November 9, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
William Burns, Director of Communications
(410) 269-0642, (301) 261-2858

Maryland Companies Honored
for Corporate Philanthropy

Baltimore, MD (November 9, 2011) – The Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Baltimore Business Journal awarded the Maryland Business Philanthropy Awards this week during the annual Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) - Maryland Chapter Philanthropy Day Luncheon in Baltimore. The awards program honored three businesses, whose philanthropic efforts have made Maryland a better place to live, work and do business.

“This award provides well deserved recognition to businesses that are supporting a wide variety of educational, health-related, homeless and youth activities in our neighborhoods,” said William T. Riley Jr., CPA, Maryland Chamber Chairman and a Principal with Reznick Group.

This year's winners were:

Small Employer Winner
Chef’s Expressions: A Catering Company renowned for custom-designed events; focusing on four star cuisine, electrifying themes, and extraordinary service. The company encourages employees to volunteer at charity events, provides auction items, and hosts wine dinners as fundraisers for charities. It has contributed in these ways to a wide range of non profits including the March of Dimes Foundation, for whom owner Jerry Edwards CPCE served as Event Chair for the 2011 Signature Chefs Auction, raising $150,000 for the event. Edwards and others are also guest chefs at the National Academy Foundation High School to teach students in the hospitality and tourism program how to cook and manage a kitchen. Chef's Expressions has also raised money and served as spokesman for Meals on Wheels.

Large Employer Winners
Choice Hotels International: Despite the company's global reach, this Silver Spring-based company has made numerous contributions to a wide variety of non profits in Maryland, including Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, and Manna Food Center. Of particular note, however, is the corporation’s 2-year commitment to Room to Rebuild, a national non profit rehabilitation program for low-income elderly, disabled veterans and families with children. Since the initiation of its partnership just two years ago, this corporation has made a market value contribution of more than two million dollars. Its President and CEO joined with 75 corporate volunteers on three projects in Montgomery County and has contributed more than $90,000 to the Maryland effort. Choice also has an employee matching program for charitable giving and a policy of providing eight hours annually of paid volunteer release leave.

Verizon Wireless and Verizon Foundation: Over the past year, the company and its foundation have donated more than $2.6 million in grants, thereby providing needed funding for more than one thousand Maryland-based organizations. Its employees have volunteered nearly 45,000 volunteer hours of community service. Much of its philanthropy is focused on two critical social issues: the advancement of literacy and K-12 education and the prevention of domestic violence. In addressing the domestic violence issues, the wireless side of the company has provided more than $135,000 to the Montgomery County Family Justice Center over the past two years to allow domestic violence victims to file protective orders from the safety and security of the Center via live video link. Additionally, the foundation’s HopeLine program has collected more than eight million no-longer-used cell phones and contributed $10 million nationwide to domestic violence agencies to assist these victims in their time of need.

This was the 11th year the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Baltimore Business Journal partnered to present the Maryland Business Philanthropy Awards. All Maryland-based businesses that have made a positive contribution to Maryland residents through financial support, in-kind donations or volunteer efforts are eligible for nomination. A panel of business and community leaders judge the nominees based on the extent of the service provided to the community, the impact on the community and the commitment the business has shown to the community over time. Judges also take into consideration the size of the business relative to their corporate giving.

The Maryland Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit coalition of 800 businesses who employ more than 442,000 people in the state. Its mission is to maximize opportunities for its members and their employees to grow and prosper. For more information about the Chamber, visit its website, www.mdchamber.org or call (410) 269-0642 or (301) 261-2858.

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