Two days ago, Collette’s CEO and Collette Cares’ founder Dan Sullivan had the great opportunity to stand on the podium for the ringing of the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange with other members of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), a group of CEOs that encourages corporate philanthropy among businesses by leading the way in improving the communities around them. What an honor — we are so proud!

As the Winter Olympics of 2014 winds down, I wanted to take an opportunity to acknowledge the areas in which Collette Cares supports youth programs that engage children in sports and exercise.

• We recently partnered with Rhode Island’s Project GOAL (Greater Opportunity for Athletes to Learn) which ties the benefits of sports into the higher achievements of education. Click here for the story.
• Since 1997 we have supported the Pawtucket Athletic Program for local middle schools giving grants up to $20,000 per year for coaches stipend, uniforms and supplies for boys and girls track, basketball, soccer and volleyball.
• We continue to support the Boston Bruins Foundation,  aimed at helping youth in the most in-need areas of Boston stay active and engaged through sports.
• We recently partnered with the Special Olympics engaging in a capital campaign that allows this wonderful organization to accomplish its goals to help more disabled athletes follow their dreams.
• This coming Saturday, a Collette Cares team will sponsor the American Lung Association’s Climb for Air in Providence.

As the Olympics this year has shown the world — sports teach children valuable life lessons. They foster hard work… team work… sportsmanship. They teach children that sometimes you lose and sometimes you win — but you should always enjoy the game, the competition and the feeling of victory that comes with playing. Sports teach children discipline which can make them into better, more engaged students in the classroom, more compassionate team members at home and in school.

As the Olympics comes to a close soon, we simply want to tip our hats to the athletes and coaches living their dreams and inspiring the youth that we aim to help. Maybe someday a young student in one of these great programs will be on international television competing for the gold. You see, that’s the other thing about sports… they teach children to dream big and never give up.

Last year, dozens of volunteers from Collette visited schools and read to children, in alliance with Books Are Wings, a non-profit aimed at getting free books into the hands of children. They helped them, afterward, to pick out books to read and it was great for all involved. This year, volunteers are already signing up and getting ready to give back to this worthy cause.

To learn more about Books Are Wings, visit their website.

During the month of February, Collette Cares will be dressing down in RED on Fridays to support the American Heart Association. Friday February 7^th is National Go Red For Women Day to raise awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer of Women in the USA. Every Friday in February, our employees will donate $1 and dress down in red to show their support of this worthy cause.

We are excited to donate $10,000 to the Peel Children’s Centre (PCC) and $7,500 to Peel Children and Youth Initiative (PCYI).

Our contribution to Peel Children’s Centre will aid children with behavioural and/or anxiety challenges as well as to their families that would not otherwise be able to benefit from traditional care.

Established in 1984, Peel Children’s Centre serves the mental health treatment needs of children and youth (from birth to 17 years) living in the Region of Peel. Collette’s funding is earmarked toward the nonprofit’s Strongest Families Program, which provides faster access to high quality service by offering family “help at home” using cost-effective, evidence-based interventions delivered by a team of highly trained coaches from a call-centre base.

Collette’s funding toward PCYI will help offset the costs for its second annual Peel Youth Leaders Conference. The conference, held during the summer, offers training for young people in Peel that guide them in taking meaningful leadership roles in their community.

We are proud to announce that the Pawtucket Soup Kitchen will be the 2014 Charity of the Year. In past years, the foundation has given a grant to support the breakfast program which last year provided over 5,000 hot breakfasts to those in need and over 15,000 hot meals in 2013. The Pawtucket Soup Kitchen will receive The Charity of the Year grant and all dress down dollars during January, May, June, August and September. Our Thanksgiving food drive and our giving tree will all benefit the Soup Kitchen as well.

This effective program located right in Collette’s backyard has a need for 2 to 3 volunteers to serve dinner throughout the year so there will be some wonderful volunteer opportunities as well that allows many of our employees to roll up their sleeves and get involved.

For more information about this great nonprofit, visit their website.

A new tradition began last week at Collette — as more and more employees get involved in giving back, the company began a Volunteer of the Year Award, to be given at its annual company-wide communications event. Each year, this award will celebrate an employee who has truly embraced the spirit of giving at Collette, been a pillar in our community, and gone above and beyond to spread good will throughout the local community.

