Phoenix Cares Rises to the Occasion in the Atlanta Community

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - Aug 13, 2014) - In the 2011 Harvard Business Review, Michael Porter and Mark Kramer published, "Creating Shared Value," in which they state: "The moment for a new conception of capitalism is now; society's needs are large and growing, while customers, employees, and a new generation of young people are asking business to step up."* Many companies, like Phoenix Integrated Store Consultants, have taken on this challenge and created initiatives to help better the community around them. In spring 2014, Phoenix began the Phoenix Cares Initiative to constantly promote community outreach and civic responsibility among employees. Since its inception, Phoenix Cares has brought the company together in support of organizations such as the Atlanta Children's Shelter, the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, Any Soldier Inc., Wounded Warrior Project, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. As a team, Phoenix Employees have completed over 275 community service hours since spring 2014, and the month of July was the biggest month for community service yet.

Phoenix Cares has been involved with several fundraisers, item drives, and community support events in the past month. From May to July, Phoenix employees participated in an item drive for the Atlanta Children's Shelter, a day shelter that cares for children by providing them with food and emotional support during the day, so their parents can spend their time learning how to interview for jobs which would enable them to provide stable housing for themselves and their children. Halie Waddell, Phoenix's Community Service Advocate, said, "It's hard to think about the poverty in your own area, but all too often we focus on things far away and miss what's right before our eyes. There are children who are hungry and homeless in Atlanta, the city I grew up in. Working with the people at Phoenix has given me the chance to give back to the city that has given so much to me and be a part of something greater."

In addition to the item drive, Phoenix employees got together for a wing-eating competition with sponsors to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. By the end of the fundraiser on July 3^rd, 2014, Phoenix Cares Competitors had raised well over a thousand dollars to donate to help a child with a life threatening condition. The highlight of the evening for Phoenix employees was the story of a couple who told us about their experiences with Make-A-Wish® and a little boy, named Michael Caulkans, who got to go to Disney because of the foundation before his passing at 12 years of age. Stories like these are why the Phoenix Cares initiatives matter so much to Phoenix employees who want to give back to their Atlanta community. Phoenix is proud to rise up and serve the needs of its community.

Phoenix Integrated Store Consultants is a promotional marketing firm specializing in customer service and acquisition for clients within Fortune 500 retailers in the greater Atlanta area. Phoenix has recently been nominated for the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2014 Best Places to Work in Atlanta Award, and has been recognized as the top office in the country for over 24 weeks this year.

*Kramer, Mark and Michael Porter. "Creating Shared Value." Harvard Business Review. January 2011. Web.