Earlier today Microsoft announced employee giving results for 2011. It was a record breaking year with Microsoft employees across the United States raising $100.5 million – including corporate matching. This brings the total amount of money raised by employees to $946 million since our giving program started in 1983.
Each full-time, U.S. based Microsoft employee receives an annual $12,000 benefit that matches donations, dollar-for-dollar, to eligible nonprofits. In 2011, 35,500 employees donated to support more than 18,000 community organizations across the globe. If an employee wishes to volunteer their personal time, we honor that donation, too. Employee volunteer time is matched $17/hour to their chosen organization. In 2011, employees committed 426,671 hours which raised $7.2 million for nonprofits. That brings the total number of volunteering hours to 1.7 million hours since we started tracking in 2006.
At NERD, our employees set a record as well by raising over $600,000 through matching gifts, payroll deductions and volunteer hours. Throughout the year we worked together to support and raise money for eligible non-profits across a range of programs:
- In December 2011 we partnered with Cradles to Crayons and the local tech community to provide homeless and low-income children with key essentials through our Giving Tree program
- During our October 2011 “Give Campaign” – employees organized a live auction, Easter Seals raffle, Halo tournament, bake sale and other programs which raised over $14,000
- In June 2011 we kicked off our first Annual Day of Caring which sent over 140 employees to volunteer at 10 outstanding Cambridge organizations
- In February 2011 we partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Cambridge and Harmonix to create a Moovin’ & Groovin’ event for 100 local elementary and middle-school children
During the next couple of months we will be supporting a number of important community events including a Kinect Design Challenge with The Community Art Center, Girl Scouts’ Forever Green 100th Anniversary Gala, DigiGirlz Day, and Breakthrough Cambridge’s 20th Anniversary Gala.
To learn more about our employee giving and community efforts in Massachusetts please click here.
