More than 3,000 colleagues from 21st Century Fox US businesses came together in June to give back to the communities in which they live and work during the third annual 21CF Impact Week. The program will expand globally later this year, with volunteer events taking place in dozens of cities across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia through the fall of 2018.
More than 3,000 colleagues from 21st Century Fox US businesses came together in June to give back to the communities in which they live and work during the third annual 21CF Impact Week. The program will expand globally later this year, with volunteer events taking place in dozens of cities across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia through the fall of 2018.
From June 4-10, over 3,000 colleagues in 21CF offices across 25 U.S. cities partnered with 132 nonprofit organizations to host 115 service events, revitalizing local parks and public spaces, preparing meals in shelters, packing supply kits for military servicemen and women, and working with local youth. Colleagues packed 3,275 backpacks and care packages, picked up 1,216 pounds of trash, prepared 103,171 pounds of food, and adopted nearly 120 pets. Volunteer numbers for the program are expected to double by the end of 2018, with global expansion taking place over a few weeks this September and October.
BACKGROUND
21CF businesses have long invested in community engagement and volunteering, providing year-round opportunities to volunteer, whether through ongoing programs like FoxGives in Los Angeles or seasonal initiatives in other regions. 21CF Impact Week was conceived in 2016, as way to harness these initiatives into one cohesive company-wide effort, continue to cultivate a vibrant culture of service across the organization, and further galvanize 21CF colleagues to come together and give back. After an initial pilot with 1,100 volunteers in LA and NYC, 21CF Impact Week went national in 2017, taking place in 25 U.S. cities and more than doubling the number of participating colleagues.
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Impact Week events are organized by dedicated Coordinators — fellow coworkers from all departments at the corporate and local business division levels – with support from the global 21CF Social Impact team. IW Coordinators develop service projects that draw on colleagues’ unique skills and talents, such as teen photography workshops led by National Geographic and personal finance seminars taught by Fox Business’ finance team. In the words of 21CF CEO James Murdoch, “We’ve got great, talented people, and the more they can apply themselves to making a difference in the community, the better off they’ll be, the better off the business will be and the better off the community at large will be.”
ACTION
Some highlights of regional activations across the US from Impact Week 2018 include:
Atlanta, GA: FOX 5 Atlanta and FOX Sports South partnered with MUST Ministries, L.E.A.D, HomeAid and other organizations to produce a week of service events for colleagues, including landscaping and beautification projects, a baseball outing for military personnel, and a series of lunch-packing and delivery events to assist Atlanta’s hungry and unhoused.
Charlotte, NC: With nearly 140 hours devoted to volunteering over the course of Impact Week, Fox colleagues in Charlotte addressed some of the most pressing issues facing their community, including food scarcity and chronic disease. Their hard work contributed to the preparation of 1000 backpacks filled with food, as well as the assembly of 300 educational packets on health.
Houston, TX: Fox colleagues at The Woodlands and KRIV/KTXH FOX 26 impacted over 8,000 individuals by helping over 115 cats and dogs get adopted, hosting a workshop to assist veterans in their transition to civilian life, and donating and packing food items for the Montgomery County Food Bank.
Los Angeles, CA: Foxgives collaborated with 53 non-profit organizations to bring “The Good Fair” to the Lot, host a community movie night, build affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity, and decorate much-needed shoes for local students. The week ended with the LA Pride Parade, in which colleagues and talent marched in support of their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Minneapolis, MN: Colleagues in Minneapolis and Milwaukee impacted nearly 2,500 individuals through donations and volunteer work, including running a 5K with Girls on the Run, collecting dog supplies for Secondhand Hounds, and making 900 sandwiches for the unhoused.
New York, NY: Once again, the NYC offices partnered with New York Cares on 11 meaningful Impact Week events that included creating no-sew baby blankets for families in transitional housing, assembling care packages for overseas troops, revitalizing Franz Sigel Park, and leading young students through creative interactive science and photography workshops.
Orlando, FL: Fox colleagues in Orlando partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florid a to sort, inspect, and box donated food items—the 37,000 pounds of food packed is estimated to feed 23,000 local residents.
Phoenix, AZ: The Fox Family at KSAZ/KUTP Fox TV and Fox Sports Arizona fought against hunger in partnership with non-profit, St. Vincent de Paul, by sorting donated food and serving over 2,100 meals to those in need.
San Francisco, CA: Volunteers from KTVU and KTVU Plus collaborated with Covenant House, City Team Ministries, and the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition in an effort to address homelessness in their community. They donated new furniture and cleaning supplies to the shelters, assembled 72 clothing and hygiene kits, and prepared dinner for 40 residents.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic colleagues stepped outside and kayaked to collect 1,066 pounds of trash from the Anacostia River, made dog toys out of recycled materials for the Humane Rescue Alliance, packed nearly 20,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger, and painted fence posts and barriers along the National Mall.
IMPACT
To date, 7,100 colleagues have volunteered in nearly 260 events for over 13,050 hours. In the course of Impact Week 2018, 21CF colleagues accomplished the following in our communities:
- 3,276 backpacks and care packages packed
- 116 pets adopted
- 1,216 pounds of trash picked up
- 103,171 pounds of food packed
- 11 homes built
It is estimated that these efforts in June made an impact in the lives of nearly 330,000 people across the US, a huge step toward fulfilling 1m/365—the company’s goal of making a positive impact in the lives of one million people over calendar year 2018.
21CF colleagues were inspired by their collective efforts to give back to the people and communities around them, while connecting with each other across businesses.
“I love everything that Impact Week is about. Going to the office isn’t just about work; culture is also extremely important, and I take pride in Fox for prioritizing this. Being part of a company that builds culture while giving back is why I love where I am.”
Published Aug 22, 2018 3am EDT / 12am PDT / 8am BST / 9am CEST
Sustainable Brands Staff