A Helping Hand Leads to Huge Rewards

Harnessing the production and technical expertise of a firm’s employees is one of the main goals for the president of a print shop. But what about harnessing those same employees to help others in their community? In today’s economy, there are many charitable organizations that could use help, either through donations or volunteer time. Printers are finding that by asking their employees to lend a hand they are building better teamwork within their own firm, setting themselves apart from other printers in the area, and providing positive advertising about themselves.

There are not many printers who can match the depth of Quad/Graphics and the magnitude of their giving. Although Quad/Graphics founder Harry V. Quadracci passed away seven years ago, his devotion to charitable giving continues at his company. Up until the day he died, Quadracci was continuing his benevolent ways; the Monday when he was found to have accidentally drowned, a check for $150,000 arrived from Quadracci for emergency repairs to the YMCA in nearby Waukesha, Wis.

“For us, business is more than the bottom line,” said Joel Quadracci, president and CEO of Quad/Graphics. “It’s about being a good corporate citizen. It’s about creating opportunities for employees and responding to their needs. It’s about putting the environment first. Quad/Graphics is a proud member of each community where we have manufacturing plants, and we believe in supporting the communities that support our success. The ongoing trouble in the economy underscores the need to strengthen our community’s support network. Our dollars have the power to change lives for the better.”

Today, Quad/Graphics provides its employees with a number of ways to continue Quadracci’s charitable giving. Hands-on efforts include Habitat for Humanity, in which Quad employees build houses for homeless families, on-site blood drives (in the past year more than 500 pints of blood have been collected from Quad employees), and free membership to the National Marrow Donor Program. Recently a group of employee volunteers from Quad’s Saratoga Springs, N.Y. plant re-roofed an elderly woman’s home and another group from Oklahoma City worked on a Habitat for Humanity home.

For those who would rather contribute money to worthy causes, Quad/Graphics operates both the Community Fund and The Windhover Foundation, two charitable giving initiatives.

The Community Fund was established in 1985. Through the fund, employees’ donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by the company and disbursed to the non-profit organization of his/her choice. Since its founding, Quad/Graphics and its employees have donated $25 million to the Community Fund. In 2008 alone, employee contributions (when matched by Quad) totaled a record-breaking $2.59 million.

Proceeds from the annual year-end drive go to funding a variety of causes, from helping fight disease, furthering medical research and stocking food pantries, to supporting services at senior centers, supplementing literacy and educational programs, and more. Each year, checks are mailed to more than 2,100 charities and non-profit organizations across the country.

To facilitate giving, Quad/Graphics gives employees the option of setting up a Personal Sharing Account (PSA). Through the PSA, employees designate how much money they want deducted from their weekly paycheck. When the Community Fund drive comes up at year end, employees already have funds to designate to their favorite charity.

Founded in 1983, The Windhover Foundation fuels organizations that focus on meeting a pressing, unfilled social need. The foundation is funded by Quad/Graphics and the Quadracci family, and is chaired by Harry’s widow, Betty Quadracci. Over the past five years, the foundation has given away approximately $20 million. The foundation has funded a variety of ventures including hospices, women’s programs, art centers, libraries, playgrounds, parks and arenas.