Hartford Region Community Impact 2015 Report

Hartford Region
Community Impact
2015 Report
A Message from Ed Kindelan,
Regional Managing Partner—New England
CohnReznick celebrated its first anniversary in Hartford in November 2015. The
move to Hartford brought together teams from two suburban locations and legacy
offices of J.H. Cohn, Haggett Longobardi, and Kostin Ruffkess and Company,
which shared a nearly 100-year history serving clients and the communities in
which we work and live.
The move to downtown Hartford helped us bring together our 230 area employees
in one space to increase collaboration, improve efficiencies, and provide an
opportunity to make a difference in Hartford. We do not want to just work in
Hartford, we want to be a part of the fabric of the City.
I am pleased to introduce our first CohnReznick Cares Community Impact Report
for the Hartford region. Throughout the report you will find information about our
commitment to Hartford and how our team came together to make a difference
in the lives of our neighbors during our first year in the community.
This commitment to the community is part of who CohnReznick is and in Hartford we join hundreds of CohnReznick
employees nationwide making a difference on a national level and in other local communities.
Thank you, Hartford. We look forward to many more years in our Capital City, continuing to make a difference.
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Our National Approach
to Community Service
We’re accountants. But we’re also teachers, coaches, and community builders who are passionate about giving back to
others. This philosophy has been part of CohnReznick since our founding almost 100 years ago when Julius H. Cohn said,
“If you do your best to serve faithfully your community, your clients, and your associates, success will most surely follow.”
CohnReznick CARES is a national Firm-sponsored program that supports the efforts of our employees in giving back to others.
It is our “call to action” that demonstrates our commitment to Community, Advocacy, Responsibility, Education, and Service.
The purpose of CohnReznick CARES is to communicate the Firm’s deep commitment to community involvement while serving
as the umbrella for the diverse charitable activities and initiatives we support on both a national and office (local) level. CohnReznick
employees in all offices give their time, resources, and talents to dozens of charities that address a wide range of issues.
Highlights of national initiatives supported Firm-wide include:
PAY IT FORWARD
One of our most popular and successful charitable endeavors is
modeled after the movie, Pay it Forward, which tells the true story of
a young boy who does good deeds for others in need. In doing so,
he asks that they pass on a good deed to another person, thereby
“paying forward” an act of kindness.
In that spirit, CohnReznick has implemented a Firm-wide “Pay It Forward”
initiative. Each December, employees receive a little something extra
in their paychecks with the intention that they’ll “pay it forward” to
organizations meaningful to them by making contributions. Motivated
employees often turn their incentive into hundreds of dollars or more
through fundraisers and creative sales. From funding cancer research
to helping children a continent away, CohnReznick employees rise to
the challenge bigger and better each year!
NO KID HUNGRY
A team of 35 bakers and 15 volunteers in Hartford joined in the Firm’s
national initiative to prevent childhood hunger and support No Kid Hungry.
Funds were raised by the purchase of home baked goods and raffle
tickets that included items donated by Hartford team members.
1 in 5 kids in America doesn’t get the food they need every day. This
takes a terrible toll on their health and development, and threatens their
futures in profound ways. It also drags down our nation’s economy by
perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
PINK AND ORANGE
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and to show our
CohnReznick pride, the National Social Impact Committee promoted
a “Pink and Orange Day” last October. Everyone was asked to wear
pink, orange, or CohnReznick apparel for a $5 donation. Through
this initiative, CohnReznick contributed to the Susan G. Komen
Foundation and other similar organizations.
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BIRDIES FOR CHARITY
Since 2008, CohnReznick
has proudly served as
the presenting sponsor
of the Travelers
Championship Birdies
for Charity program,
which affords Connecticut based notfor-profit organizations the opportunity
to raise funds through the Travelers
Championship with no administrative
costs. Participating nonprofits receive
100% of the pledges they collect, plus
a 15% bonus*. Birdies for Charity is a
pledge-based fundraiser, similar to
a walk-a-thon, where nonprofit
organizations can solicit contributions
or pledges based on the number
of birdies made during the Travelers
Championship. Administration of the
program is turnkey and is provided
by the Travelers Championship
and CohnReznick.
