Michelman held its annual Commitment to Community Day, on September 6, 2019. This year marked the 8th year in a row that the company's associates took time away from their desks to give back to the communities in which they work and live. They volunteered their time and effort at a variety of charitable & non-profit organizations in the USA, Belgium, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, China, and India.
In the USA, over 200 associates volunteered for organizations throughout the Cincinnati region including Stepping Stones Ohio, Redwood, People Working Cooperatively, YMCA Camp Ernst, Easterseals, Cincinnati Fire Museum, Point Arc, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, and the SPCA, where they assisted with general maintenance and light construction, cleaning, gardening, painting, and the bundling of diapers.
Teams of associates from our Windhof, Luxembourg, and Aubange, Belgium locations spent their day serving 15 different organizations, including La Petite Plante, a residential service for adults with multiple disabilities and Maison de la Sainte Famille, an organization for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease. They also supported a variety of schools in the area including Ecole Communale d'Attert, Institut Sainte Marie d'Arlon, and Ecole Fondamentale Libre. Their volunteers helped in many ways from landscaping and grounds maintenance to painting and light construction.
Michelman's team in Japan discussed environmental issues with representatives at the Japan Environmental Action Network (JEAN). The organization focuses on environmental preservation of the region's oceans and rivers through marine litter investigation and clean-up activities. The team spent the day learning more about how individuals can help JEAN accomplish their goals and objectives.
The Singapore team volunteered at one of Singapore's largest community hospitals, Yishun Community Hospital (YCH). They participated in patient engagements, including simple exercise sessions, visited with rehabilitating patients, and helped maintain the hospital's rooftop vegetable gardens.
Associates from Michelman China prepared 12,123 books for electronic borrowing for the library of the Wenxin School. The school is for children of migrant workers in Shanghai and is very resource-constrained. Preparing thousands of books would have taken the library administrator several months to organize.
In Mumbai, India, rains and flooding delayed Michelman's volunteer efforts for one week, but the team served the Subhedar Ramji Ambedkar Vidyalaya School in Dahisar. They painted six classrooms and donated uniforms, shoes, and school supplies for 250 primary school students.
Steve Shifman, President & CEO of Michelman, explained his pride in the organization: "When I look at the scope of this year's volunteer efforts, I am in awe. A relatively small initiative that began seven years ago has grown into a worldwide effort with hundreds of associates volunteering at over 25 organizations. ‘Giving' is one of Michelman's core values, and this is what Giving truly looks like."