This year American Structurepoint is all about the number 50. There are shirts and stickers and banners and email tags—all kinds of daily reminders that we’ve been doing business for 50 years. Always looking to be part of the latest trend, the Community Service team is rolling out our next campaign: 50% @ 50. Simply put, we think our 50th year is a great time to achieve 50% participation by the company’s employees in the Community Service payroll deduction plan.
The only limit to the good we can do in our communities is the resources we have to work with, and those resources start with your donations. All your contributions are then matched by the company, doubling the impact of your generosity. And while we deeply appreciate every dollar, no matter how or when it’s given, the steady income provided by payroll deduction means we’re able to respond to needs as they arise.
In February, when Flint, Michigan, put out the call for safe drinking water, we didn’t have to have a bake sale or set up a contribution box in the lobby. We just wrote two checks: one to send water now, and one to Catholic Charities to replenish their supply later.
In March, when an employee requested help for a local family struggling with medical bills, we didn’t have to send blast emails asking for contributions. We already had the funds in hand to be able to help.
These quick-turn responses were made possible by the roughly 30% of our employees already enrolled in payroll deduction. Imagine how much more we’ll be able to do when fully half of the company is making a biweekly contribution!
Remember, your payroll deduction doesn’t have to be huge to make a difference. Just $1 every pay period is $24/year. Matched by the company, it becomes $48. At Gleaners Food Bank, that $48 becomes 144 meals. In the hands of our Christmas elves, it becomes gifts for 3 nursing home residents who are wards of the state and have no means to pay for small personal items or clothing.
For those of you who’ve already made the payroll deduction commitment, THANK YOU. You make our work possible. To all those of you who aren’t on board yet, please see Ben Braun or Michele Collins TODAY to sign up. Because 50% @ 50 is a very achievable goal…but only with your help.