2011 Year-End Giving Initiative

In 2011, each Smarty Pants staffer was given a year-end "allowance" to donate to a charity of his or her choice. We had historically asked our client friends for support, but in 2011 we decided to give more from within. Together we gave over $12,500 to worthy causes like: 

Here's what a few Smarty Pants staffers had to say about the year end giving for 2011: 

"This year it meant a lot to me to be able to give to St. Jude's.  I wanted to know my donation was going towards keeping kids healthy, particularly those who are dealing with the devastation of cancer." - Ricardo Maldonado, Panel manager

"It felt amazing to donate to A Safe Place for Youth, to help homeless kids in LA. It breaks my heart to see children in such a difficult situation, and I am so happy to be able to help provide them with everyday essentials this holiday season.  I am so proud to work for a company that puts giving as such a high priority!" - Emily Owen, Quantitative Brainiac

"Giving to the Gray House in Springfield, MA is a way to help local  kids and families who need it most.  With services ranging from a food pantry to a kids camp that helps impoverished children see beyond their neighborhood walls,  the Gray house is a local resource that focuses on improving and enriching lives.  I am delighted that Smarty Pants could support this wonderful organization." - Alisha Snow, Insights Sage

"When a friend reached out and told me the Brooklyn YMCA would need to discontinue their holiday gift giving program, I knew that Smarty Pants could help.  It felt great to give back to the old neighborhood and make sure kids didn't have to go without Christmas this year."- Radames Rodriguez, Chief Know-It-All

"It's always great to give to a worthy cause, but it's even more fulfilling when you know someone who will benefit from the donation. I was thrilled to help Memorial Sloan-Kettering - not only is their work important, it will directly impact a dear family friend who has been fighting for her life for years." - Stephanie Retblatt, Chief Brainiac 

"I'm so grateful to work for an organization that believes in giving back to our local communities. With my 2011 'allowance' I chose Alexandra's Playground, an organization that believes that active play leads to the nurturing of the spirit and, by extension, to the nurturing of young bodies and minds. The money we donated will help build a much needed playground in an underserved community. I love knowing that we are putting something in place for kids to enjoy for years to come."- Meredith Franck, Chief Operating Mastermind