2. Al’s Day 2011
This year marked the third anniversary of Al’s Day. Al’s Day is
GolinHarris’ annual worldwide community service initiative that
honors founder and chairman Al Golin’s dedication to service.
It is held each year on, or around, Al’s birthday on June 19.
In 2011, more than 500 employees from around the world
devoted nearly 25,000 hours to a wide variety of community
and charitable organizations.
The Miami office kicked off this year’s activities in May by
donating $20,000 worth of time to The Education Fund to help
“Doing the ‘right’ thing — from protecting the the organization with its annual charity auction. The Atlanta office
environment to investing in the community — wrapped up the celebration in mid-July with a day of service at
Project Open Hand. In between the two events, offices worldwide
is a legitimate business strategy that pays off assembled and prepared meals, entertained children, cleaned
in customer and employee loyalty.” parks, painted murals and spruced up facilities from schools to
horse stables!
Al Golin
3. Miami
The Miami office participated in Al’s Day by donating $20,000
worth of time to The Education Fund, which in turn helped secure a
$10,000 donation from a promotional partner. The team was tasked
with raising awareness for the organization’s 14th annual charity
auction, “The Art of Found Objects,” which took place on May 20
and celebrated The Education Fund’s 25th anniversary. GH
developed press materials, conducted media outreach and assisted
with on-site support during the event.
The Education Fund is an independent nonprofit organization that
raises money to support and improve Miami-Dade public schools.
4. Singapore
On June 3, the Singapore team visited the Student Advisory Drop-In To help with this process, the team gave various activity rooms a
Centre. The organization is carrying out an extensive refurbishment fresh coat of paint on the walls and also donated 18 tins of paint to
of the charity to provide students with a “new” environment to study support this worthy initiative. The team loved helping to create a
and play. new space for the students.
5. Frankfurt
On June 6 and 15, the Frankfurt office supported Frankfurter Tafel, a The organization picks up food from hotels, bakeries, grocery
charitable non-profit organization that provides food to needy and stores and manufacturers and redistributes it for free, or for a
homeless people by sorting, organizing and repackaging food. nominal price, to individuals and families in the Rhine-Main area
around Frankfurt.
6. San Francisco
On June 13, the San Francisco office volunteered to served lunch to Glide serves meals to roughly 5,000 people every day and relies on
nearly 1,000 homeless men and women. Glide’s program is the only volunteer support to serve these meals. Glide served 934,000 meals
one in San Francisco to provide three nutritious meals a day, 364 last year, all of which would not have been possible without the help
days a year to the city’s poor, homeless and hungry. of volunteers.
7. Chicago
On June 15, the Chicago team set their PR hats aside and donned a Lawson House provides shetler for more than 550 low-income men and
new type of creative and artistic persona: painters. At the Lawson women. It is the largest single-room occupancy (SRO) supportive
House YMCA, teams painted the resident lounge and two resident housing facility in the Midwest, providing housing and wrap-around
floors in addition to wall murals in ten elevator landings and the social services for those in need.
resident lounge.
8. Dallas
On June 17, the Dallas team volunteered to help make life better Meanwhile, back at the office, team two assembled “Birthday in a
for the patients at Children’s Medical Center with two different Box” packages that included wrapping paper, bows for presents,
activities. Team one spent the morning and afternoon participating birthday plates, napkins and cups, streamers, non-inflated Mylar
in a craft activity with patients and their siblings. balloons, party favors and noise makers. These boxes help families
with children in the hospital celebrate birthdays during their stay.
9. Orange County
On June 17, the Orange County office spent the day at Share Our This year, the OC team helped on the food line by preparing bags
Selves, one of the largest, volunteer-based agencies providing safety of groceries to hand out to Share Our Selves clients, as well as
net services for homeless and low-income individuals and families. organized incoming food donations and other supplies.
10. Washington D.C.
On June 17, the Washington, D.C. team headed to the YMCA in Another team spent the day at the YMCA in the D.C. area, where
Arlington to help the organization prepare for summer camp. they helped clean up the grounds and performed general
maintenance activities around the facility.
11. Bucharest
On June 20, the Bucharest team took a group of ten foster children So, with members of the team, they ate Happy Meals, played games,
out for a day of fun. The children, ages 5 to 10, had never been to a sang “Happy Birthday” to Al in Romanian and ate cake before
McDonald’s or movie theater before. heading to see Rio in 3D at the local cinema. The children and team
laughed, giggled and had a very memorable day of firsts.
12. Golin
London Harris
On June 20, the London team headed to Community Links new and The team painted over 20 sign posts, installed 15 signs, shovelled 15 tons
exciting project at Newham City Farm. The team’s day at the farm of soil, 12 tons of shingle, and who knows how much horse manure! The
started with an induction from founder Kevin Jenkins. Next, two teams hardest worker got to name the two newest additions to the farm, two
were formed: One to repaint the sign posts and put up new signs; the small calves. They couldn’t say who had worked harder than whom,
other team renovated the market garden. the calves were named Golin and Harris!
13. Shanghai
On June 22, the Shanghai team supported client Nippon Paint’s The team joined the children in art class and helped the students
charity event in the HeNan rural area of East China with a visit to a make greeting cards. The team also gave the classroom walls a fresh
local elementary school. coat of paint.
14. Los Angeles
On June 22, the Los Angeles office got down and dirty with Tree The team helped to clean and prune trees and shrubs, and plant new
People, an environmental nonprofit that unites the power of trees, trees, seedlings and grass.
people and technology to grow a sustainable future for Los Angeles.
15. New York
On July 8, the New York team planned to host an outdoor picnic Never ones to be deterred, the team hosted an indoor picnic for
with games and activities for their local Ronald McDonald House the children and families, approximately 100 people, who currently
at a nearby park. reside at the House.
But it RAINED!
16. Atlanta
On July 17, the Atlanta team spent the day at Project Open Hand
to help prepare and assemble meals for those disabled by
chronic illness.
Project Open Hand helps people prevent or better manage chronic
disease through Comprehensive Nutrition Care™, which combines
home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to
reinforce the connection between informed food choices and
improved quality of life. For more than 20 years the organization
has served an ever-growing population of those disabled by
chronic disease.
17. Dubai
On July 17, the Dubai team, in partnership with the Dubai Health Not only did every member of the team donate, they also
Authority, organized a blood drive. encouraged the neighboring businesses in their building to donate.