Member Case Studies
Each member of the CVC has their own take on what it means to give back to the community. Below are a few of many success stories.
Adventist Healthcare www.adventisthealthcare.com
The mission of Adventist HealthCare is to “demonstrate God’s care by improving the health of people and communities through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.” Our employees fulfill this mission by volunteering with numerous projects throughout the year that contribute to the health of the community we serve. Health fairs, coordinated by our Health & Wellness Department, are just one opportunity our employees have to help the community. Employees and physicians volunteer at the Taste of Takoma and the Germantown Oktoberfest and at Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton and Lakeforest Mall to offer free health screenings and information to members of the community. At this year’s annual community cancer screenings days, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and Washington Adventist Hospital provided more than 1,000 free cancer screenings. For the ninth year, Washington Adventist Hospital and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital were the official medical partners for the Sister to Sister Women’s Heart Health Fair held in Washington, D.C. This event teaches local women about heart health through education and free screenings for thousands of people in our area. This year, a team of more than 200 staff and physicians participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies. The successful partnership between the March of Dimes and employees is part of a nationwide effort to improve infant health. In April, about 70 Adventist HealthCare employees and friends volunteered for the Rebuilding Together project to address the needs of low-income homeowners, primarily the elderly, disabled, and families with children, in our community.
Allentuck Landscaping Company www.allentucklandscaping.com
Last October, we sponsored our second food drive for Manna Food Center. By partnering with customers, we donated approximately 1000 pounds of food! In March we did our Annual Spring Cleanup for a group home run by Jubilee Association of MD. Allentuck Landscaping celebrated Earth Day on April 22 at the Fisher House at the National Naval Medical Center with a complete landscape overhaul for the two buildings. Fisher House provides a free home away from home for the families of injured service people being treated at the Medical Center. The existing landscape was gutted and over 60 shrubs, 415 perennials and ground covers as well as 10 tons of stone were installed. At the end of the day, the grounds had morphed into a beautiful, peaceful landscape for the service people and their families to enjoy. Nine Allentuck Landscaping employees participated in Arlington National Cemetery’s Day of Remembrance. This is the fourth year that the company has participated in this event sponsored by Planet (National Landscaping Association) which brings together over 400 colleagues from across the US to honor our fallen American heroes and to make their final resting place beautiful. In all, over $300,000 worth of materials and labor were donated on this one special day. Allentuck Landscaping is proud to be able to help our community in so many ways and looks forward to continuing to have a positive effect on those around us.
Altronics www.altronicscom.com
In 2008, Martin Posse, Altronics President, and his wife launched the first Giving Connections event, a unique networking session whose purpose was to meet business friends and raise money for charity by donating registration fees to local non-profit organizations. The plan was to continue these events in a regular basis, but unexpectedly, they soon had more applications for support than events they could actually produce in a year. Thus, Giving Connections scheduled regular monthly networking events in Montgomery County and soon after in Washington DC. Giving Connections was set to grow rapidly and currently; there are two active chapters and two more in the making. Giving Connections has raised thousands of dollars that were distributed to more than 15 organizations so far and Martin Posse has decided to take the organization nationwide. “We want to provide our business members high value for their participation, we thrive to make great events and we are working on building partnerships to expand our mission of further support business growth, At the same time we want to increase our giving back to the community, fulfilling our mission of making a difference through networking” said Mr. Posse. Mr. Posse serves on the Board of Directors as Vice Chairman of Marketing, for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Mid Atlantic Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; been the Chair of the GGCC Small Office Home Office Committee; and helped charter a Rotary Club in Germantown.
