Courtney Murphy
Manager, Strategic Engagement
CECP

February 13, 2013--Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the Hurricane Sandy relief and recovery projects in the Far Rockaways in Queens with Points of Light as part of their Corporate Service Council meeting. Being a New Yorker myself, I was eager to see first-hand the areas affected and to witness the tireless work of rebuilding.  Representatives from New York Cares, a Points of Light affiliate, guided us as we drove down Rockaway Boulevard, where less than half of the businesses have re-opened. In the first two months since Sandy made landfall, New York Cares volunteers have filled 14,000 slots on 924 disaster-related projects, where they “mucked out” (i.e., cleared out anything that sustained water damage) more than 300 water-damaged homes in an effort to get residents back in their homes.

It was crucial for New York Cares to organize the initial outpouring of volunteers so they wouldn’t get in the way of the city’s first responders. Even now, several months later, New York Cares serves as the primary source of relief operations in Brooklyn and Queens, with efforts expected to continue through the spring and into the summer. This organization runs busses of volunteers from lower Manhattan to their staging site every day. Projects progress from “muck out” to mold removal before the eventual rebuilding can begin.

Interview conducted by Aaron Hurst, president and founder, Taproot Foundation

The Taproot Foundation's mission is to lead, mobilize and engage professionals in pro bono service that drives social change. This interview with Tim McClimon, President of the American Express Foundation and a CECP member, originally appeared on the Huffington Post on September 8, 2011. To read more of Aaron Hurst's interviews and reflections, visit the Pro Bono Junkie's Blog.

 

 

 

Aaron Hurst
President and Founder
Taproot Foundation

September 9, 2011 -- Tim McClimon is the President of the American Express Foundation, one of the most innovative leaders in philanthropy today. He has a rare ability to see opportunities to make an exceptional impact for both the community and the company's bottom line. We talked this week about how he has translated his vision and insights about the community into powerful programs at American Express.

9/11 is a very personal day for American Express employees given that your HQ is across the street from Ground Zero and you lost 11 employees that day. How did you decide to honor that day by becoming the lead sponsor for the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance?
We had to look at our strengths as a company. Our real strength is in service; we depend on having high quality customer service to attract and keep our customers. It's ingrained in our culture here. We felt that the way we could participate in remembering that day would be to engage in something we know very well.

Interview conducted by Aaron Hurst, president and founder, Taproot Foundation
The Taproot Foundation's mission is to lead, mobilize and engage professionals in pro bono service that drives social change. This interview with Bobbi Silten, President of Gap Foundation and Senior Vice President, Global Responsibility for Gap Inc. originally appeared on the Huffington Post on July 6, 2011. To read more of Aaron Hurst's interviews and reflections, visit the Pro Bono Junkie's Blog.

 

Aaron Hurst
President and Founder
Taproot Foundation

August 3, 2011 -- One of the best parts of my job is meeting amazingly smart and cool people. This week I talked with Bobbi Silten, the President of Gap Foundation and Senior Vice President of Global Responsibility for Gap Inc., about her killer career, her passion for service and how her background in business is key to running a successful foundation. Besides being sworn in as a member of the White House Council for Community Solutions earlier this year, Bobbi is the central force behind the Reimagining Service collaborative, increasing the impact of volunteerism.