Corporate social responsibility

Spotlight on health and community

Youth outreach initiatives, Andover, Massachusetts

CGI’s Andover business unit is dedicated to making a difference by focusing particular attention on helping the youth in their community. Examples of these activities include:

• Children’s Hospital Boston—For the past five years, CGI’s Andover members have collected stuffed animals for the young patients of this hospital. This year, this included collecting more than 320 stuffed toys, some of which members hand-delivered to patients in the cardiac ICU and NICU.

 

• City Year Serve-a-thon—Each year, CGI donates their time and raises funds to support this annual one-day event. At the 2005 fall event, this entailed spending the day at the Blackstone Community Center in the South End, where a team of CGI members (see picture at left) painted a mural on the wall in the main lobby. A portion of the proceeds raised from this day went to support hurricane relief efforts. The 2006 event was rescheduled for 2007 and CGI members are eager to participate once again.
  
  
• The Jimmy Fund—CGI’s Andover office regularly contributes to The Jimmy Fund, which supports the fight against cancer in children and adults at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Support includes an executive outing event with key CGI clients. Since 2003, these efforts have raised more than $21,000 for the Jimmy Fund.
  
  
• Lawrence Boys and Girls Club—For the past 11 years, CGI members in Andover have sponsored children from Lawrence’s underserved communities to provide holiday gifts to those in need. As the largest corporate sponsor of this annual event, CGI supported 100 children this past holiday.
  
  
• March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica—WalkAmerica is the March of Dimes’ signature fundraising event to reduce the rate of premature births in the United States. As a corporate sponsor with 14 members walking and 12 members volunteering, CGI raised over $4,000 for this year’s Andover walk.
  
  
• Daffodil days to benefit the American Cancer Society—For the past 11 years, CGI has participated in this annual fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society, raising more than $13,000 for this worthwhile cause.

“At CGI, we believe that we’re not just a member of a company, but are active members of our community,” says Alicia Cannon, a CGI senior consultant who heads up many of these activities. “Doing what we can for the community not only benefits those we’re helping, but is also a fun way for members to collaborate outside of the workplace. We truly receive more than we give.”

Andover’s office also contributes to other organizations, such as the United Way, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Last year alone, Andover’s members raised and contributed nearly $70,000 for local and national charities.