This year, the foundation was so pleased to award Byron Allgood with this honor. Byron, who has been employed at Collette for 23 years, has always been willing to lend a helping hand and has rolled up his sleeves to volunteer whenever he can. In 2013, he put in 55 hours of volunteer time. As a mentor at the Pawtucket Boys and Girls Club, he works directly with a ten-year-old boy to help him with school work, play and be a positive influence in his life. His goal is simply to be a friend to this child and help set him on the right life path. He was also honored by the Pawtucket Boys and Girls Club for Volunteer of the Year as well for 2013.

In addition to his tremendous commitment to his mentee, Byron raised funds and walked with the PT Warriors to support the Gloria Gemma Foundation for breast cancer research. He represents the true meaning of giving and we were so happy to acknowledge his commitment and efforts that have made him such an asset to Collette over the years.

Congratulations once more to Byron — he’s an inspiration to us all.

At Collette, the culture of giving back is so strong. Each employee receives 4 hours of volunteer time each month which is why each year, the amount of volunteer hours continues to rise and break records. In 2013, the Collette team gave 2,263 hours to our local communities.

So many of our employee body take time out of their busy schedules to feed the homeless, clean up the community, help at cancer centers, mentor children and organize food and supplies at food banks, but there are quite a few employees whose presence is constant. We are lucky to have on our team employees who truly embrace the spirit and culture of giving and represent us again and again so well.

When asked the simple question, “Why do you do it?” their answers flooded in, each one unique:

“Travel is about making a connection with someone and someplace you never could have otherwise, and leaving a positive impact on them the way they have left upon you. I have been so lucky to witness what amazing things can happen when people come together to improve the lives of others.” — Allison Flint Lenzi

“There are too many people sad, sick, without care, kids without toys, families without shelter or food, or worst of all, those people that are in dire circumstances. One of the things I love most of all is the community work I do. I give a big thanks to the culture of Collette that gives so many of us the forum to do great things.” – Brett Walker

“I volunteer because I love to hear my “mentee” laugh. He’s 10 years old and he brings out the 10-year-old in me. We get so lost in our day-to-day lives that it’s easy to forget to laugh or have fun. I am so fortunate to have been able to watch him grow. I do it because I like the way being a mentor makes me feel.” – Byron Allgood

“In my times of need, I received so much support. When my own child had a serious illness, I would not have been able to get to the wonderful place we are at today without that support. I hope that a small difference in the lives of people in need will make the difference it did to me!” — Patricia Grady

“I love seeing the smiling faces of the kids in the pictures that Knysna Educational Trust sends over and knowing that we have made a dramatic impact to their futures. We have been able to set the kids on a path that can literally alter the direction of their lives. That’s pretty amazing.” — Tracey Conlon

“Being part of the Collette Foundation is very rewarding. Just to see the smiles on the faces of the children and families that we help is so heartwarming.” — Siobhan Siedzik

“I volunteer because it brings personal fulfillment to help someone through an act of kindness.” — Glady Michael

“I feel like I get so much joy out of life that it is only right for me to try and give back. More specifically, we as a company get to go all over the world, enjoy various cultures and beautiful lands, and experience all the world has to offer, so it’s only right that we try to give back to the specific communities that we are so lucky to visit.” — Chris Cahill

“I love giving back and volunteering for so many reasons. What gives me the passion and drive is meeting the individuals behind the organizations and seeing what drives them to do what they do. They are the real heroes and this is their passion. Us volunteers help them to be able to make their missions come to life.” — Dawn Rodrigues

Our annual Giving Tree, and the many presents under it to be given to families in need!

Wishing you and your family the warmest holidays and a prosperous New Year. Enjoy time with your family and loved ones, cherish the memories of the year past and look forward to the many wonderful times ahead.

-From all of us at Collette!

Each year at Collette, we host a volunteer week in which eight projects or local partners across the Rhode Island community benefit from our help in time for the holiday season. This year – we broke all previous records as more volunteers rolled up their sleeves, and more teams headed out together to help make a difference to those who need it most.

125 CF volunteers were out in the community, resulting in over 375 hours of giving back this week alone! This is a record breaking year, as last year we had 86 volunteers and 247 hours.

What a great way to ring in the holiday season.