American Speech Language Hearing Association www.asha.org
Highlights of ASHA’s 2009 community outreach include: sixty-six used coats donated to One Warm Coat and the Interfaith Clothing Center; CDs and DVDs to Walter Reed Medical Center; 80-100 bag lunches to the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless; used blankets to House with a Heart, a “doggy day care center”; and holiday presents to needy families in Rockville. Biannually, ASHA hosts a “Green Living Event” at its national office where staff and invited guests get information and resources for being “green” at work, during their commute, and at home. ASHA’s national headquarters received Gold LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, the first non-profit association in Maryland to receive this recognition. ASHA’s “green” headquarters received a 2009 Preservation Award from Peerless Rockville. ASHA is among the recipients of the first ever EcoLeadership Award from the Alliance for Workplace Excellence. The award recognizes companies for their environmental sustainability practices such as waste minimization, energy demand and supply, water conservation, and employee engagement and communication. For the second year since its inception, The Gazette of Politics and Business named ASHA as one of the most exceptional businesses in Maryland. Recent outreach to Washington, DC metropolitan area schools yielded a very fun and informative Listen To Your Buds Safe Listening Concert for local first- and second-graders at The George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium. The event was part of ASHA’s national public health campaign, Listen To Your Buds, which educates young children about protecting their hearing from misuse of MP3 players.
BDO www.bdo.com
BDO has a long history of exemplary service to clients and we strive to bring that same dedication to the communities in which we live and work. Through BDO Counts, our national umbrella for corporate volunteerism, we work to make a greater collective difference. By volunteering our time, talent and resources, we are able to positively impact our communities and the people who live within them, while building a firm wide culture of giving back that strengthens our business and inspires our people.
The Bethesda office founded BDO Counts in 2003. The initiative immediately gained firm recognition, officially becoming the national community volunteer program of BDO Seidman in 2008. The brand was chosen for several reasons, one of which is the Bethesda office’s long-standing and active volunteer program, which has been recognized locally as a leader in corporate volunteerism. The name BDO Counts not only alludes to the Firm’s business, it signifies the notion of “making a difference.”
BDO Seidman offices around the country actively participate in volunteerism, and the decision to adopt a national brand supports their success as well as our “One Firm” approach. “We want to make sure our offices and the people who participate . . . gain the recognition they deserve,” CEO Jack Weisbaum explained. “By doing things collectively and with some standardization, we can do a lot of good.”
BDO Seidman’s Bethesda office (“Daniel’s Miracle Team”) gathers at the Washington Nationals Park to help The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Kick-off celebration.
BioReliance www.bioreliance.com
BioReliance has a history of contributing to community organizations. Our global Corporate Citizenship Committee organizes monthly events which include: quarterly blood drives (Red Cross/Inova), clothing drives for the Interfaith Clothing Center, food drives for local food banks, and school supply drives. Some of our most successful events appeal to our employees’ competitive spirit. This spring we delivered 1,100 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches to Manna Food Center. For this event 15 teams had 20 minutes to produce sandwiches and were judged on the quantity and quality of the final product. For five years BioReliance has raised $25,000+ for the American Diabetes Association and is consistently recognized among the top fundraisers for the “Step Out” Walk. We’re well on our way to another record-breaking year in 2009!
Our Toys for Tots drive has been a popular annual tradition for over 10 years. Employees pick the name of a coworker and buy a toy based on his/her personality. The gifts are exchanged at a lunch-time party, and are then donated to the Marines’ program. To promote science education, BioReliance is partnering with a local elementary school to provide science supplies and education for their inquiry based learning science program. We are also participating in the First Annual Frontiers in Science and Medicine Day, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University. BioReliance has long been a socially responsible organization in our local community and we are proud of our employee’s commitment to making a difference and giving back to those in need.
Capital Technology Information Services, Inc. www.ctisinc.com
For 18 years, Capital Technology Information Services, Inc. (CTIS), a Rockville information technology (IT) company, has used IT solutions to improve patient care and serve communities worldwide. While our services span the globe, our most dedicated efforts are local. Our Enterprise Empowerment Board, Chief Community Services Advisor, and Human Resources team organize community service projects including fundraising and volunteer service. CTIS works with the Ekal Vidyalaya and Arogya Foundations to bring basic human services, education and healthcare to tribal villages. As an IT partner of the Primary Care Coalition, CTIS provides volunteers, IT support and equipment at the annual Latino Health Fair and the African American Heart Health Symposium. CTIS supports Community Ministries of Rockville (CMR) through developing its web site, collecting school supplies and holiday gifts for children in its Latino Outreach Program, preparing meals for Chase and Sophia Houses and sustaining the Mansfield M. Kaseman Health Program. CTIS supports Mobile Medical Care through IT consultation and financial support for equipping its vans. Through the Corporate Volunteer Council, CTIS trained the Olympic Volunteer Management Team from Beijing., participates in the School Supply Project and supports the Linkages to Learning Program.
