11 Danvers Residents to Select Local Charities for $1,000 Donations

This month, Cummings Properties is once again inviting all of its regular full-time staff members, including several Danvers residents, to select local charities to receive $1,000 donations in their names from the Company.

“Employee Directed Giving” began in 2012 as a pilot program for staff with at least 10 years of service. It has since expanded to include every regular full-time employee of the 44-year-old Woburn-based commercial real estate firm, as well as its affiliated New Horizons retirement communities in Woburn and Marlborough.

“Employee Directed Giving allows the Company to support local communities while honoring colleagues for all of their hard work and dedication,” said Dennis Clarke, Cummings Properties’ president and CEO.

Designated nonprofits must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. For example, funds may not be donated for religious, lobbying, or political purposes. In addition, due to the Company’s focus on supporting local communities, charities must be based in and serve Middlesex, Essex, or Suffolk County, or the city or town in which the employee lives.

Eleven Cummings organization staff members reside in Danvers, including Chris Akerman, lead carpenter, who has been with the Company for more than 17 years. Akerman explained that, multiple times a week, he sees the same veteran at the intersection of Elm and Maple streets with an Operation Troop Support donation bucket. He shares stories with Akerman and his kids when they stop to make donations.

“He is so dedicated, we had to support Operation Troop Support during the last Employee Directed Giving cycle,” said Akerman. “This is an awesome program for employees. It allows us to contribute more to the causes we care about.”

A total of 356 staff members are eligible to participate. Employees have until November 16 to select their nonprofit recipients. Checks will be distributed the week of Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter, either through the mail or by hand delivery.

“We are delighted with how enthusiastically our colleagues have embraced this program,” said Clarke, “In many cases, whole families participate together, from researching and selecting a charity to actually hand delivering the contribution.”

More information about Employee Directed Giving is available at www.cummingsproperties.com/employee_directed_giving.htm

PHOTO: Cummings Properties employees, including President and CEO Dennis Clarke (far right) are getting ready for another round of Employee Direct Giving.