Today is the first 9/11 National Day of Service, and I think it is a good time to talk about the benefits of volunteering.
As we've mentioned, service is in GSK's corporate DNA. Through our Orange Day program, employees receive a paid day off for volunteering. We believe that once our employees experience the power of giving back to the community through volunteerism, they will be hooked for life, and the cycle of giving will continue.
It feels good to lend a helping hand--and it makes a difference. For example, for the last year we've had a number of GSK teams take a day to work with Habitat for Humanity of Philadelphia, filling an entire block on Stiles Street in West Philadelphia with new, LEED certified homes.
This July, a GSK team spent the day installing sheets of drywall. If you've ever done that, you know it is something that takes time to learn. But they did a pretty good job. Usually when Habitat has groups come out to volunteer they are able to install about 3 sheets in a day because it's difficult to measure, cut and get it right. But our group installed 54 sheets that day!
Personal involvement like that breeds commitment. In fact, according to Meghan Tidwell, Habitat Philadelphia's volunteer coordinator, the experience that day was so rewarding for one of our GSK volunteers that she called the following week and became a regular Habitat volunteer. "That has never happened before," Meghan said, "where a corporate team has come in and really nailed it like GSK did--and inspired people to volunteer on their own." (I am assuming her pun was intended.)
And today, I am happy to report, the last three houses on Stiles Street will be dedicated, and three families are moving into new homes. What was once an abandoned city block is now entering a new chapter as its residents begin to rebuild their community.
I am actually headed to New York today to report on a few volunteer projects that GSK has going on. Eventually, I'll end up at the tribute program for the first 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. GSK North American Pharmaceuticals President, Deirdre Connelly, is speaking right after the keynote--Secretary of State Hillary Clinton!
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