Remembering, Helping, Healing -- Memorials

Giving

  • ML Offers Free Financial
     Advice to Families
     Affected by September
     Disaster

  • Donating Money and
     More, in Memory of 11
     September

• Global Philanthropy

• ML Eases the Way

• Clients Invited to Help

• ML Matching Gifts
Program

• Our Philanthropic
Response

Donating Money and More, in Memory of 11 September

From New Jersey to Mexico City and Singapore to Denver, ML colleagues have donated money, donned T-shirts emblazoned with bulls in red, white and blue, and bid on traditional Chinese lanterns to support those affected by the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

In Hong Kong, Human Resources employees sold Chinese lanterns.

Rallying in response to ML's call for help, employees have opened their wallets and hearts to contribute close to U.S. $2 million to date through the company's September 11th Special Matching Gifts Program. As part of its $10 million commitment to help victims of the disasters, the firm is matching employee donations, dollar for dollar, to the September 11^th Fund, the New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund, and the Twin Towers Fund.

ML's response to 11 September goes beyond financial gifts. Volunteer activities posted on the Global Philanthropy website has made it possible for employees to seek hands-on opportunities to help victims, from serving food to rescue workers, to packaging shipments of supplies and planting flowers in memorial parks. And, for the first time, in response to ML colleagues' many requests, local officers were permitted to arrange on-site fundraisers to support relief efforts.

Members of the Northern New Jersey district management team model "Bullish on America" T-shirts.

"The firm and its employees responded quickly and enthusiastically, banding together in a show of teamwork,'' said FVP Eddy Bayardelle, Global Philanthropy. "As always, our colleagues made a difference by giving in very personal and creative ways, of both their time and money, to help so many affected by the disasters."

So far, more than 3,000 ML employees worldwide have contributed to the matching funds program, and more than $300,000 has been raised through a special initiative that allows employees to convert their accumulated CMA Reward points into dollars for matching donations. This collaboration between USPC and Global Philanthropy marks the first time that CMA points have been earmarked to benefit a charitable cause and then matched through the Merrill Lynch Foundation.

"With more than 9 million points donated, the success of the CMA Visa Signature Rewards Points donations program exemplified the best of our Merrill Lynch Principles," said FVP Westina Matthews Shatteen, USPC Community Development Services. "The response was extraordinary and, as usual, our colleagues were very generous."

Worldwide, ML employees made a difference.

Employees in ML's Mexico City office raised funds that ML will match.

In Hong Kong and Singapore, Human Resources organized the sale of 600 traditional lanterns for a Moon Festival fundraiser. While the paper lanterns sold for about U.S. $4 each, the sale raised $25,000, including individual employee donations of $1,200.
Employees in ML's Mexico City office raised U.S. $4,500 in two weeks — donations that will be matched by the company. "It was wonderful the way everyone opened their hearts to help with this," said VP Sergio Rumayor, Finance and Administration. "But it's also nice to know that our donation will be doubled and, thanks to ML, will help even more people."

From Japan, Brian Murdock, chairman of MLIM's Pacific Region, made a personal delivery to New York on behalf of schoolchildren attending Nishimachi International School in Tokyo. In his gift bag were handmade cards for families of firefighters lost in the attacks, and piggybank savings earmarked for the American Red Cross.

In the United States, USPC teamed up with MLIM to hold a global initiative that brought in more than $91,000. T-shirts, patriotic pens and magnets were sold at the Princeton, New Jersey, corporate campus. Patriotic ribbon sales in Denver, Jacksonville, Piscataway, Hopewell and Somerset garnered $27,501 in employee gifts eligible for ML matching funds. USPC Services employees in New Jersey, Florida and Colorado organized a variety of fundraising activities. Offices nationwide displayed large American flags.

MLIM's Brian Murdock, right, presented donations from Tokyo to Mark Silverstein, an official of the American Red Cross in Greater New York.

On 11 October, ML Employee Networks across the United States organized a day of fundraisers in New York, New Jersey, Denver, Chicago, Jacksonville, Seattle and San Francisco. Raffles and sales of "We're Bullish on America" T-shirts brought in more than $60,000. The Hispanic Employee Network contributed $10,000 to the September 11^th Fund instead holding its annual celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month.

On 19 October, dubbed Patriot's Day, about 900 employees in ML's Northern New Jersey district, and temporarily displaced employees from New York's SD office and Institutional Advisory Division, wore "Bullish on America" T-shirts.

The idea came up at a district meeting led by MD Andy Williams. The district purchased the shirts for colleagues. "Patriot's Day was our way of showing support for ML and for teamwork," Williams said.

"We thought it would be a nice way to show our support for the relief effort, for America and for everything that's going on,'' said VP Frank Heter, district administrative manager for Northern New Jersey. "I think wearing the T-shirts brought people closer together and helped them to talk to each other more, which is probably the most important thing."

Other employees have contributed their talents.

Volunteers from the ML Women's Employee Network joined with the Accountants for the Public Interest on 15 November to offer a seminar on short- and long-term financial planning for women who lost a spouse in the disaster.

The Hopewell complex in New Jersey displayed the American flag prominently.
USPC partnered with nonprofit agency Safe Horizon to provide free financial advice to families of the victims receiving grants, insurance payments and relief funds.
An IPCG volunteer committee conducted a food drive in IPCG's offices in Jersey City and Raritan, New Jersey, and in Manhattan to support the families of victims.
CICG Equities is promoting the sale of limited-edition photographs of the World Trade Center, to raise funds for the New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund. More information on the photographs, taken in 1992 across the river from ML offices in Jersey City, New Jersey, is available from Sue Crosby or by calling 646.638.7030.