The SI is a proud community partner, and our employees share in this commitment by playing an integral role in volunteer activities in the communities where we live and work. Below are some of the activities we've supported recently.
| Walk for the Wounded |
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For the fifth year in a row, the SI was a proud sponsor of Pennsylvania’s Walk for the Wounded on Saturday, May 18, at Rose Tree Park in Media, Pa. The walk, organized by Operation First Response, brings together 8,000 people to show support for wounded veterans and their families who struggle to deal with serious health issues and financial challenges. Finances raised from this effort went to wounded soldiers and their families for medical needs, food, mortgage payments, education, job training and more. |
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| 2013 Philadelphia Science Festival | ||
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On Saturday, April 20, the SI sponsored the Franklin Institute’s third annual Philadelphia Science Festival. At the “Science Carnival on the Parkway,” the SI was one of more than 150 exhibitors offering family-friendly experiments, interactive activities and games to further science and technology learning. Our booth’s theme was “Can You Weather the Storm with Engineering?” and over 350 stopped by to get a better understanding of how weather patterns are formed, the science of weather, and how weather condition affect the flight of a baseball. |
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| 2013 Delaware Valley Science Fair |
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On April 3, the SI sponsored the 2013 Delaware Valley Science Fair, where nine of our employees volunteered as judges. This year's fair featured more than 1,000 students and projects competing in 14 different categories that cover all aspects of science, technology, engineering and math. This marked the third consecutive year the SI has been involved with the Delaware Valley Science Fair. | |
| Black Engineer of the Year Awards STEM Carnival | ||
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The SI was a sponsor of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Carnival at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards event Feb. 8 in Washington D.C. We participated at the Patriots Technology Training Center booth, where students could participate in a flight simulator competition led by one of our employee volunteers.The STEM Carnival featured more than 2,000 students, from middle school to college, and 10,000 people in attendance. |
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| USA Science & Engineering Festival | ||
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The SI is participating in the "Nifty Fifty" speaker series as we prepare for the 2014 USA Science & Engineering Festival. The Nifty Fifty (times 3) are over 150 of the most dynamic scientists and engineers in the United States, selected for their unique ability to inspire the next generation of students to pursue careers in the STEM fields. These leaders will canvas the Washington, D.C., area during the 2013/2014 school year to speak about their work and careers at various middle and high schools. | |
| Toys for Tots | ||
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For the second year in a row, the SI partnered with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to hold a gift collection drive in early December. Through this campaign, employees from across our company donated new, unwrapped toys to needy children in our local communities, and we worked with Marines near each of our sites to coordinate the toy collection and drop-offs. In Valley Forge, employees donated over 175 toys! | |
| Continuing to Give Back | ||
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For the third year in a row, employees in Laurel, Md., participated in Giving Back, a local charity event that provides backpacks stuffed with winter clothing essentials to the homeless in Baltimore and Washington D.C. This year, the SI raised $1,900 and became a Bronze Supporter, filling 76 backpacks. | |
The SI Gives Campaign |
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In November, the SI held our annual charitable giving program, The SI Gives. Through The SI Gives, our workforce will donate more than $255,000 in 2013 to charities in need to help make a difference in our local communities. | |
Thanksgiving Food Drive |
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Leading up to Thanksgiving, the SI held a food drive at our facilities across the country, where our employees donated non-perishable food items to help those in need. Through this collection drive, the SI donated more than 1,500 pounds of food, including 33 frozen turkeys, to support local food banks. | |
Pedaling to Find a Cure |
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On July 8, members of the SI’s cycling team, along with family and friends, joined together to fight cancer by riding in the 40th annual American Cancer Society Bike-a-thon through Philadelphia and New Jersey. The team raised nearly $8,000 to fund cancer research and related support programs. This is the second year in a row that the SI cycling team has participated in the event. |
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Volunteer Month at the SI |
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During June, more than 200 employees, family and friends volunteered in eight community outreach activities to help improve their local communities. Events were held in Chantilly, Va.; Denver; Los Angeles; St. Louis; and Valley Forge, Pa. Through these activities, the SI was able to support many worthy causes across the country, including Northern Virginia Family Service, the Town of Herndon Parks and Recreations, the Avon Foundation for Women, Homes for our Troops, the Special Olympics Summer Games, the American Liver Foundation, Variety Club Camp and Development Center, and Gotwals Elementary School. |
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STEM Outreach Events |
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Throughout April, we supported multiple science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education outreach events across the country. On April 4, we were a sponsor of the 2012 Delaware Valley Science Fair, where a dozen employees volunteered as judges. During the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, we talked to more than 600 high school students about the importance of math and science to support critical national security missions. We also sponsored the Franklin Institute’s second annual Philadelphia Science Festival where our interactive booth, themed “Satellite Imagery Detectives,” was geared towards giving students a taste of image interpretability and small satellite technology. Finally, we sponsored the USA Science and Engineering Festival, distributing “Engineering in Space” activity books and talking with students about science and technology career paths. |
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Westfield High School Engineering Career Program |
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On Feb. 16, eight employees participated in an Engineering Career program at Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va. The event served as an opportunity for students to learn about different careers in engineering. Volunteers from the SI shared their own experiences as systems engineers and answered students’ questions about potential career opportunities within the field of systems engineering. We are currently planning follow-up sessions at Westfield High School, as well as Chantilly High School and Stone Middle School. |
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Red Cross Blood Drive |
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On Feb. 28, the SI hosted a Red Cross Blood Drive at its Valley Forge campus. In 2011, we sponsored multiple blood drives at our Valley Forge and Chantilly campuses. Just one donation has the potential to help up to three people, and our employees continue a legacy of charitable giving by routinely donating blood. |
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Giving Back Becoming a Tradition |
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For the second year in a row, employees in Laurel, Md., participated in Giving Back, a local charity event that provides backpacks stuffed with winter clothing essentials to the homeless in Baltimore and Washington D.C. This year, the SI raised $1,000 and filled 40 backpacks. We also adopted a family from Sarah’s House, an organization that provides safe shelter, daily meals, and casework support for those in need. The SI was able to contribute to a happy holiday season for a single mother and her five children by donating a gift card and a carload of toys! |
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Click here to view the SI's community outreach activities in 2011.