By providing state-of-the-art IT services and financial support to its non-profit partners, CTIS demonstrates the commitment of its Chief Executive Officer, Raj Shah and its employees to improving the quality of life for everyone within the region as well as the world.
Choice Hotels International www.choicehotels.com
Choice Hotels International’s corporate social responsibility efforts focus on increasing involvement in the communities where our associates live and work. Associate-led community involvement committees are active in each of the company’s corporate office locations. These committees assist in initiating and leading donation drives and encourage participation in charity events. In 2008, Choice sponsored the largest corporate team in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Washington, D.C., raising over $30,000 and used the momentum from the D.C. event to engage associates around the country. Choice also involves the owners of its franchised hotels and sponsors donation drives at its annual Convention to support a charity in its host city. This year’s Convention, held in Washington, D.C. supported Dress for Success and MenzFit by taking in donations for professional men and women’s clothing and accessories. Our vendors also supported our charitable efforts by donating furniture, food and other items to a local organization in Prince Georges County: UCAP, United Communities Against Poverty. In May 2009, Choice announced a signature cause partnership with Rebuilding Together, the nation’s leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. Beginning in fall 2009, associates and hotel franchisees across the country will begin participating in rebuilding projects in their local communities. We kicked off our first project on September 11th in Rockville, Maryland to coincide with the Obama United We Serve campaign which culminated on 9/11, a national day of service and remembrance.
Corporate Network Services www.cornetser.com
Corporate Network Services is a small, woman-owned, IT Managed Services Company located in Poolesville, Maryland that has strong ties to its community. Our executive team has been leading by example, with a long history of service to the Poolesville community. Our activities include: coaching and sponsoring local youth sports teams, supporting and sponsoring school functions, volunteering for the town government and serving the local Chambers of Commerce. Four years ago, CNS and its employees began working with WUMCO, a local social services agency, to support families in need through the holiday season. The effort, while fostering a friendly rivalry between internal departments, has truly brought new meaning to the holidays for those involved. Last year, CNS and its employees opened their hearts further and joined together with the Army’s Operation Happy Holidays to add a military family stationed at Ft. Detrick to our holiday support drive. Corporate Network Services is proud to have brought smiles to the faces of our two chosen families by providing more than one thousand dollars worth of monetary gifts, clothing, toys and food. Corporate Network Services is a new member of the Corporate Volunteer Council and is looking forward to increasing our community involvement using the excellent example of our fellow members.
The Fehlig Group (TFG) www.fehliggroup.com
The Fehlig Group, founded by Mary Fehlig over 15 years ago, provides management consulting in socially responsible business practices. Mary’s vision of corporate social responsibility (CSR) focuses on how a business of any size values its key relationships with employees, customers, the community and the environment. Over the years TFG has guided and supported many businesses in developing volunteer programs as a valuable component of an overall CSR strategy. In that regard, we have long been associated with the CVC-MC, The Alliance for Workplace Excellence and Business for Social Responsibility.
In terms of direct community involvement, Mary and her associates have provided pro-bono consulting services to non-profits over the years. We support several community groups with direct donations of money and volunteer hours. This past year, Mary has taken a leadership role in Interfaith Works, service on the organization’s Board of Directors. Interfaith Works is a non-sectarian coalition of almost 150 local congregations working together to meet the needs of the poor in Montgomery County. Mary is leading a board effort to strengthen connections with their members. TFG clients were invited to Interfaith Work’s County Companies Caring Breakfast, an annual event highlighting case studies of successful community involvement. We have supported Interfaith projects financially and through in-kind donations of consulting and marketing expertise.
