to serving those who have served and ensuring no veteran faces life’s challenges alone strongly reflects AMS’s values of service, compassion, and positive community impact.
Tianna's Treasures
Submitted by Kristen B.
Tianna’s Treasures is a faith-based nonprofit that provides food, clothing, and other essential support to people in need throughout the Kingman, Arizona, community. While living in Kingman, Kristen volunteered with the organization by packing food boxes and witnessed Tianna’s tireless dedication to helping neighbors experiencing homelessness, recovering from addiction, or facing difficult circumstances. Its mission to “demonstrate God’s love by providing for our community’s needs” directly reflects AMS’s core value of humbly serving and loving others.
Sydni Smiles
Submitted by Kim L.
Sydni Smiles is a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and research funding for childhood cancer while providing hope, comfort, and support to children and their families. Kim’s cousin and his wife continue the organization in memory of their daughter, Sydni, who organized donations for cancer wards, blood drives, and toy collections for fellow patients during her own cancer journey. By carrying forward Sydni’s generous spirit and standing beside families during extraordinarily difficult times, the organization reflects AMS’s core value of humbly serving and loving others.
Huntsville Summit
Submitted by April P.
The Huntsville Summit invests in young people through encouraging programs that cultivate confidence, character, accountability, and a sense of community. April discovered the organization when her daughter joined its Climbing Club. Having grown up without the financial means to participate in similar opportunities, she understands firsthand how meaningful it is for every child to have access to safe, supportive spaces where they can develop confidence and purpose. By removing financial barriers and investing in youth and families, The Huntsville Summit reflects AMS’s commitment to service, personal growth, and stronger communities.
Grace Ashley Scasny Foundation
Submitted by Kimberley N.
The Grace Ashley Scasny Foundation honors the life of Grace, who passed away from neuroblastoma at two years old, by easing the financial burden on families facing childhood cancer through grants, hospital outreach, and community awareness. Kimberley’s husband works with Grace’s father and foundation founder, Scott Scasny, and they have volunteered and cooked for several Amazing Grace golf tournaments. Her connection is further deepened by more than six years of work at Texas Children’s Hospital, where Grace received treatment. The foundation’s compassionate support for families during an unimaginably difficult time embodies AMS’s core value of “Humbly Serve.”
Alzheimer's Association
Submitted by Samantha C.
The Alzheimer’s Association works to end Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia by advancing research, encouraging early detection and risk reduction, advocating for change, and providing care and support to individuals and families. The cause is deeply personal to Samantha, whose grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years before her passing. By offering families trusted information, practical resources, compassionate guidance, and hope throughout an often difficult and uncertain journey, the organization reflects AMS’s values of caring for others and responding to their needs with empathy and compassion.
Hope Cancer Resources
Submitted by Brad V.
Hope Cancer Resources walks alongside cancer patients and caregivers in Northwest Arkansas, offering compassionate support beyond the hospital walls. Its free services include counseling and support groups, case management, financial assistance for certain cancer-related needs, transportation to medical appointments, and wellness programs. By helping ease the emotional, physical, and financial weight of a cancer diagnosis, the organization gives individuals and families space to focus on healing, dignity, and living fully. Its commitment to ensuring no one faces cancer alone meaningfully reflects AMS’s values of humbly serving others and responding with care and compassion.
The Stella Effect
Submitted by Ryan A.
The Stella Effect supports families of children with Trisomy 18 or Trisomy 13 through celebration, advocacy, education, tangible resources, and community. After their daughter Ayla received a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 18, Ryan and his wife found hope in the stories of families who had experienced similar journeys. Those connections helped them see their daughter as the enduring light she would always be in their lives and encouraged them to treasure each moment with her. By celebrating every birthday, milestone, and memory while ensuring families never face the journey alone, The Stella Effect embodies AMS’s core value of “Humbly Serve.”
Why this matters to us
We don’t think of generosity as a program to be managed. We think the best impact comes from the alignment of passion, purpose, and wise stewardship — from standing behind the people who already care, rather than deciding from the top down what’s worth caring about.
That’s the quiet center of how AMS works. We serve our people so they can serve patients well — and part of serving our people is honoring what matters most to them. We’re grateful to be on a team where there’s no shortage of causes worth standing behind.
To see more of how we invest in our team and the people who do this work, → follow AMS on LinkedIn or learn about joining the team at AMS Careers.