In addition to providing administrative
support, CohnReznick created the
Birdies Bonus Bucks, a pool to which
we contribute $50,000 annually. Birdies
for Charity represents the Hartford
office’s largest annual financial
contribution to the community, and
allows us to help the greatest number
of Connecticut nonprofits. In 2015
over 100 organizations benefitted
from Birdies for Charity and the Birdies
Bonus Bucks. We encourage all
Connecticut-based nonprofits to
learn more about Birdies for Charity
by visiting the Birdies for Charity
section of the Travelers Championship
website or by contacting
Rose Swiatkiewicz, CohnReznick
Marketing Director, at 959-200-7286 or
[email protected].
“
I regularly share information about Birdies for
Charity with other nonprofits who always say to me,
‘Sounds too good to be true. There has to be some catch.’
But there is no catch with CohnReznick. They truly want
nonprofits to take full advantage of their 15% match of funds
through this program. Thank you—CohnReznick—for
supporting nonprofits throughout Connecticut via Birdies
for Charity and making a difference in the lives of those
we serve! Last year, MARC Community Resources received
over $2,100 in matching dollars. As reimbursement
for services provided and grant dollars
continue to shrink, your generosity has a
direct impact on our services and supports.
LORI LODGE, Director of Development,
MARC Community Resources
*The maximum bonus is $11,250 (equals 15% of $75,000
in donations collected)
”
DISASTER RELIEF
CohnReznick responded to the emergency humanitarian needs in Nepal following the devastating 7.8 magnitude
earthquake on April 25 by raising funds for the American Red Cross. In December, the City of Chennai experienced
its worst rain spell in 100 years. CohnReznick employees stepped in support of our Chennai team by raising money
for emergency humanitarian support.
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Hartford Community Impact: OUR MISSION
CohnReznick’s PYRAMID Values represent seven core values which serve
as a moral compass for our interactions with clients, fellow employees, and
the broader community.
As CohnReznick settled into our new space in Hartford, we chose to take
a proactive approach to the core value of Making a Difference:
• We lead by example, giving back to the community in which we live
and work
• We freely volunteer our time, talent, and energies
• We are founded on the belief that if you do your best for your clients,
your people, and your community, everything else falls into place
Our employees rose to this challenge in a big way. A team of
enthusiastic team members, from partners to administrative staff
and young professionals, joined together to form the Hartford
Community Impact Committee to lead and organize the office’s
community involvement efforts with the common goal of finding the best way for us to demonstrate CohnReznick CARES.
We began by considering the needs of our community, how those needs are currently being addressed, and how
CohnReznick could support those efforts.
Our next step was to define CohnReznick’s core aims and what we hoped to change and achieve. The group quickly
realized that we could not “do it all” as it is impossible for any individual or organization to support all the needs within
our community. Through a series of energetic and spirited meetings, the committee explored how we could best assist
the diverse population that calls Greater Hartford home.
The success of any city or region is dependent upon the investment of time and effort by those who live and work in
the community…and the future of Hartford is its children. Therefore, we developed a three-year plan to offer our team
volunteer opportunities to address the needs of children and their families. We have also designed opportunities to work
collaboratively with charitable organizations that are already on the front lines and delivering support to our community.
The following pages present the
results from our first year initiatives
ranging from participating in Junior
Achievement’s JA in a Day to rolling
up our sleeves for quarterly American
Red Cross blood drives to making
holiday wishes come true through
the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree.
The highlight of the year, our Week
of Caring, can best be illustrated
by the photos and narrative that
follow. Held October 19-23, employees
donated their time and resources
to help five area organizations. We
know that our volunteers made a
difference that week in October—
but we also know that our team
received much more than they gave.
We are proud of our accomplishments
in year one, and look forward to
expanding our reach in the coming year.
In 2015, CohnReznick Hartford supported more than
120 not-for-profit organizations through financial support, and...
More than
More than
3,000
volunteer
hours
82
More than
55
board and/or
volunteer
positions
pints of
blood
More than
More than
turkeys
children’s
toys
300
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Hartford Community Impact: 2015 HIGHLIGHTS
Junior Achievement’s JA in a Day
Fifteen Hartford Team members volunteered at Hartford’s Betances
STEM School for “JA in a Day” where they taught students in grades
4-6 about entrepreneurship. After an enthusiastic reaction from
administrators, faculty, and students alike CohnReznick will be
returning again in 2016.
Junior Achievement inspires and prepares young people to
succeed in a global economy. Volunteer-delivered, kindergarten-12th
grade programs foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial
literacy skills, and use experiential learning to inspire students to
dream big and reach their potential. With the help of more than
218,000 volunteers, JA students develop the skills they need
to experience the realities and opportunities of work and
entrepreneurship in the 21st century global marketplace.
