ALEXANDRIA, VA - Recently, more than 100 Herman Miller employees came from all over the nation to help spruce up six city nonprofit organizations, serving thousands of residents in need. As part of a Herman Miller conference, Alexandria benefitted from a staff volunteer day. Rebuilding Together Alexandria (RTA) orchestrated various volunteer projects at nonprofits, from playing games with seniors, to painting, to landscaping, to interacting with children.
"To be a part of the community means you roll up your sleeves and work with neighboring organizations to help make the lives of those they serve better," says Katharine Medina, executive director, RTA. "Through these efforts, 100 Herman Miller volunteers were able to positively impact thousands of Alexandria residents."
Herman Miller volunteers completed projects for ALIVE, the Art League, Community Lodgings, the Boys & Girls Club, the Seaport Foundation, and the St. Martin de Porres Senior Center. Whether they were gardening and mulching or playing Bingo with the seniors, the volunteers thoroughly enjoyed the day in Alexandria.
"We had a lot of fun working with the nonprofits and hopefully made a dent in the work that each of these agencies need. We like to give back in communities where we're hosting a conference and it was wonderful to be able to work at so many facilities in Alexandria that needed our help," says Sally Gruppen, Herman Miller. In addition, many of the individual volunteers, as well as Herman Miller, made donations to the nonprofit at which they volunteered.
Rebuilding Together Alexandria and its volunteers assisted 91 homeowners and nonprofit agencies this year. Whether it is plumbing, electrical work, or general handyman jobs, nearly 800 volunteers annually willingly to make a difference in their neighborhood.
About Herman Miller Inc.
The designs and services of Herman Miller enhance the performance of human habitats worldwide, making customers' lives more productive, rewarding, delightful, and meaningful. The company's award-winning products, complemented by furniture management and strategic consulting services, generated more than $2 billion in revenue during fiscal 2008. Widely recognized both for its innovative products and business practices, Herman Miller is a recipient of the National Design Award for product design from the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
About Rebuilding Together Alexandria (RTA)
Over the past 21 years, RTA has partnered with hundreds of volunteers to repair more than 1,000 homes in the City of Alexandria. RTA works year-round to repair and revitalize homes for homeowners in need, including elderly, disabled and families with children. This past year, RTA partnered with 800 volunteers to provide free repairs to more than 100 homeowners as well as local nonprofits serving hundreds of residents each year. RTA also takes groups of volunteers to the Gulf to rebuild homes destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. To find out more about Rebuilding Together Alexandria, how to refer a family or how you can help, visit www.rebuildingtogetheralex.org or call (703)836-1021.
