For a few years now, Deloitte employees have been a loyal force of NEW volunteers. They serve as board members; run workshops; take field trips with our kids, and they help us with strategy and long-term goals. In 2020 our Deloitte supporters grew when two of their employees - NEW Board Vice Chair Kristen Grigorescu, and committee member Jake Hunter - applied NEW to Deloitte’s Matching Gifts Program.
“Back in May 2020, Deloitte decided to lead by example by reinforcing our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with each other and in our communities,” said Grigorescu. “It really changed the culture and mindset of the firm as we tried to address the harsh reality that systemic bias, racism, inequality, and injustice continue to exist.”
Deloitte started the Deloitte Black Action Council which aims to take a stand and make a difference on important societal issues, which includes championing racial equity and social justice. Then Deloitte asked employees for ideas of nonprofits they were interested in supporting. That’s where Kristen and Jake came in. They knew about NEW and had seen first-hand the impact NEW makes.
“The tone from our top leaders empowered us to know that we have a responsibility to support others,” Grigorescu said. “Deloitte’s practitioners agreed that now is the time to help our communities when they need it the most.”
The process of getting Deloitte to choose NEW as one of the nonprofits they would support was not hard, said Grigorescu. But the outcome has been tremendous: More than 1,000 Deloitte employees from all over the country have donated to NEW, totaling $44,000 from individuals. And then Deloitte matched that.
"Our individual donors not only provide essential direct support for our programs, but they also help us qualify for additional federal funding,” said NEW Executive Director, Wanda Steptoe. “Deloitte and their employees’ generosity helps us tremendously to meet our financial goals. We are so grateful.”
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