Germantown Copy Center Inc. www.germantowncopy.com
Certificates of appreciation crowding the walls of the Germantown Copy Center tell why the women owned small business won the 2008 Small Business of the Year award from the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. Community involvement, successful business operations and excellent customer service are what make the Germantown Copy Center a long standing commodity to the Germantown and surrounding community. The Germantown Copy Center has established itself as a generous and reliable supporter for civic and government organizations in its 23+ years of operation. Members of the company that have run the business since its founding pride themselves on knowing how to make a dollar, but they are also firm believers in giving back to their community. Schools, Churches, Fire Departments, Police Departments, 4-H, Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts are just some of the few organizations who have received discounts and donations on printed products and other work done at the copy center. The spread of digital technology in the last two decades has expanded the range of services to include four-color process printing, offset printing, digital reproduction, bindery and a complete line of finishing methods and products, document scanning, mail marketing and promotional products are just some of the services offered by this company dedicated to giving back to the community.
hodgsonConsulting was thrilled to be involved in a number of activities through the CVC this year. We enjoyed a piece of history when we (and many other CVC member companies) joined the Menare Foundation for a clean up project at Button Farm. It took the strength of 20+ volunteers and some geometry, but we all felt a great sense of pride when an approximately two and a half ton tree trunk was rolled out of the way of the planned driveway and into the tree line. We also got to help out around the farm by cleaning out and organizing the basement of the historic farm house and barn as well as getting some weeding done in the very impressive heirloom garden. Later in the spring, Hodgson picked up a shift at the Manna for Manna food drive where volunteers handed shopping lists to shoppers asking that they buy one of the five things on the list and drop it in the collection basket on their way out of the store. Between three CVC member companies stationed outsite the Bestheda Giant, over 1000 pounds of food was collected in just six hours! The hodgsonConsulting team is eager to learn of all the ways we can contribute to our community through the CVC in the coming year.
Host Hotels & Resorts continually seeks to be a company of EPIC proportions. EPIC is an acronym for our company’s culture and values – Excellence, Partnership, Integrity and Community. Through corporate giving programs and initiatives, Host associates contribute time as well as money to ensure the viability of the communities in which we live and work. Each year, our associates choose recipients for our monthly Denim Day charity. When an associate contributes to that month’s charity, they are rewarded through the act of giving and the luxury of wearing jeans and sneakers – a nod to our fit-friendly culture – to work on the last Friday of the month. Host associates also take a hands-on and feet-on-the-ground approach to corporate citizenship. In 2009, Host associates held their second annual Potomac River Clean Up event and worked with the Alice Ferguson Foundation and the National Park Service at Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary and Daingerfield Island. They also got their feet moving to raise more than $10,000 for our annual walk, which benefitted the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Host contributed to the annual drive for school supplies for Interfaith Works, sponsored children through the City of Gaithersburg’s Secret Santa program and donated sporting event tickets to Most Valuable Kids. “Host is proud to model and promote good corporate citizenship,” said President and CEO W. Edward Walter. “We congratulate the companies designated as good corporate citizens for making Montgomery County a place of pride and promise.”
IBM Corporation www.ibm.com
As a corporate citizen of a smarter planet, IBM is committed to responsible, productive relationships with the communities where we live and work, as well as our employees, partners and clients. More than 1,000 Montgomery County IBM employees and retirees volunteered their time, skills and expertise at schools and nonprofit organizations through the On Demand Community. IBM’s On Demand Community encourages and sustains our corporate philanthropy through volunteerism by providing employees and retirees with IBM technology tools targeted for non-profit community organizations and schools. On Demand Community offers our volunteers a rich portfolio of more than 190 proven technology solutions/tools for schools and not-for-profits, plus online training and support materials that enrich their community work and link IBM’s spirit of volunteerism to our societal innovation strategy. More than 25 volunteers supported Engineers Week activities in Maryland, conducting math and science activities with 400 middle- and high-school students. The effort extends to the KidSmart Early Learning Program which puts technology in the hands of our youngest students and our TryScience Web site offer middle school students’ science and technology adventures. IBM’ s Reading Companion initiative employs innovative speech recognition technologies to reach children and adults in search of improved reading competency. ¡TraduceloAhora! features English-Spanish translation technology to help Latinos find information on jobs, health and human services, and other resources. The program also improves communication between teachers and Spanish-speaking parents by translating e-mail.
