United States

The Foundation has developed the Macquarie LEADS program, which brings together all of its Leadership, Education, Advancement, Development and Support activities involving staff as volunteers.

Macquarie LEADS high school internship program

For five weeks over the summer, eight students participate in paid work experience in the New York office through Macquarie's innovative internship and mentoring program. Run in partnership with Columbia University's Double Discovery Center, the program seeks to build and reinforce the connection between education and career for NYC students who will be the first generation in their families to attend college. More than 60 staff from across business divisions participate in the program as mentors, trainers, and volunteers. Training, volunteer activities and social engagements such as a Broadway show or a Yankees game are all critical components of the experience.

Big Buddy Reading Program

The Foundation has long encouraged childhood literacy through its Big Buddy reading programs in Australia, Europe and Asia. The 'Little Buddies' (students) who take part are identified as requiring extra assistance with their reading and comprehension and are matched with two Macquarie 'Big Buddies'. Each week one of these Big Buddies attends the reading session at the school. The basis of the program is to not only assist students with their reading skills but also to foster in them a love of books and reading.

In New York, the Macquarie Group Foundation has launched Big Buddy in partnership with Everybody Wins.

Career guidance

From New York to Chicago, Macquarie employees actively share career challenges and advice with people facing barriers to employment. In Chicago, staff have partnered with La Casa Norte's Esperanza Trabajando job readiness program. The program provides one-on-one coaching, job training and support to individuals who are homeless or precariously housed.

In New York, staff have partnered with the HOPE Program, a 12-week intensive job training and internship program for people with issues such as substance abuse or incarceration. The program provides career panels, mock interview sessions and an internship for a HOPE student.

Macquarie believes it has a responsibility to work for the betterment of the communities in which it operates and has recognised that capacity building is just as important in the not-for-profit sector as it is for business. It has supported the sector's sustainability through a number of initiatives, with workshops, board placements, and consulting programs staples of Macquarie's global commitment.

Board placement

Not-for-profit service, particularly board service, is an important way for Macquarie senior executives to support the community through the contribution of time and expertise. To this end, the Macquarie Group Foundation assists senior executives in finding successful placements on not-for-profit boards.

The Macquarie Group Foundation actively supports Macquarie staff pursuing their own community interests and passions. This results in a range of local not-for-profits benefiting from staff's volunteering and fundraising assistance. Under its staff donation support policy, the Foundation supports staff donations to and fundraising for various charities, which can significantly increase the contribution to the community organisations staff support.

Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation

In New York, staff have raised more than $US400,000 through a variety of team fundraisers for the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation. Founded by parents who lost two young children to cardiomyopathy, the organization stimulates and funds promising research on the disease, educates and assists physicians and patients, and increases awareness and advocacy related to the needs of affected children and their families.

City Harvest

In addition to volunteering with City Harvest's Mobile Meals and Greenmarket Harvest programs which bring fresh, local produce to low-income neighborhoods and soup kitchens, Macquarie staff have also supported City Harvest's Skip Lunch, Fight Hunger initiative. In 2010, New York staff raised $US15,000 in a single week, ranking sixth among all of the city's participating businesses.

Back on My Feet

In addition to volunteering on pre-dawn runs with homeless locals, staff in Macquarie's Philadelphia office have taken an active role in fundraising for Back on My Feet. Enthusiasm for the organization's Wear Your Sneakers to Work and 20 in 24 fundraisers has raised approximately $US8,000 for the fledgling charity.

Movember

A global initiative designed to raise money for men's health, Movember has catalyzed Macquarie staff fundraising around the world. Macquarie offices around the US raised more than $US360,000 since 2009 for male cancer research by growing moustaches for money.

In-kind support

Macquarie staff from Detroit to Philadelphia are keenly aware that basic needs are a basic right. Staff host suit drives for La Casa Norte and HOPE Program clients and food drives for organizations such as Forgotten Harvest, Philabundance, and the Food Bank of New York. During the holidays, staff in Detroit, Houston, New York and Philadelphia host coat, mitten and scarf drives as well as gift and book drives for organizations such as New York Cares, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Pennsylvania Prison Society and Heroes for Children.

IT support

Not-for-profit organizations are often unable to keep up with changes in technology and wear and tear on often-used computers. New York's Information Technology staff have partnered with Older Adults Technology Services to provide both volunteer support to the organization's technology classes for seniors and re-built computers and hardware to create new labs in senior centers throughout New York City.