West without Borders 2011 Charity Efforts See Success

The West without Borders charity fundraising initiative had a terrific year in 2011.  West employees around the globe contributed more than $210,000 to aid local charities.  To date, the charity campaign has raised more than $1 million since its inception in 2004.  The 2011 campaign focused on local charities selected by the employees in West’s global facilities

“Our 2011 efforts truly made a difference in the communities where we live and work,” said West’s Chairman and CEO Donald E. Morel, Jr. Ph.D.  “We’re looking forward to another exciting local campaign in 2012 to once again support children in need.”

Many of West’s locations are involved in multi-year programs, including Colombia, where West employees support the Mahavir K-Mina Foundation, which manufactures and installs lower-limb prosthesis.  Last year, a seven-year old girl received her first prosthesis.  As she continues to grow each year, she will require a larger limb, and in February 2011, she received her second limb thanks to West’s generous donations.

In China, the West Love Library, a three-year program to provide books and materials to a small village school, received more than 1,000 books and additional materials to aid children with their reading. More than 70 employees participated in the efforts to collect and purchase the supplies.

Overall, the 2011 campaign aided 27 local charities in a variety of locations. 

A History of Giving

West without Borders kicked off in late 2004 with fundraising programs to aid those affected by the Asian tsunami and then hurricane Katrina in the fall of 2005. Targeted, company-wide projects have included:

• Local Charities: In 2010, West designed its campaign to reach charities focused on aiding children with special needs in the communities where our employees live and work. More than $200,000 was raised for a variety of charities located around the globe.
• Africa Health Placements: In 2009, West employees raised more than $140,000 for this not-for-profit organization that recruits doctors from around the world to provide critical care for patients in rural Africa.
• Braille without Borders: In 2008, West employees raised more than $200,000 to support this international program to educate blind children in developing areas such as Tibet and India.
• Camp Victory Treehouse: In 2007, West employees donated $240,000 along with hundreds of hours in manpower to build a wheelchair-accessible treehouse for children with chronic illnesses at Camp Victory in Millville, Pa.
• Hope Lodge: In 2006, West employees raised more than $192,000 to help build the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge of the American Cancer Society in Philadelphia, a 30,000 square-foot facility that provides free temporary housing to approximately 1,300 cancer patients annually.

Looking Forward to 2012

Thanks to the success of our 2011 campaign, West is once again encouraging each individual facility to select a local charity as the recipient of its efforts for 2012.

“Our employees have always given generously, and I’m certain 2012 will be no different,” said Morel.  “I look forward to seeing just how much good we can do for those in need in our communities and thank everyone for their generous participation during these difficult financial times.”

Watch for more news regarding West’s charity 2012 efforts – including a look at the life of service-dog-in-training, Dookie, who joined west as part of the Canine Partners for Life puppy training program.  In the meantime, you can read about the H.O. West Foundation and our culture of giving here.

West without Borders is not affiliated with Doctors Without Borders®, which is a registered service mark of Bureau International de Medecins San Frontieres.