Harris Private Bank's Employee Volunteers Help Children in Foster Care
Release date: 7/7/2011
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- June 9, 2011 – The local branch of Harris Private Bank chose Children's Home Society of Florida (CHS) to inaugurate the bank's first Volunteer Day. Ten employees put their team volunteer shirts on and headed to CHS' Dependency Case Management office on Okeechobee Boulevard to revamp the two children's play areas. The Dependency Case Management program helps heal and protect children who are in foster care due to abuse and neglect. The play rooms are used especially during visitations between children and their parents. "We're very pleased we could choose to help the children served by Children's Home Society of Florida. We do a lot of projects that support children in the community, and it is great to know that our volunteer time here will help children feel cheerful while they are facing hard situations," says Mike Dyer, Managing Director at Harris Private Bank in West Palm Beach.
The volunteers donated all the supplies and toys for the project, including wall covering with ocean and forest themes, a bicycle, a skateboard, and stuffed animals. In addition, volunteers cleaned the walls and chairs in the waiting area, installed the electronic equipment, and organized all the toys in the bins and on the shelves in the play rooms. "Both rooms received an amazing makeover, which will bring many smiles to the children and families who will utilize the space," says Jane Snell, CHS volunteer coordinator.
The Employee Volunteer Day is designed to connect employees with various non-profit organizations to perform community projects. The volunteers read and entertain young children, clean, landscape, paint, organize facilities, restock pantries and much more. Harris has a long history of actively supporting volunteerism. The bank's support takes many forms with the goal being to enhance and strengthen the communities it serves through corporate giving, volunteer efforts, board memberships and active participation in agencies such as the United Way. CHS was lucky to be the first organization to benefit from Harris Private Bank's local volunteer efforts, and it is excited to nurture this great partnership. Harris Private Bank is also a proud sponsor of CHS’ “Supper by the Bite” reception, held prior to the “Ultimate Dinner Party” each fall.
About Children's Home Society of Florida
Created in 1902, Children's Home Society of Florida is the oldest and largest statewide private not-for-profit provider of services to children and families in Florida. The South Coastal Division, established in 1964, serves thousands of children and families in Palm Beach County each year through a full spectrum of prevention and intervention programs that include foster care, adoption, child development, emergency shelters, residential group homes, independent and transitional living for teens, parent education, counseling, mentoring, treatment for developmentally disabled children, and more. CHS, which served more than 126,000 children and families throughout the state in 2009-2010, is headquartered in Winter Park, Fla., and offers services in more than 100 locations by more than 1,500 staff members dedicated to providing child-focused, family-centered care.