Hole in the Wall Gang:
Camp Challenge Ride
and Bandit 5K
The Hartford Office has a longstanding tradition of supporting
the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded by actor and
philanthropist, Paul Newman, in 1988. CohnReznick annually
serves as a Gold Sponsor and you will find CohnReznick team
members participating in the Camp Challenge Ride biking
through the countryside surrounding the Camp in Ashford,
Connecticut that gives every child “no matter their illness—
the chance to raise a little hell.” Other team members can
be found participating in the Bandit 5K which is held on
the grounds of the camp and others will be seen at rest
stops along the 15, 30, and 62.5 mile routes.
Movember
For the second year, the
Hartford team participated
in “Movember” (the month
formerly known as November)
by growing moustaches in an
effort to change the face of
men’s health and raise money
for prostate cancer research,
testicular cancer research,
and mental health.
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Hartford Community Impact: 2015 HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
Community Service Week
The Hartford office hosted our first annual Community Service Week, October 19-23. We are cognizant of the time
constraints of our team members so we provided various ways to contribute time, money, and/or supplies with as much
flexibility as possible. In addition to volunteer opportunities during Community Service Week, there were also opportunities
to provide assistance to the Community Impact Committee before and after the events.
South Park Inn
DAY
1
Volunteers helped to clean and organize supplies at the South Park Inn, one of Hartford’s homeless shelters.
South Park Inn provides a continuum of programs and services for people that are homeless. From
weekly Street Outreach to long-term housing, South Park works hard to make sure their clients solve
the problems that led to their homelessness and become stronger individuals as a result.
Boys & Girls Club
DAY
2
We helped clean up and gave a face
lift to the kids’ play and work areas.
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford
is to inspire and enable all young people,
especially those who need it most, to reach their full
potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.
They serve over 5,000 of the city’s youth.
The Salvation Army
DAY
3
We assisted the Salvation Army
with registering recipients for their
annual Christmas toy drive.
Salvation Army’s mission: “Into the world of the hurting, broken,
lonely, dispossessed and lost, reaching them in love by all means.
We will...
•
•
•
•
Emphasize our integrated ministry
Reach and involve youth and children
Stand for and serve the marginalized
Encourage innovation in mission
“
Just wanted to drop
you a short note of
appreciation for the
really fantastic work
you and your colleagues
completed today at
our Asylum Hill club site.
We are beyond thrilled
and are gushing over
how organized, prepared, and detailed the
CohnReznick team was and about the paint
job in the snack shop and the Music/Drama
room. Your team didn’t just paint, but prepped/
spackled/sanded/primed/painted and even
bought a hair dryer to accelerate the drying
process. Your team took such care in their
work. Cleaning the boys and girls room lockers
and organizing the books in the Learning Center
were also done with care and precision. Please
let your team know how fabulous they are!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Girl Scouts of Connecticut
DAY
4
”
Victoria Copes
Director of Finance, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford
Our volunteers assisted with preparations for Girl Scouts of CT’s
Haunted Hike by stuffing scarecrows/creatures, cleaning
trails, setting up scenes along the trails, and making props.
In its 21st year, with over 1,000 attendees each year, the Haunted Hike
designed and staffed by Girl Scouts for Girl Scouts and their families,
featuring 20 minute hikes through the woods of camp. It is one of Girl
Scouts of CT’s most popular seasonal events.
COMPASS
DAY
5
We collected school supplies/other items throughout the week.
COMPASS raises the expectations of youth, inspires families,
and builds peace in the community.
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Hartford Community Impact: 2015 HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
United Way Campaign
CohnReznick Hartford continued its involvement in the annual
United Way campaign to support the agencies funded by
the United Way in Greater Hartford and Springfield.
The kick off was followed by a number of specific events including:
• Silent Auction
• Jeans Days
• Ice Cream Cart
• Holiday Office Decorating
In addition, CohnReznick’s WomenCAN program threw down the
challenge: Men vs. Women—whoever had the higher percentage
of participation won bragging rights. But more importantly we
earned the appreciation of the United Way Agencies and thousands
of people helped by our contributions. As for the WomenCAN
Challenge—it was a TIE!!!
The United Way works to engage people to improve lives and
change community conditions. The focus is on helping children
succeed and families become financially secure with access to basic needs, such as
food and shelter. With their partners, the United Way helps ALICE households succeed. ALICE, an acronym
for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is a newly coined demographic representing one in three
working families in our region who struggle to make ends meet every day.
