Each summer, Benesch employees are empowered by the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee to make a difference where they live and work via our annual Summer of Service program. By partnering with organizations in their communities, each office has the opportunity to coordinate a unique event and recruit staff, friends and family to participate. This month Benesch is closing out another successful Summer of Service season with 14 offices completing a total of 17 service events.
In celebration of Benesch’s 75th anniversary, hours logged for this year’s program also contributed to an ambitious company goal of 750 service hours for the year. By the end of summer, Benesch had already volunteered 900 hours of service to communities across the country.
“I’m really proud of all our employees for the volunteer work they did this summer. It shows how committed our company is to the communities we serve,” said program organizer Emily Molloy. “Our committee is always looking to provide additional service opportunities, and we look forward to launching our fall/winter initiatives in the coming weeks!”
Helping the Environment
Several offices found ways to help the environment this summer.
In Kansas City, Missouri, a team of employees headed out to 110th street as a part of the city’s Adopt-a-Street program and spent the day cleaning up the roadway. Similarly, our Charlotte team adopted a stream with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services and did an extensive cleanup, gathering multiple bags of trash and even shopping carts from along the stream.
For employees in our Boston office, the Summer of Service program gave them the opportunity to work with a few furry coworkers for the day. The team headed to Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary in Belmont, MA to help with meadow restoration. Upon arrival, they were greeted by the sanctuary’s goats who accompanied them as they removed invasive species from the habitat.
Helping Communities Bloom
As the weather warmed, teams helped prepare their communities for the season.
Each year, the Sunken Gardens in Lincoln, Nebraska need a little help getting ready for summer. Benesch employees participated in the annual “Wake Up the Beds” event where they got their hands dirty and helped install the plants.
After a flood destroyed the flower bed at the entrance of Tuttle Creek Lake Park, our Manhattan, Kansas team worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild the bed and restore the entrance.
Helping Those in Need
Other offices offered a helping hand to groups that needed it the most.
In Chicago, a team volunteered with Working Bikes, a non-profit organization that gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. The group helped to repair, pack and ship bikes to areas in need.
Our Cary, North Carolina office had volunteers head to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to sort and pack sweet potatoes. They contributed towards a total of 14,177 pounds of food packed during the 3-hour shift, which translates to 11,418 meals for families!
Coming Together
In early September, a training event in Chicago brought together managers from various offices. Many of them decided to start their day with an early morning CSR event. The group assembled STEM boxes to be sent to local foster homes. The boxes provide academic support and help the children develop an interest in STEM subjects.
Volunteers decorated the boxes and filled them with activities to the kids learn about STEM subjects. 
Completed boxes were delivered to foster homes in the Chicago area.
Beyond the work we do with our clients, our passion for our communities drives Benesch to donate our time and talents to worthy causes that further connect us to the people we serve every day. Since its inception, Benesch’s CSR Committee has established a wide range of corporate giving initiatives to help our employees do just that.
Follow us on LinkedIn for updates on our programs, including our Matching Gift Program, Intern Scholarships, Giving Tuesday, Annual Food Drive, Adopt-A-Family, Summer of Service, and more.