Jeffrey M. Ferrell’s Fine Photography and Marketing Insights www.jeffreymferrell.com
Jeffrey continues photographing Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration activities as he has been doing since the mid 1990s. He still also gives his “hands on” volunteering in the field. Activities include shell shaking/ sorting, forklift driving, preparations for other volunteers’ activities, boat loading/ unloading, shop help, tank water quality monitoring, and just about anything else Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Oyster Recovery Center needs. As a CBF VoiCeS Chesapeake Steward award recipient, he helps educate the public about helping the bay get better by considering the good and bad effects of their activities. National Harbor visitors and residents were given information about best boating practices to keep the bay and other waterways from being damaged. And he offers to speak to groups about caring for the Chesapeake Bay while doing everyday activities. Jeffrey is actively involved with, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Oyster Recovery Partnership and the many regional groups/ institutions who interacted as a bigger team. Jeffrey is also available to partner with other committed local groups.
Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chartered www.lerchearly.com
The attorneys at Lerch, Early and Brewer understand that practicing law involves more than the day-to-day activities of representing their clients. It also requires a commitment to the community in which they practice, and an effort to provide public service and legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. Through our pro bono and community service efforts, our attorneys strive for the improvement of the community, administration of justice and our profession, by providing free or reduced-fee legal services to those who often need effective legal representation the most. We encourage attorneys to devote their time in pursuit of these goals. In addition to pro bono legal work, our lawyers are active in a wide variety of community and charitable endeavors, working with and for many civic, community, cultural, governmental, educational and medical organizations that seek to improve our community and the lives of all of its citizens. We believe that by participating in these kinds of groups, we are not only able to help improve the quality of life in our community, but also to improve the working environment in our firm.
Lockheed Martin www.lockheedmartin.com
Lockheed Martin employee volunteers visit classrooms to stimulate student interest in engineering and technology. Mentoring, tutoring and volunteering with youth organizations are important employee activities that build character, skills and responsibility in youngsters. Employees also participate in runs and walks to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Bike Ride, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Race. They serve meals to the homeless, collect food, clothing and blankets, support housing rehabilitation, aid senior citizen centers, join in blood drives, promote cultural development, help victims of natural disasters and domestic violence and engage in activities that protect our environment. We assist our military customers by collecting gift cards for wounded service members, stuffing USO care packages for deployed soldiers, collecting school supplies for children of military families, support card writing campaigns for hospitalized military and greet returning wounded and departing military at airports. At Lockheed Martin, we believe that empowering our youth through education, improving our communities and supporting our customers are investments in the future. If we can make even a small difference, we will have accomplished a great deal.
Marriott www.Marriott.com
Shelter and food are critical needs that we address internationally as well as here in Montgomery County, and were the focus of the company’s recent 10th Annual “Spirit To Serve Our Communities” global day of service. More than 1,800 headquarters employees went into the community to assist non-profit agencies across the Washington metropolitan area this year. Chairman and CEO J.W. Marriott, Jr. volunteered alongside Marriott employees at Food and Friends, preparing meals for clients who are living with life-altering diseases including HIV/AIDS and cancer. Company volunteers delivered the meals to clients using the environmentally-friendly car sharing program, Connect by Hertz. Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett also joined Marriott’s newly appointed President and COO Arne Sorenson and area employees at the Montgomery County Habitat for Humanity build site in Aspen Hill, MD. The group helped renovate two of 10 foreclosed homes purchased by Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County. Marriott International and the Montgomery County Volunteer Center annually host the Marriott ‘Spirit to Serve’ Community Service Awards. The awards recognize local volunteers, groups and schools whose efforts have provided outstanding service to Montgomery County. Marriott provides $500 to the charity of each honoree’s choosing.
