We're proud to announce that we've expanded our philanthropic giving by officially giving 10% of our annual earnings to programs that support our communities, beginning with our 2017 earnings.
Of that money, 9% will provide additional funding to support Opus Foundation® giving, furthering the amount and time the Foundation will be able to continue its work. And 1% will be donated directly from The Opus Group to worthy causes.
To commemorate the inaugural program, associates had the unique opportunity to direct 1% of our 2017 earnings by voting on ten impactful, national nonprofits. While we originally planned on awarding funds to the top three vote getters, we actually gave funds to the top four organizations due to a very close call on votes. These top four organizations combined represent over 56% of the total votes that were cast by associates.
And the top vote getters were:
ACE Mentor Program of America
(STEM education)
ACE, which stands for architecture, construction and engineering, helps mentor high school students and inspires them to pursue careers in design and construction. They reach over 8,000 students annually. ACE's mission is to engage, excite and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering and construction through mentoring and to support their continued advancement in the industry. Since its inception, ACE has awarded over $14 million in scholarships to promising participants.
American Cancer Society
(health causes)
The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. Until they do, they'll remain active on their mission to promote healthy lifestyles to help people prevent cancer, research cancer and its causes to find more answers and better treatments, fight for lifesaving policy changes and provide everything from emotional support to the latest cancer information for those who have been touched by cancer. Since 1946, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $4.6 billion in cancer research.
Humane Society of the United States
(animal welfare)
The Humane Society is the nation's most effective animal protection organization. HSUS is leading the way to a better future for animals and is at the forefront of animal care, through their animal sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers, Animal Rescue Team, wildlife response units, veterinary division, international street dog defenders and other hands-on programs.
Feeding America
(hunger/food banks)
1 in 8 people struggle with hunger in the U.S. Feeding America is a hunger relief organization with a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks feeding the hungry. Hunger knows no boundaries and touches every community in the U.S. Nearly 13 million children and more than five million seniors face hunger in the U.S. today. Feeding America works to get nourishing food from farmers, manufacturers and retailers to people in need. At the same time, they also seek to help the people they serve build a path to a brighter, food-secure future.
We're proud to be able to expand our philanthropic giving and help improve the places we live, work and play.
Learn More About Our Giving
Expanding Our Philanthropic Giving
