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MGAC Celebrates Giving Tuesday

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MGAC is committed to supporting and giving back to local communities, and we have seen firsthand the benefits of community engagement in each of our offices across North America and the UK. Over the past year, we have worked with 26 different charitable organizations and volunteered for over 200 hours. Our total monetary contributions for the year totaled over $175,000. We will continue to embrace social responsibility in our volunteering efforts and look forward to working with our charitable partners and beyond in 2025.

This Giving Tuesday, we look back on our philanthropic and volunteering efforts over the last year.

Washington, DC

MGAC has strong connections with Calvary Women’s Services, having been involved with the organization since the early 2000s. This year, we have continued to nurture this relationship with staff volunteering and financial support, donating $45,000 to support their efforts in ending homelessness in women suffering from domestic abuse. The team in our Washington, DC office is also involved with Toys for Tots, volunteering their time to distribute toys for less fortunate children during the holiday season.

Los Angeles

We are proud to have donated to two LA-based charities. Back in August, the LA office teamed up with the Assistance League of Los Angeles to assemble 600 school supply kits to ensure all kids start the school year ready for success. The mission of the Assistance League of Los Angeles is to improve the lives of impoverished children and young adults in LA through philanthropy, dedicated service, and compassionate programs. Our team of volunteers enjoyed spending the morning with the staff and making a positive impact on kids in the community. The LA office also supported, Heal the Bay, based in Venice Beach, with a beach clean-up. The environmental nonprofit is dedicated to community action and education to ensure the coastal waters remain clean and healthy. Self Help Graphics & Art fosters the creation and advancement of new art works by Chicana/o and Latinx artists through experimental and innovative printmaking techniques and other visual art forms. Our LA Team donated $2,000 to support their mission to empower the community by providing access to space, tools, training, and resources. The team also made a contribution to the National Wildlife Federation and their #SaveLACougars initiative where we funded a research collar for a mountain lion to be monitored by biologists.

San Francisco

The team in our San Francisco office volunteered to work with the Marin and Contra Costa & Solano Food Banks in San Francisco, who are on a mission to end hunger and the need for food banks.

Seattle

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization fighting homelessness that brings people together to build shelter. Members of the Seattle office donated their time to construct affordable homes in King and Kittitas Counties.

Toronto

Our Toronto office has donated over $15,000 to charitable causes this year, spread across three organizations. One of which is Christion Ossington Center, which works to support vulnerable members of Toronto with integration and to participate fully in their local communities. Alongside this, we were involved with Wheels of Hope, the volunteer driving program, which provides convenient transportation to appointments for people living with cancer, taking away the stress of logistics. Similarly, we have extended support to Working Women Community Center, a newcomer settlement agency centred around women and families, ensuring they have all the necessary tools to settle and integrate.

London

Our London team donated over £9,000 in 2024 to four different charities. Woodland Trust protects woodlands and prevents the loss of nature and carbon stores. They are on a mission to ensure a sustainable future, and their values align with MGAC’s. Secondly, we have donated to the Single Homeless Project in a bid to eradicate homelessness, transform lives, and ensure everyone has the chance to live to their fullest potential. Additionally, we donated to two schools in London, Gospel Oak Primary School and Lime Academy Hornbeam. The Academy offers specialist education services for students aged 2-19 with a range of complex learning, medical, or behavioural needs.

Birmingham

We supported Buddy Bag Foundation in Birmingham, contributing over £7,000 in donations, as well as providing hands-on volunteering assistance in packing Buddy Bags to provide comfort to children locally who find themselves in care after escaping violence at home. Members of the Birmingham team also completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge, all in under 12 hours! Alongside those from Bruntwood SciTech, Associated Architects, and Grand Union, the group raised over £10,000 for The Growing Project, which supports people in vulnerable housing or crisis situations. Our Birmingham office also donated to Let’s Feed Brum, an organization on a mission to make a lasting difference to those experiencing and at risk of homelessness.

Brighton

In Brighton, our team supported two children’s charities. Pelican Parcels works closely with social workers and other local services to provide essentials such as bedding, clothing, school uniforms, and nappies, distributing them to those in need in Brighton & Hove. Lastly, MGAC contributed over £4,000 to Bramber Bakehouse, an award-winning women’s charity focused on supporting those who have experienced exploitation, displacement, or abuse by equipping them with the skills and confidence for a brighter future through the art of baking! The charity offers workshops, therapy, and wellbeing sessions in a safe, community-spirited environment. United Foster Carers Association is run by foster carers, for foster carers. They organise days out, coffee mornings, barbeques, and holiday parties for children and families in West Sussex who are experiencing the fostering process.

Glasgow

The Glasgow office has shared both volunteering time and donations with various charities, spanning the whole spectrum, from the arts to after school clubs. Urban Root was set up in 2004 and has continued to spread the message of biodiversity and conservation in its 20 years of service. The charity helps people connect through healthy eating in the south side of Glasgow. Clydeside Initiative for Arts vision is to develop, facilitate, and sustain a world in which everyone has a chance to find inspiration in creativity and memorable cultural experiences. Simon Community Scotland provides a safe space for those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness and offers guidance and support to those who need it. They have helped over 9,500 people avoid homelessness through donations and the work of volunteers. Additionally, we donated to The DASH Club, an after-school club for 11 to18-year-olds with complex needs, and Govan HELP, a charity that supports children and families in Govan. Both charities offer a wide range of activities designed to encourage positive socialising, promote health and well-being, and improve confidence, equipping them with the resources they may need to make positive changes in their lives.

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