As I reflect on our first year of operations, kindness is the word that keeps coming to mind. It shows up everywhere:
Earlier this year, I was interviewed by my first employer, St. Anthony’s, as part of their 75th anniversary celebration. They wanted to spotlight how their organization, which provides critical services to San Franciscans living in extreme poverty, has shaped people’s lives. In my interview (link here), I reflected on how St. Anthony’s trained me in kindness. I feel fortunate that my career began in a place where people come together to improve lives.
As I look ahead to 2026, I am excited that PIPs Rewards can help spark more of this same spirit, and that we can support our partners as they help their learners move into jobs that will sustain them.
– Carrie Portis
What Have We Learned This Year?
As we review our first year, here are some insights that we and our partners have had that we’ll use to help our work be even stronger going forward.
People save points for meaningful long-term goals.
Students in an adult education program, returning to school to prepare for the GED test, consistently choose to save up their points to redeem for GED test vouchers rather than using them immediately for items like Target gift cards. Their choices highlight the power of incentives to support forward-looking goals and remove barriers, such as having funds to pay for a test.
Engagement is more than showing up.
Many partners begin by wanting to focus on improving attendance. And they are discovering that awarding points for participation and active engagement is transformative. When learners earn points for showing up and taking part they become more involved, confident, and connected.
Choice and voice matter.
Students appreciate having options, both in the rewards they can redeem and in the actions they can take to earn points. Flexibility is essential. They also value our in-app surveys and our quick responsiveness; it helps them feel heard and shows them that their feedback leads to real improvements.
Ownership drives results.
Our platform is customized to each partner’s brand and becomes fully integrated into their programs. In our regular check-ins, we talk about “their platform,” and we are continually inspired by how quickly our partners use data from the app and solicit more learner feedback to improve services and strengthen engagement.
Team Spotlight
Zoe Laventhol: More Than a Full Stack Developer
If you’re one of our partners, you’ve likely had the pleasure of working with Zoe Laventhol. While Zoe’s core responsibility is developing our technology platform, something she does brilliantly, her role is far more expansive. Because we build our platform around client needs and lived experiences, Zoe works closely with partners in our regular check-in meetings.
Those meetings are a delight. We all focus on what matters most, we laugh, we troubleshoot, we commit, and we follow through. Zoe’s exceptional organizational skills keep everything on track. She has been with PIPs Rewards since we began working with partners a year ago, and the success our partners have achieved would not have been possible without her.
Watch this short video to hear from Zoe.