For release: 11 Oct 2007
EDS Volunteers Reach Out to the Community During Global Volunteer Day
More than 170 charitable organizations will benefit from EDS employee giving
PLANO, Texas – During the month of October, thousands of EDS employees in 24 countries and 36 U.S. states are dedicating their time and talents to contribute to their communities through the company's annual Global Volunteer Day program. This year's theme is “Think outside the cube. Volunteer,” which reflects the initiative and energy employees give back to those in need.
Since its inception in 1993, the EDS Global Volunteer Day program has benefited 4,500 charitable causes by donating more than 600,000 volunteer hours in 32 countries.
“Giving back has always been at the heart of what EDS does as a company,” said Ron Rittenmeyer, EDS president and chief executive officer. “We bring the same commitment and dedication to our communities that we provide to our clients around the world.”
EDS teams have chosen to support a variety of volunteer project this year, including serving meals to seniors, repairing schools, cleaning parks and participating in fundraising walks to eradicate diseases. Among the many project employees will support, these are just a few examples from around the world:
In Thailand, more than 250 EDS employees, clients and their families will help the Department of Water build two dams to improve irrigation in the Dan-Chang District. Once finished, the reserve will use the rainfall water to grow trees in an otherwise dry area. In a ceremony to honor His Majesty the King's 80th birthday, scheduled for the end of this year, a video will be shown highlighting the work of all the volunteers.
Eighty volunteers in Belgium will contribute to setting up a satellite infrastructure for Internet communication in Guinea, Africa. This project will help foster entrepreneurship among local business owners.
In Brazil, EDS volunteers organized a successful fundraising event for charities benefiting disadvantaged children across the country. The 2,700 EDS employees, families and friends who attended raised nearly US$12,000.
An EDS team in Michigan will help repair the facilities at New Horizons Rehabilitation Services, a workshop and training facility serving mentally challenged adults in Oakland County.
More than 20 projects involving 400 volunteers are being planned in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, home to EDS' headquarters. Non-profits, including Camp Summit, Habitat for Humanity and Child Protective Services, will benefit from the volunteer efforts of EDS employees.
About EDS
EDS is a leading global technology services company delivering business solutions to its clients. EDS founded the information technology outsourcing industry more than 40 years ago. Today, EDS delivers a broad portfolio of information technology and business process outsourcing services to clients in the manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, communications, energy, transportation, and consumer and retail industries and to governments around the world. Learn more at eds.com.
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