Corporate Responsibility

How did the School Supply Drive come about?
Tory: Initially, as we were talking about projects for the year, we knew we wanted to add community-based projects that deal with schools. I had worked on a backpack program with my teenage daughter through the Loudoun Literacy Council, a nonprofit educational organization in Loudoun, Va.  Anne: We liked the idea but wanted to make an impact across a larger region than just a single county or a single school. We found Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS), and it so happens that they host an annual school supply drive, which we were able to participate in. Our drive took place from July 25 – August 10.  Tory: They distribute across Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Alexandria and Arlington counties, so that perfectly fit the bill.

How did you encourage colleagues to participate?
Anne: Within the office, we encouraged employees to bring in donations of new items, and we placed tall boxes in the lobbies of our building complex. NVFS provided a list of the types of items they were looking for. We then encouraged team members and individuals working in the buildings to bring in school supplies. Our colleagues who telecommute had the option of donating money directly to NVFS by visiting their website.

What kind of response did you receive?
Tory: Our colleagues were excited.  Anne: They thought it was a great way to give back.  Tory: And they liked that our company was doing something related to our field to help others in need.

How did you get the word out?
Anne: We posted fliers in our own office and sent an email flier to all tenants in the building. We also announced it at our staff meeting and at the building-wide meeting for all tenants.

Any plans for next year or for other charitable initiatives?
Tory: Yes, we definitely plan to do this every summer. And we’re also looking at holiday initiatives, particularly related to children.  Anne: We’d love to stuff stockings or something else along those lines.

Was the program a success? What might we do differently next year?
Tory: For a first-year program, it was definitely a huge success. We filled three to four 2 ½ feet tall boxes; it took 10 of us to move all the supplies out of our office and load up a van. When we arrived at NVFS, all the donated backpacks were lined up, and an assembly line of people were going through the donated bags and sorting supplies. They estimated they filled more than 2,000 backpacks, which they then distributed to students in Pre-K through college.  Anne: We haven’t been working in this building very long, so it’s a nice way to make our mark. And maybe next year we can partner more with NVFS and work with them on both sides — collecting supplies and sorting through the donations.