COMMUNITY SERVICE
Encouraging Community Service Where Our Employees and Customers Live and Work
"Service is the rent we pay for living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time." - Marian Wright Edelman
Whether it is feeding the hungry, mentoring students, building homes for the homeless or cleaning up the environment, tens of thousands of American Express employees are inspired to serve their communities through volunteerism and personal financial contributions, and we view this activity as an extension of the service ethic that lies at the heart of our business.
We encourage good citizenship by supporting organizations that cultivate meaningful opportunities for civic engagement by our employees and members of the community.
We also serve our communities by supporting immediate and long-term relief and recovery efforts to help victims of natural disasters. Funding also goes to support preparedness programs that allow relief agencies to be better equipped in responding to emergencies as they occur.
Criteria:
Supported programs must encourage community service and civic participation
by:
- Engaging American Express employees in
ongoing community service activities that have a measurable impact.
- Demonstrating leadership and meaningful results in our communities by engaging a broad range of members of the community in civic participation. This may involve a variety of activities from promoting individual philanthropy, volunteerism or participation in local civic organizations.
RECENT GRANTS
Arizona Foundation for Women, Phoenix, AZ
The Walk to End Domestic Violence raises public awareness and
much-needed funds for domestic violence shelters across Maricopa County.
Last year, hundreds of employees participated alongside 4,000 of their
fellow community members in support of the organization and its work.
Do Something, New York, NY
Do Something is a New York-based nonprofit organization that inspires, empowers
and celebrates a generation of doers. Through its programs it encourages
teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability
to get it done, and then take action. Do Something's Social Entrepreneurship
program provides project support and training to help young leaders direct
and grow their social change projects.
English Heritage, London, United Kingdom
English Heritage exists to protect and promote England's historic
environment and ensure that its past is researched and understood. Chiswick
House, among the most glorious examples of 18th-century British
architecture, is a site in need of extensive restoration to maintain the
estate and its surrounding park and gardens. Training and equipment needed
by community volunteers was provided through a grant from American Express.
Feeding America, Chicago, IL
Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) is the largest
charitable hunger-relief organization in the United States. Support from
American Express is funding the expansion of its Store Donation Program
which recovers perishable products that do not meet retailers' marketing
standards, but are still usable and safe for consumption, for donation to
Feeding America food banks. This support will help Feeding America reach its
goal of adding 2,000 new stores to the list of national partners' stores
donating to its network, bringing the total to more than 5,200 stores. When
all of these stores are participating, Feeding America expects to collect
148 million additional pounds of food per year which is the equivalent of
115 million meals.
International Rescue Committee, New York, NY
In November of 2008 hundreds of refugees newly arrived in the United States
joined the International Rescue Committee to celebrate their first
Thanksgiving in America. These "First Thanksgiving" dinners were a part of
IRC's new "GIVETHANKS" campaign which is designed to raise awareness of the
challenges facing new refugees in the U.S. and to garner support for the
IRC's key programs, including its resettlement programs. Two of the "First
Thanksgiving" dinners, were held in Salt Lake City and Phoenix and hosted
by the GIVETHANKS initiative's founding sponsor, American Express.
MercyCorps, Portland, OR
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping
people build secure, productive and just communities. As part of this
mission, the organization opened the Action Center to End World Hunger in
Lower Manhattan in October 2008. The Action Center uses interactive media
exhibits to explore the complex causes of hunger and poverty, present
solutions, and provide visitors with a powerful platform to take direct
action. A comprehensive online presence for the Center -
www.actioncenter.org - will extend the reach of the Action Center to people
around the globe, thereby creating a population of activists across borders.
Points of Light Foundation, Atlanta, GA
American Express partnered with Points of Light Foundation on "Travel with
Your Mind: Service in Schools Program," a year-round school-based community
service program focused on engaging students, teachers, parents and
community members in travel and multiculturalism themed volunteer projects
within at-risk schools in four key communities-Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis
and Seattle.
Project Angel Share Los Angeles, CA
Project Angel Share utilizes volunteers to prepare and deliver healthy meals
to people who are disabled by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening
illnesses in greater Los Angeles.
INITIATIVES
American National Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
