We all had a great time at Saturday’s event… and as this video will prove, there is no reason why fun can’t mix with elbow grease! We’ll be posting lots and lots of pictures from the event on our Facebook fan page in the coming days and weeks, so please “fan” us there if you’re on Facebook. If not, maybe twitter’s more your thing? Whichever way you choose, please follow us to keep up on the latest news and events.

Thanks again to an amazing team of over 100 volunteers! As the school’s principal said in the previous post, you really are an extraordinary group of individuals, and make us all proud to be part of the Omnicom Family.

We just received this fun video from our friends over at the Yonkers Public Schools. It takes some of our favorite moments from the recent service project at the Eugenio Maria de Hostos School in Yonkers, puts some music to it, and really gives you a sense of just how much fun everyone had at the event. Not to mention just how a simple clean-up can affect students’ performance and attitudes. Have a look at the video below, and make sure to follow us on Twitter or befriend us on Facebook for updates on upcoming projects and fundraisers!

It was a beautiful sunny day in Yonkers. About 100 volunteers from Omnicom and the community showed up ready to work, and the next thing you know, the Hostos school was a hive of activity. Volunteers scraped walls, taped windows and doors, primed and painted. A beautiful new computer lab was built, complete with interactive whiteboards to make for an exceptional learning environment. While there is plenty more work to be done, the day was an excellent fresh start for the school and the surrounding community. We’ll be posting pictures soon both here and on our Facebook page, and don’t forget to join in on the Book Drive!

Out of the hundreds of thousands of schools in the U.S., why did we pick this particular school? One of the factors that stood out when we were looking for this year’s service project, was the fact that 84% of the students receive free school lunches – a clear indicator of the community’s need for additional outside help.

However, one other outstanding indicator was this school’s commitment to the success of its students. More specifically, they’ve instituted something called the Microsociety Concept which teaches real-life skills to its student body. In fact, we were so impressed with the concept, we thought you too should hear more as to why we believe in this school and its students.

The Microsociety Program infuses business and government concepts through all aspects of academic instruction and social skills. Student-run businesses include a bank, courtroom, publishing center, government, library/media center, telecommunications center and marketplace with student-manufactured items for sale.

Like any real community, the school has its own constitution, government, elected executive positions, legislative representatives and a municipal court to help students understand how our government functions. Student citizens create the school economy and currency; and each student has a personal bank account to manage their Microsociety money.

As the November 7th date draws closer, we’ll be posting much more on how you too can participate, so please keep checking back!

As we mentioned in the previous post, Omnicom employees and executives will be converging on Yonkers come November 7th. We will be posting more on how you can help the school as well as more on the Microsociety Concept in days to come.  In the meantime, we have a few (of many) photos to share, and hope that as you look at these “before” pictures, you come to understand why we chose this school.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention a group that has helped us tremendously in setting up this 2009 Service Day – The Volunteer Center of United Way. The Volunteer Center is not only the central place for local volunteers to get matched every day – it is also where nonprofits and businesses come for training and support in creating effective volunteer programs. Please visit their site to see how you might help in your own community improvement projects. Or… join their “cause” on Facebook.

As for now, here are some of the “before” pictures, with many more to come. We’ll be providing more details on the event as the time draws closer.

As part of its ongoing efforts to give back to the community, Omnicom’s Connecticut office will be hosting a Service Day at the Eugenio Maria de Hostos Microsociety School in Yonkers NY, on Saturday, November 7th.

Omnicom has a tradition of service, beginning in 2007 and carrying through to today.  This will be the first time Omnicom employees have worked in their local community, and we expect to host many more Service Days in the future. When choosing a project, Omnicom employees look for an opportunity to ‘get out and sweat’, where the hard work will have high impact on the lives of children and their communities.

The Hostos project is ideal for this purpose.  As a large elementary school in use year-round for school and community activities, maintenance staff rarely has the opportunity to perform large-scale projects.

Because the school lacks bulletin boards and other displays, nearly every wall in the school is covered with the remnants of glue and adhesive, remaining from previous attempts to display children’s art and schoolwork.  Omnicom staff and their families will be cleaning and painting hallways, classrooms and public spaces in order to provide a bright and cheerful environment for the kids. In addition, Omnicom will be building a small computer center which will be used for instructional purposes as well as publishing the school newspaper and eventually, technology instruction for the community at large.

One of the Yonkers Service Day’s organizers, Tracy Held (a 15-year employee of Omnicom) had this to say: “I am extremely lucky to work with a group of people at Omnicom that really tries to make a difference in children’s lives. It is so important to get out and show kids that there are people who care about them, who are willing to take time out of their own lives to do something that improves their environment. It doesn’t take much to inspire a child and to make sure they have the tools to succeed in life.”

Another long-term member of the Omnicom Family, Robyn Pyles, had this to add: “It’s a beautiful thing to be able to give something back, to share whatever I can with those who have not been as fortunate as I have been.”

Over the next few days we’ll be posting the “before” pictures, so you can see for yourself the need for Omnicom’s 2009 Service Day. We’ll also be posting a lot more about the “Microsociety” Project, and why it is so important to the future well-being of the children involved at the school. Check back for more information on how you too can participate!