In the November kick off for the Companies That Care Education Initiative, students worked together to come up with a name for the initiative. They chose AIM High, which reflects their goals and desires.

The program is well underway.

In December:

• Students and mentors attended a basketball game at UIC (University of Illinois-Chicago campus)
  
• Students shadowed their mentors for the day at work
  

In January:

• Mentors will be hosting a College and Career Fair for the students
  

We'll keep you abreast of activites and report back on outcomes but, please feel free to Click here for additional information on this very exciting program. Click here to hear the students themselves talk about why this is important to their future.

Hearty congratulations to The Supply Room Companies and Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VCUHS)  for being recognized by Richmond Magazine as two of the Top 15 Employers in Richmond.

Here are highlights of what the magazine noted:

The Supply Room Companies

The Supply Room Companies hosts health and wellness expos for its employees and provides free health screenings on an annual basis.  Committed to serving both the community and the needs of its workers, the business offers at-home assistance for employees with loved ones in the military, time-off for volunteering and a hardship vacation pool that allows coworkers to donate unused vacation days to fellow employees.

VCUHS

In a 191-question employee survey conducted every two years, staff members have picked the prepaid tuition-assistance program for employees and dependents as among the headlining benefits.  Approximately 800 staffers currently take advantage of tuition assistance, with no out-of-pocket expenses incurred for their pick of classes at any college or university, so long as the employee maintains a C or better average. (Dependents are limited to classes at VCU.) Another program, Weekend Scholars, allows staff pursuing a nursing degree to maintain full-time pay while attending school full time during the week and working part time on the weekends.  Participants commit to one year of employment for each semester they're in the program.  "We want to keep our employees here, we want them to feel supported---so we've placed a lot of emphasis on work-life balance," explains Maria Curran, Vice President of Human Resources.

 

 

Participate in collaborative community building initiatives with other members

Attend Center for Companies That Care educational programs (Best Practices Road Shows, Bi-Annual Symposiums, Stepping Stones Seminars, etc.) for a discounted registration fee

Participate in mentoring programs for a discount

Select topics for and attend 1st Monday virtual lunch 'n learns -- free

Participate in the Virtual Book Club -- free

Purchase tools (surveys, starter kits, etc.) at a discount

Receive advance notice of all educational and community building programs with limited participation

Submit nominations (including self-nominations) for Center for Companies That Care committees and Board of Directors

Receive a CARE bumper sticker and a Community of Caring seal for your website and collateral materials

Participate in the Community of Caring listserv and consult/collaborate with other Community of Caring members