AbbVie Week of possibilities is an annual tradition in which 9,000 dedicated employees donate their time and talent to local communities worldwide. Bernie’s Book Bank has been lucky enough to reap the benefits of AbbVie’s selfless efforts for the past four years. Starting June 10, more than 1,000 volunteers took over our processing center to sort, sticker, and bag books to later be distributed to 360,000 at risk children in the Chicagoland area.
AbbVie’s culture of social responsibility focuses on listening to the community voice in order to foster a humbled understanding of the needs that they can effectively serve. “Great things happen during Week of Possibilities when people around the globe come together to give back to their local communities,” said Tracie Haas, president, AbbVie Foundation. “Our focus on underserved communities allows us to build our volunteer activities around specific needs and ultimately have the greatest impact.”
This intentional service has not only changed the lives of those in the communities served, but exposure to volunteerism has also given the employees perspective that lasts beyond this one week. “I have only been living in the U.S. for 1 year, so I was surprised to hear how many children do not have books at home,” said Daniella Di Paolo, AbbVie employee. Volunteering at Bernie’s Book Bank gave Di Paolo a better outlook on the need for books amongst children within her community.
AbbVie’s volunteer efforts, combined with the Abbvie Foundation’s outstanding support, will help us distribute more than 550,000 books to the at-risk Chicagoland children we serve.
Bernie’s Book Bank appreciates the kindness AbbVie offers to our community and we are proud to say that their work has contributed to providing children with a gift that keeps on giving.
