INDIACSR News Network
BANGALORE: GE Healthcare employees celebrated its spirit of volunteerism by being a convoy of happiness for 150 students at the Sheila Kothavala Institute for the Deaf (SKID) through a fun day at the school. The company also donated $25,000 (Rs.15 Lakhs) to ‘Akshaya Patra Foundation’, an NGO that provides mid-day meal for 1.3 million school children across 9 states and 19 locations in India including SKID.
Students at the Sheila Kothavala Institute for the Deaf were in for a visual treat as 50 GE Healthcare volunteers including GE senior leadership team, provided the school campus with an invigorating makeover. Using interesting art designs and vibrant colours on the walls, GE volunteers gave the school facility a refreshing uplift by painting its interiors. The volunteers also led educational sessions with the students on improving personal hygiene and health.
Terri Bresenham, President & CEO of GE Healthcare South Asia presented the donation cheque of $25,000 to Sridhar Venkat, Executive Director, Akshaya Patra Foundation. Volunteerism is a significant part of GE’s culture, both as an individual employee activity as well as an organizational effort. This donation was a recognition Terri Bresenham received from GE’s Chairman for her imagination and courage earlier this year. This donation will enable mid-day meal for over 1000 students from 4 Bangalore based schools for a period of one year.
Speaking on the occasion, Terri Bresenham, President and CEO of GE Healthcare South Asia said, “This was an absolutely delightful day. At GE Healthcare, we are at work for a healthier India. While the head speaks to driving business results, our heart speaks to another very important aspect of being a responsible organization – that of being able to give back to our society. Being in the business of Healthcare, extending this contribution to Akshaya Patra to provide healthier food to these beautiful children couldn’t have made more sense. At the heart of this spirit lies the desire to build, support and grow the communities we live in; not just monetarily, but in devoted time, unconditional love, and human touch. My team and I look forward to various other opportunities in building a healthier and happier society.”
GE Volunteers initiative is focused at empowering students through education and community development. It supports four key areas of educations, healthcare, community development and disaster relief.
The activities conducted today are one of the many conducted by GE Volunteers in India. Today, there are over 15,500 GE employees in India across 12 cities who contribute over 27,000 hours towards voluntary service every year. The Volunteers work at schools, old age homes and orphanages. They also participate in the supply of mid-day meals, afforestation of degraded reserve forest in Bandipur, conducting financial literacy classes for women; organizing science fairs, disaster recovery operations and blood donation camps. GE Volunteers have been supporting Akshay Patra Foundation for 6 years and SKID for the last 10 years.
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE works on things that matter – great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients.
