In 2009, the Employees’ Choice initiative included five OppenheimerFunds locations: New York, Denver, Boston, Bellefonte, PA, and Rochester, NY. After tallying the results, 2009 was one of the most successful years yet for Employees’ Choice. In addition to having over nearly 300 employees and their friends and family participate, we also joined together to raise nearly $70,000 for these charities.
For office specific information and results, please click on the below locations:
Denver – American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk:
For the 2009 Employees’ Choice Event, the Denver office selected the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk as their charity of choice. Team OppenheimerFunds raised nearly $14,000 for this important cause.
With a variety of fundraisers and activities for employees to participate in, over 70 Denver employees, their friends and families were involved in the Employees’ Choice efforts. In 2009, one of the more popular fundraising initiatives was the sale of “Celebration Cards” that employees, for a minimal contribution, could complete describing their personal reason for Making Strides.
For more information the American Cancer Society, visit their website at: www.cancer.org.
New York – American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk:
On Sunday, October 18, over 100 New York employees, their friends and families signed up to participate in the fifth annual New York Employees’ Choice event, the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Central Park. Team OppenheimerFunds had another strong showing, finishing as one of the top three fundraising teams in New York City.
Through the support of generous employees and some unique fundraising initiatives – a raffle and fundraising happy hour, the opportunity to bid on lunches with various executives along with a well-received “jeans day” – the team raised nearly $45,000 for cancer research and advocacy efforts in New York City.
OppenheimerFunds’ sponsorship also supported the “Survivor’s Tent” at the walk providing a meeting place for breast cancer survivors where they could share their experiences and learn about health and recovery programs offered by American Cancer Society. Despite the cold and rain, over 20,000 walkers joined with Team OppenheimerFunds to support this important cause raising nearly $2.4 million to assist in the fight against breast cancer.
For more information on the American Cancer Society, visit their website at www.cancer.org.
Bellefonte – Foundation Fighting Blindness:
Through the newly founded Centre County Community Foundation, the Bellefonte Social and Charitable Events (BSCE) Committee championed a successful Employees’ Choice fundraising drive in support of Foundation Fighting Blindness. With a final tally of just over $5000, employees epitomized the team spirit element of Employees’ Choice and raised much needed monies for this worthwhile organization.
A national organization, the Foundation Fighting Blindness is focused on driving the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
For more information on the Foundation Fighting Blindness, visit their website at: www.blindness.org.
Boston – American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
On Sunday, October 4, employees, family members and friends making up Team OFI Institutional Boston, participated in their designated 2009 Employees’ Choice Event, the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. With ten walkers they were able to raise nearly $2000, including matching funds, for the fight against breast cancer.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walks occur annually across the country to raise funds for cancer research and advocacy efforts. Since 1993, nearly 5 million walkers have raised more than $340 million through Making Strides events to help support this important cause.
For more information on the American Cancer Society, visit their website at: www.cancer.org.
Rochester - Mary Cariola Holiday Helpers:
In 2009, the Rochester Office selected for their Employees’ Choice event the Mary Cariola Holiday Helpers Project. Holiday Helpers is an annual event designed to benefit special needs students, and their families, in the local community. Anonymous voluntary sponsors receive a completed holiday assistance form including all of the essential information to fulfill a family’s needs and wishes for the season. The students and their families receive gifts and all the necessary items for a holiday meal.
This year, the entire Rochester Division participated and raised nearly $1,500 sponsoring two families with seven children in total, providing them with holiday gifts and groceries for their traditional celebrations.
In addition to food, each family received clothes (jeans, fleece tops, pajamas, jackets, boots, etc.), toys (transformers, board games, basketball hoop, etc.), electronics (video game console, video games, DVDs), throw blankets, books, microwaves, and more.
For more information on the Mary Cariola Holiday Helpers, please visit their website at: www.marycariola.org.
To create a greater impact for our communities while providing our employees with meaningful volunteer opportunities focused on team spirit and employee unity, we instituted the Employees’ Choice volunteer initiative. Each year, employees in five of our offices select a local charitable organization and concentrate fundraising and volunteer efforts around it. OppenheimerFunds also contributes a specified amount to each designated organization.
