Benchmark’s One Company Fund Raises Nearly $400,000 in 2018 for Associates Facing Unforeseen Financial Challenges

Gordon Food Service, Dellbrook Construction and EW Howell Among Top Donors 
When Stephanie Morris, a resident care associate for Harbor Point at Centerville, a Benchmark assisted living and memory care community in Centerville, Mass., was displaced following a tragic house fire, she knew just where to turn. Benchmark’s One Company Fund, a grant program that company associates can apply to in times of financial setback, provided Morris with assistance toward housing and food. And it continued to be a resource as she became settled in a new home.

A 501(c)(3) organization, One Company Fund was created during the 10th anniversary year of Benchmark, a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast. In the last 11 years, the Fund has granted over $1.6 million in assistance to nearly 1,000 associates affected by natural disaster, personal tragedy and other unexpected financial challenges. Today Benchmark announced that its fundraising efforts for the Fund have grossed $380,000 year-to-date, nearly 20 percent more than last year.

To make it possible to help other associates like Morris, Benchmark raises funds yearlong through community fundraisers, voluntary payroll deductions, family memorial donations and golf tournaments. Over the summer, for the ninth straight year, the company executed three fundraising golf tournaments. The third, a golf and spa invitational held at The International Golf Club in Bolton, Mass., raised nearly $280,000. More than 200 participants and 70 sponsors supported the event. Among the top donors sponsoring or contributing to the three tournaments were Gordon Food Service, Dellbrook Construction, E.W. Howell, Maguire Mechanical Services, PS Lifestyle and WilmerHale.

“We are very fortunate to have partners, residents, families and associates who share our commitment to One Company Fund,” says Tom Grape, Benchmark’s chairman and CEO. “Our front-line associates work hard every day to keep our residents and families connected to what matters most in their lives. As a human connection company, we are called to care for them when they are unable to deal with life’s challenges, and that’s the reason why the Fund was founded.”

Partners and vendors also recognize the value of the Fund. “We support Benchmark’s One Company Fund because, whenever you can help anyone in need, you are doing a great thing for the people in your community,” says David Donnelly, regional chain manager of Gordon Food Service, which has been the top contributor among the 150 Benchmark vendors and partners over the years.

Recently, Benchmark was named a 2018 Best Workplace for Aging Services by Great Place to Work Institute and FORTUNE magazine, in large part to its vision and ongoing support of its One Company Fund. The company took the number 16 spot on the aging services list and ranked third among senior housing companies with more than 40 communities. Additionally, in 2018, Benchmark became one of only six companies recognized as a top workplace by The Boston Globe for all 11 years of the award.

For more information about the Benchmark One Company Fund visit www.onecompanyfund.com.

About Benchmark
Based in Waltham, Mass., Benchmark is a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast. Founded in 1997 by Tom Grape, Benchmark operates 58 communities offering independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care and skilled nursing in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. The organization this year was selected by Fortune magazine for its inaugural 2018 Best Workplaces for Aging Services list, taking the number 16 spot on the list of top 40 aging services providers and ranking third among companies with more than 40 communities. Benchmark is one of only six companies recognized as a top workplace by The Boston Globe for all 11 years of the award. And it has been consistently recognized by Boston Business Journal, Connecticut Post, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal as a top workplace, and by Boston Business Journal, Hartford Business Journal and Providence Business News as one of the healthiest employers. Click here for more information.

Press Contact: Carol Arnold, Arnold Communications, carol@arnoldcomm.com, (603) 502-0469.

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