Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 05/12/1999 All articles from this issue

A firm hold on giving

printer friendly version

By Carol Tiegs

Special to the Town Crier

Local companies seek community involvement in a variety of ways

The headlines don't bode well for area nonprofit organizations here in one of the wealthiest parts of the country.

United Way is in trouble. Whether through mismanagement or falling donations, it spells trouble for the agencies that depend on it for funding. And community and business foundations are actively encouraging Silicon Valley's booming corporations and wealthy entrepreneurs to contribute more to the area's nonprofit sector. Is enough being done?

A review of Town Crier stock index companies, local firms, entrepreneurs and nonprofits shows a variety of initiatives and partnerships being forged. It's not just about one-time donations. Firms look for ways to support their employees' community involvements, and to be consistent in their giving.

One example is the partnership of Sun Microsystems and the Palo Alto office of the American Red Cross.

"Sun is a big disaster donor," said Pilar Furlong, associate director of development for the Red Cross. "They match, dollar for dollar, any donations their employees make. They helped us out tremendously when Hurricane Mitch hit in Central America. There was $30,000 raised and matched. Now they are supporting us in Kosovo."

The Red Cross has a network of contacts within Silicon Valley corporations, Furlong said. When need arises, the Red Cross puts the word out via phone and e-mail, and companies such as Sun and Hewlett-Packard Company respond with dollars and volunteers.

"Pilar is really a team leader for us," said Debrah Giles, program associate with Sun Microsystems. "Our matching program on disaster relief is working really well. It's something we can do immediately."

Once Sun gets the word of need from the Red Cross, they broadcast it here and abroad via their Intranet.

Giles said Sun is in the process of reevaluating its community involvement.

"Our focus areas in past years have been education in grades 7-12, and job development," she said.

The firm just launched Open Gateway, a program of equipment donation and teacher training. In major office locations, Sun makes corporate development grants of up to $50,000 to community agencies, Giles said. And in field office locations the firm forms partnership programs with agencies, awarding grants of up to $9,500.

Another high-tech powerhouse on the Town Crier stock index, Cisco Systems, also provides large grants to community agencies, including last year's funding to Mountain-View based Community Health Awareness Council, or CHAC, for in-house family counseling.

"We are funded in a very nice way by Cisco," said Judy Hawkins, development director of Community Services Agency serving Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. "It's given $10,000 for emergency assistance funding. It has one of the largest volunteer efforts."

Hewlett-Packard provides Community Services Agency with in-kind equipment, and Silicon Graphics recently provided a truck to the agency to transport donations, Hawkins said.

"We're getting renewed and new response from local corporations," she said.

That includes the ALZA Corporation, which is moving to Mountain View and wants to become involved with local nonprofit agencies, Hawkins said.

ALZA recently made a $10,000 grant to CHAC for the development and curriculum of the agency's conflict resolution programs.

"ALZA is especially interested in programs that have a long-term impact," said Lucinda Tatman, ALZA's community relations manager. "Rather than just writing a check that fills an immediate need, we like to be part of a project that continues to make a difference in children's lives."

Mary Burkhardt, CHAC's development director, said the agency has also received "wonderfully generous support from Lockheed Martin."

BMC Software, which recently opened a Sunnyvale operation headed by general manager John Pullen of Los Altos, is looking for opportunities for involvement.

"We're interested in providing for community organizations where our employees live and work," Pullen said.

BMC is a premium sponsor of this year's Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival, and is a co-sponsor of the TLC for Kids effort to refurbish ball parks for children.

Guidant Vascular Intervention has a longstanding relationship with El Camino Hospital, sparked in part by Carl Simpson, a Los Altos resident and Guidant's vice president for research and development.

Simpson's father was on the original hospital board, his mother on the hospital auxiliary, and Simpson began his career working summers at the hospital in general stores and as a lab and radiology technician.

Guidant has donated $10,000 annually to the El Camino Hospital Foundation for many years and is a major sponsor of its annual golf tournament fund-raiser.

"As a corporation we believe in heavy community involvement," Simpson said. "We're a big donator to the United Way campaign, and one of the visionaries and top 10 contributors to the Silicon Valley Ball (fund-raising event)."

The firm is also active in American Heart Association events, reflecting its expertise in coronary angioplasty.

The El Camino Hospital Foundation's golf tournament has move than 20 corporate sponsors.

Mountain View-based GET Manufacturing, chaired by Los Altos Hills resident Shin (Samuel) Fong, is also committed to supporting the communities where its employees live and work. Its primary community service partnerships focus on education, social services, the arts and arts education, said Tish Kelly, manager for worldwide marketing communications and external affairs.

GET and its employees are involved in projects with the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Family Giving Tree and March of Dimes, among others.

A number of firms focus on how they can put their corporate skills and specialties to use for the community.

AVCOM Technologies in Sunnyvale, headed by Brad Bishop of Los Altos, has found a niche with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which serves terminally ill children.

"Computer - especially Internet - access is really valued by bed-ridden kids," Bishop said. "We're consistent contributors of computers and Internet connections. We do the installation and teach the kids how to use it. We also do a golf tournament where the profits to Make-A-Wish."

Bishop said the firm chose to focus on one organization "and hopefully make a difference."

The behind-the-scenes work of the Los Altos Garbage Company contributes to the success of nearly every outdoor fund-raiser in Los Altos and Mountain View where it donates volunteer time and trash containers. The firm also assists with Christmas in April and Adopt-A-Family. In the winter months, the garbage company coordinates food drives and the Coats for Kids program. It picks up donations from local residents and donates them in the residents' names to the Community Services Agency.

"Our company is 100 percent company owned," said Bill Jones, group manager for Los Altos Garbage Company. "We see a direct impact to involvement in our communities."

For corporations that would like to be part of a combined effort, there is the newly formed Entrepreneurs Foundation. Launched in July 1998, the foundation's mission, according to its Web site, is "to make Silicon Valley/Bay Area a stronger place to live and work by incorporating community involvement as a core element in every entrepreneurial business plan and by applying venture capital principles to scale-up successful community programs."

The foundation's five-year goal is 500 participating companies that generate $100 million of stock appreciation to invest in 15 community ventures. Ten companies are on board, in addition to corporate partners such as 3Com Corp., Aspect Telecommunications, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard and Intuit. Directors include Colburn Wilbur of The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

For more information, visit the Entrepreneurs Foundation Web site at http://the-ef.org.