ALS Association Honors Booz Allen with Its First Corporate Philanthropy Award
Non-profit grows capacity and annual budget from $25,000 to $2 million with help from firm.
In May 2005, Booz Allen Hamilton was honored with the first-ever Corporate Philanthropy Award from the ALS Association DC/MD/VA Chapter (ALSA). "Booz Allen has played a major role in helping develop our charitable organization, and it has also excelled in encouraging employee involvement in the community. It sets a shining example for other corporations," said ALSA executive director Ken Nicholls.
ALSA is the primary resource for people living with ALS—also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Booz Allen's support of the charitable organization started shortly after McLean-based employee Craig Miller was diagnosed with ALS in 1999, and co-workers anxious to support Craig appealed to the firm to get involved.
"Back then, ALSA was a small, all-volunteer organization," says consultant Meredith DeDona. "Booz Allen helped build its capacity through volunteer, financial, and in-kind support to numerous events and programs. This included the concept for the Walk to D'Feet ALS, which has become ALSA's signature fundraiser and is now replicated in 140 locations across the country."
Booz Allen also provides pro bono technological support and staff training opportunities in its partnership with ALSA. Nicholls says the firm's unique style of support played a key role in ALSA's community outreach, its growth in program services, and its ability to leverage other corporate gifts and diversify its funding base.
Says Nicholls, "Unlike many corporate giving programs, Booz Allen's 'get involved' philosophy goes far beyond just writing an occasional check, providing guidance and priceless opportunities for success."
In 2004, 96 Booz Allen employees raised more than $27,000 for the D.C. Walk to D'Feet ALS, earning the firm honors for "most registered participants" and "top fundraiser." From 2000 to 2004, more than 1,200 Booz Allen staff have participated in walks across the country and raised a total of over $116,000, which was contributed directly to patient services in 40 ALSA chapters.
McLean consultant Shawonda Fitch has participated in every D.C. walk for the past four years. "I had a close relative who suffered from ALS," Shawonda explains. One of her most memorable experiences at an event was helping an individual who was suffering from ALS to cross the finish line.
Booz Allen also sponsors a pro-am golf tournament to support ALSA, where senior staff take the role of "pros" and junior staff become the "amateurs." In only its second year, the August 2005 tournament featured Booz Allen "pros" Chairman & CEO Ralph Shrader and WTB President Dennis Doughty, which provided an extraordinary networking opportunity-and raised over $7,000.
Contributing to the Research that can Eliminate ALS
ALSA has invested more than $25 million in research over the past decade, half of that over the past three years. ALS is a relatively rare but aggressive disease; the average lifespan for most individuals is 2 to 5 years after diagnosis.
But, as Doughty reminded the audience at the ALS award event, Craig Miller and others continue to beat the odds. "Craig's fighting spirit, his personal courage in the face of this debilitating disease, and his own sense of community are really awe inspiring," said Doughty.
"Craig's wife Betty keeps us in touch with his progress. She e-mailed recently to say that his spirits are still good and that, while he has trouble eating, every once in awhile he gets a craving for pizza." The Millers moved to Texas a few years ago.
Doughty also shared positive news about the fight against ALS: "There has been tremendous progress in raising public awareness of ALS and maintaining the highest possible quality of life for those afflicted with the disease. Today we have resources and services that just five years ago we only dreamed of... including greater mobility through highly sophisticated controls for wheelchairs and communications equipment that lets people who may only have movement in a finger or eyelid stay connected to the world around them."
About ALS
In fact, reports from the ALSA national office in California indicate that the most ambitious ALS—specific research ever launched-called Translational Research Advancing Therapy (TREAT ALS)—is now under way. TREAT ALS may help accelerate the process of bringing promising ALS drugs to the clinical testing phase more quickly, and speed the process towards the availability of effective therapeutics.
Nicholls' DC/MD/VA chapter currently serves 320 patients with ALS (PALS) and their caregivers, and provides critical support, including medical equipment loans, assistive technology, clinic and home visits, transportation, and support groups—free of charge.
story posted September 21, 2005
