As chair of CartusCares, our charitable giving committee, I am constantly amazed by the generosity demonstrated by our employees. The past year was no different … as it is year-round, the spirit of giving at the close of 2011 was alive and well at Cartus, all around the world. In each of our regions, in every office, our employees came together to think, plan, and act on behalf of others: not only children (although they are top of mind during the holidays), but also those perhaps less fortunate financially, less able bodied, or serving their countries far from home. A brief roundup of end-of-year activities, from Europe to Asia to the U.S., is as follows:
In our Swindon, UK office, funds were raised all year for their chosen 2011 charity, the Prospect Hospice. From a parachute jump, a six-mile walk, and an eight-story rappel down a stadium wall to multiple raffles and a jumble sale, they hit the ground running and never looked back. In December, the Supply Chain Management team organized a Christmas raffle to benefit the hospice; gifts received from suppliers, clients, and assignees were donated as raffle prizes, and more than £600 were raised. Early returns indicate an estimated £2,600 raised for the year.
In our Singapore office, employees donated cash as well as an enormous amount of food and grocery items to the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society (THKMS)—a non-profit organization that operates 50-plus charity homes, family service centers, workshops for the blind and disabled, and other welfare services for the underprivileged. Earlier, a Christmas raffle in Singapore raised more than S$800 in support of Cartus charity initiatives in APAC.
Employees in Hong Kong packed and filled shoe boxes with fun and educational gifts for underprivileged children. The “Box of Hope” charity initiative, started in 2008, aims to encourage the giving of these gifts to make a difference in the lives of children.
In the Americas region, our colleagues in Lisle, Illinois (Chicago area) collected a huge amount of groceries for a local food pantry and also donated dozens of winter clothing items to use as stocking stuffers for boys and girls aged 9-12 via the Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois. Items collected included hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, notepads, baseballs, books, decks of cards, lotions, potions, and hair doodads. The Lisle group also assembled six months’ worth of care packages, including 119 magazines, for local troops serving in the Mideast.
Our Omaha, Nebraska team reached out to the local Open Door Mission to see what assistance was needed. They brought in 165 pounds of gently used jackets, coats, hats, sweaters, blankets, etc., for the center and also donated $300 for their “Stocking Stuffer” project, which provides local bus cards, hats, gloves, scarf sets, underwear, socks, and toiletries to those in need.
In Danbury, as is our tradition, Cartus supported the city’s Department of Children and Families by collecting new, unwrapped toys and gift cards to be distributed to those whose resources were running low, and we also supported the city’s Project Homeless Connect by contributing to their warm-clothing drive for those in need. Last but never least, we contributed mightily to Danbury Animal Welfare Society’s shelf re-stocking drive by donating much-needed pet food and other supplies.
These and other endeavors too numerous to list are just a sample of the outpouring of generosity that is the norm year-round at Cartus but that kicks into highest gear during the end-of-year holidays. We like this quote from Aesop because it pretty much sums up how things work at Cartus: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Here’s to a kind and generous 2012!
Email this contributor at amy.meichner@cartus.com.