MedImmune www.medimmune.com
For us, community involvement is more than financial assistance. We look for opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the communities in which our employees live and work. We also seek to establish partnerships with local non-profit organizations that share our commitment to science education, patient advocacy and disease awareness. Nationally, we sponsor Science Buddies, a non-profit organization that provides free science fair project ideas, answers and tools to millions of teachers, parents and students from across the country. Locally, MedImmune sponsors four regional science fairs including ScienceMONTGOMERY. Included in our sponsorship is a special award for a project focused on human disease, where the winner receives a six-week paid internship at MedImmune. Our employees also serve on the planning committee and as judges on the day of the actual event. MedImmune employees regularly serve as guest speakers, participate in career days and sit on institutional advisory committees. This year, many of our employees volunteered for the 720 Program run through the Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education (MCBRE). We also hold an annual “Kids in Bio” event to help engage young children in the sciences. This year’s event drew more than 150 local middle school students.
MedImmune recently gave a $30,000 grant to Montgomery College to fund scholarships for students enrolled in the Biotechnology Program at the Germantown Campus. An additional $10,000 will support scholarships for public high school students taking Montgomery College biotechnology courses through the Biotechnology Academy, an academic partnership between the College and Montgomery County Public Schools.
MAFCU www.mafcu.org
MAFCU is a not for profit cooperative providing banking services in the community for which we serve. We have redefined our core values affirming how we “connect with our members” by sharing our “financial expertise” and insuring our volunteer efforts support the fact that we “invest in Montgomery County!” This is the first year that MAFCU has appointed a VP of Community Relations to spearhead our community service programs and significantly expand them. The activities we have participated in are events that allow our staff the opportunity to “give back” to the community in which we serve. We look for opportunities to support and partner with local charities and/or organizations that provide services to members of our community. Our support includes providing corporate time for our staff to participate in various volunteer projects that will help improve the community in a tangible manner and bring pride to both the residents and employees. Our Board of Directors and Leadership Team set a goal of 350 hours to volunteer throughout the 2009 calendar year. We are nearing completion of the 3rd quarter and we’ve track over 800 volunteer hours. Some of the partnerships we have created and events that we participated in include:
• American Cancer Society Rockville Relay for Life
• Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC)
• Healthy Challenge
• Hospice Caring
• Interfaith Works
• MAFCU’s Small Business University
• MCCFL
• MCPS’s Academy of Finance
• Rebuilding Together Montgomery County
• Women Who Care Ministries
NIH R&W
The National Institutes of Health/National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association Recreation & Welfare Association (NIH/NOAA R&W) is dedicated to raising money for three very special NIIH Charities: Friends of the Clinical Center, The Children’s Inn and Special Love/Camp Fantastic. These three wonderful organizations are instrumental in providing much needed support for young patients and their families.
Throughout the year, the R&W hosts and supports many fundraising events for the three charities. These events include the Children’s Premiere Night with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Comcast Outdoor Film Festival, and various others. The 12th annual Children’s Premiere Night with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was a huge success. Since its inception, the R&W has treated over 50,000 children from local hospitals and underprivileged areas. This year, 100 people (patients and families) from the Clinical Center pediatric unit were among the 8,500 attendees, smiling from ear to ear. R&W also organizes a visit by three circus clowns for the children at the Clinical Center and the Children’s Inn at NIH. The 13th Annual Comcast Outdoor Film Festival took place from August 13th through the 21st.Throughout the years; the event has grown in size to 50,000 attendees over the course of the week. The event continues to grow every year; focusing on the Charities and the great support from the community. The NIH/NOAA Recreation & Welfare Association is comprised of staff and volunteers dedicated to our community!