JDRF Walk
Members of the CohnReznick team walked alongside 28 UConn Beta Alpha
Psi students to help fund life-changing type 1 diabetes research and create
a world without T1D through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Red Cross
The Metro Center employees
come together several times a
year by hosting blood drives to
benefit the American Red Cross.
Recognizing the importance
of blood donations, the
CohnReznick team literally
rolled up their sleeves to help
the Red Cross. Each time a
blood drive is held in our building,
you will find CohnReznick team
members proudly wearing their
“Be nice to me, I gave blood
today” stickers. Our goal is to
continue to encourage others to
join in this lifesaving procedure.
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Hartford Community Impact: 2015 HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
Foodshare’s Turkey and a 30
CohnReznick Hartford continued its Thanksgiving tradition of
making a contribution to Foodshare to express our gratitude
to our clients for their business and trust in our capabilities. Our
gift was announced through a communication to our clients
which asked them to consider supporting this effort by joining
the CohnReznick team via Foodshare’s Turkey Wars. Our efforts
to support Foodshare were bolstered when CohnReznick’s
WomenCAN program partnered with our Metro Center neighbors,
Lincoln Financial and CBIA, for a Turkey and a Thirty Drive in our
building on November 19.
The lobby came alive that morning with employees being
greeted by CohnReznick employees wearing turkey hats
ringing bells each time a turkey or cash contribution was
received. Radio coverage from The River 105.9 added to
the excitement in the lobby as leadership from Foodshare
gratefully acknowledged the 86 turkeys and nearly $1,500
in cash collected that morning.
CohnReznick’s Turkey Wars Tally netted 298 turkeys, a result of our Thanksgiving gift and contributions made
by employees and clients through Foodshare’s website. In addition some employees chose to contribute their
$25 CohnReznick “Pay it Forward” funds to Foodshare. Thanks to two generous team members who pledged
a matching contribution, each $25 contributed became $35 for an additional $875 in support of Foodshare’s
“Turkey and a Thirty” campaign which provided a turkey and 30 days of food for a hungry neighbor.
Foodshare will work to end hunger as a part of the overall community effort to alleviate poverty in Greater
Hartford. Our mission is to engage the Greater Hartford community for the purpose of distributing food and
increasing self-sufficiency. By working closely with other local partners—individuals, businesses, schools, faith
groups, and government agencies—Foodshare seeks to increase awareness of hunger within our communities.
It is important to understand why hunger exists and how we can help bring about change.
Salvation Army Angel Tree
The Hartford office continued a tradition which
began more than ten years ago through the
Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. This year
our team provided 75 children with the gift of
their choice to help build lasting childhood
memories. This year our support of the Angel
Tree program was two-fold beginning with our
October Community Service week. Throughout
the week CohnReznick team members
volunteered at the Salvation Army creating
“Angel Tags” with the child’s name and their
wish. Seventy five of the tags we completed
found their way to our Hartford office and
adorned our tree, each representing the wish
of a child or teen. The Angel Tree has become
a CohnReznick tradition with many parents
shopping for the “wish” with their young children.
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Special Thanks
HARTFORD COMMUNITY IMPACT TEAM
Jeffrey Carpenter
Jackie Horner
James Kask
Ed Kindelan
Chantal Laliberte
Joanne Marcoux
Patricia McGowan
Valerie Messina
Christopher Nardone
Milo Peck
Rose Swiatkiewicz
Erica Tirado
Nick Valente
The Power of 230
As accountants, we understand the power of numbers. Community service
demonstrates the extraordinary power of giving. Each of our 230 Hartford team
members, working together as a team, and collaboratively with our community,
can be multiplied into much greater results .
Our committee members have stepped up and demonstrated leadership skills
and a passion for community service. Every volunteer has shared their time, talents,
and financial resources with their community. The Partners of CohnReznick are
incredibly proud of our team and thank each and every committee member and
volunteer for their involvement and dedication to the firm’s core value of “Making
a Difference” in our community.
As we celebrate our first anniversary in Hartford, we salute those who work on a daily basis to improve our
community. We look forward to many more years continuing our efforts of support to build a strong and vibrant
Greater Hartford community.
Sincerely,
Patricia McGowan
Partner, Hartford CARES Chair
“
Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it’s the
only thing that ever has.
MARGARET MEAD
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”
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