Pepco www.pepco.com
Guiding Light Leadership Program
PHI employees continue to give back to the community through their involvement with the Guiding Light Leadership Program (GLLP). Pepco President Tom Graham (far right), Pepco Region Vice Presidents Kim Watson and Vincent Orange (far left), as well as the program’s mentors, posed with students from the District of Columbia, Prince George’s and Montgomery counties recently as part of the GLLP’s Class of 2009 final session at Edison Place. The Guilding Light Leadership Program pairs PHI employees with area high school seniors to provide them with leadership training and to help them advance their career aspirations through mentorship.
Rose Financial Services www.rosefinancial.com
Rose Financial Services has instituted a charitable program called “RFS Gives Back”. On a monthly basis, we have “Casual Friday for a Cause”. Each staff member who elects to participate donates money for the opportunity to wear business casual clothes to the office. The collected funds are used to supplement the company’s food for the homeless program. Throughout the year, RFS buys food for the homeless. Employees and their families come in on a Saturday to make lunches for local shelters. This has been very successful, growing from 150 lunches for one shelter to 450 lunches for two shelters - the Men’s Emergency Shelter in Rockville through the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless and Shepherd’s Table in Silver Spring. For more than seven years, RFS has donated accounting services to the Do Good Foundation. RFS participates in the community in numerous other ways including providing accounting support to organizations, helping the less fortunate, partnering with the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development to provide accounting services to tenants at all five of the Innovation Centers, and volunteering time on the Boards of not-for-profit organizations including the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board.
Corporate Citizenship has been a core value of our family business since it was founded 55 years ago. Through service, philanthropy, proactive engagement in community and business organizations, we strive to do our part to make our community an even better place to live and to grow our family business.
The most significant ongoing partnership we have with an area non-profit is with D.C. Central Kitchen. Smokey Glen Farm provides logistics, support and refrigerated storage for our clients to donate their leftover picnic food to D.C. Central Kitchen, who in turn processes and redistributes the food to numerous shelters and help organizations throughout the Metro area. Through these brilliant efforts, they are able to provide extensive foodservice career training for underprivileged individuals. Organizations we actively support include; National Center for Children and Families, Darnestown Civic Association, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Gaithersburg - Germantown Chamber of Commerce, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Society for Human Resource Management, Montgomery County Parks Foundation, Friends of the Library, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, Montgomery County Corporate Volunteer Council, Friends of Seneca Creek State Park as well as Operation Second Chance which provides support for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Thank you to all of our wonderful, dedicated clients for your business and friendship over these many years.
Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy and Ecker, PA www.shulmanrogers.com
Shulman Rogers makes significant annual contributions to charitable and civic organizations and legal service programs throughout Montgomery County and Metro Washington. The firm culture demonstrates a strong commitment to helping others. Donations range from support of post-prom functions at County high schools to sponsorships of major charitable golf events, and everything in between. Our attorneys and staff hold leadership positions in many non-profit organizations such as the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, Hospice Caring, Youth Sports Organizations and the Corporate Volunteer Council. Our community service efforts relate directly to the firm’s Core Values, which call for a commitment to the best interest of our community. If the Men’s Homeless Shelter of Montgomery County needs winter clothing for residents, our lobby is filled with donations almost immediately. If one or a group of our employees is taking part in a fundraising event to benefit a particular charity, co-workers show their support either by making financial contributions, joining the participating team, or showing up at the event to offer encouragement. The firm also donates legal services to residents of Montgomery County through the Pro Bono Guardianship Program, which provides help to those who have no one else to look after their best interests.
Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. www.s-3.com
Social & Scientific Systems work supports public health. Therefore, health issues are a major focus of our service projects. SSS volunteers participate in fundraising events, such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the Whitman-Walker Clinic AIDS Walk, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk, and the National MS Society’s 150 Bike Ride. The Community Service Committee makes the first day of school easier for children served by two Maryland-based organizations: Hearts and Homes for Youth and Family Services, Inc. Through the eighth annual Back-to School Project, SSS purchased school supplies and filled back packs for 164 children aged 3-18. Also, SSS is home to many people who knit and crochet to support Project Linus. Volunteers make blankets for distribution to children suffering trauma or undergoing treatment. In addition to the many service hours logged by our employees, SSS has set up a fund with the Montgomery County Community Foundation in honor of former CEO Mary Frances LeMat. We use this fund as a vehicle to donate to a variety of charities. Commitment to community service has been a part of our strategic plan from the very beginning. We believe it’s important for companies to support their communities and reflects the values of our employee-owners, many of whom give their time generously to their communities, neighborhoods, schools, and churches. Dr. James J. Lynch, Ph. D., SSS’ president and CEO, and the other executive officers of the company are board members of several organizations in our community.
TerpSys www.terpsys.com
Under our “3-Plus-1” structure, TerpSys supports the same three non-profit organizations every year:
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, The National Capital Area Alzheimer’s Association, and For Love of Children. One additional non-profit organization, chosen from employee nominations, changes annually. Our “Plus-1” entity for 2009 is the March of Dimes. Various groups and people within TerpSys have begun initiatives to support other non-profits such as: Habitat for Humanity; Special Olympics; NIH Children’s Inn; Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; American Red Cross; American Heart Association; Autism Speaks; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Adopt-A-Road. The TerpSys Mission Statement is to Delight Our Customers, Challenge Our Staff, and Serve Our Communities. We are lucky at TerpSys to have employees who enjoy “serving our communities” and to also have buy-in from the President of the Company and senior leadership for our employee volunteer program. Because TerpSys has a very active corporate culture, sometimes scheduling events so that they do not compete with other corporate events can be a challenge. Our EVP is flexible enough, so we encourage people to find an organization they are passionate about and volunteer as they feel appropriate. TerpSys offers “unlimited” paid time off for volunteering. We have had employees that have done one day events and others that have done week long service projects. Additionally, we offer each employee and annual $50 sponsorship that can be used towards registration fees for walks, runs, bike rides, etc.
Text Design, Inc. www.txtdesign.com
Text Design, Inc. has been a community partner for 19 years focusing our efforts on doing what we do best—graphic design and communication strategy. Going into our 20th year, we are proud of our long term relationships and look to the future. Since 1999, Text Design has supported the Bethesda Big Train and its mission of promoting youth baseball in the DC metro area. Our support goes beyond Shirley Povich Field, where the team plays, and includes the “Fields of Dreams” initiative. Throughout the year we continue to support other fabulous community groups including: Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, Bethesda Cares, Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Alliance for Workplace Excellence, Heritage Montgomery, Westland Wild Dash, Imagination Stage, and the Montgomery County Volunteer Center. Our goal is to help the community while growing our business in a positive way. As a small business our reach has been extensive and the rewards beyond description. We enjoy the work we do. Helping those around us gives us great pleasure.
Watkins Meegan LLC www.watkinsmeegan.com
Watkins Meegan LLC is committed to serving the community that has supported us for over 30 years. In 2007, Watkins Meegan announced, “We are becoming more charitable than ever” as we launched a firm-wide community involvement plan. This was designed to make it easy for busy accounting professionals to become more active in their communities in the limited time they have. “If we work together as a company,” said Managing Partner Mike Micholas, “we can make a difference in the lives of those who need our help the most.” There are two components: (1) to contribute financially to organizations that need funding to continue their work, and (2) to contribute physically by working together to help those who need it.
On one Friday per quarter, we hold a Watkins Meegan Wears Denim to Make a Difference Day, if you contribute $5 or more to a charity, you can wear jeans to work. Recent recipients include the Boys & Girls Club, Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. The second part of the initiative is the hands-on component. We participated in the Montgomery County Holiday Gift Giving Project organized by A Wider Circle by adopting families and delivering household items, clothing, and toys. Our Emerging Businesses Group ran as “Team Frozen Assets” into the icy Chesapeake Bay to benefit the Special Olympics. “Of course it was cold,” said one of our accountants, “but it was worth it to know how many young athletes we were helping.”