WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Meals lovingly cooked and delivered to those in need. Store purchases and restaurant checks picked up, much to the surprise of their recipients. Backpacks and school supplies donated to homeless and foster children so kids have what they need to succeed in school. These are just a few of the 1,530 good, old-fashioned Radiant Acts of Kindness that were performed this summer by associates of Benchmark, a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast, at its 57 senior care communities. In keeping with Benchmark's mission to elevate human connection, the company, its associates and residents rallied to give back to the towns and neighborhoods they serve, touching over 6,000 lives and exceeding the number of 2017 acts by 26%.
"We wanted to spawn a contagion of compassion and were thrilled to see that not only were those experiencing the acts of kindness deeply touched by these gestures but so were our associates and residents who opened their hearts to do for and give to others," says Tom Grape, Benchmark's chairman and CEO. "Several of our communities are even continuing the campaign because they've experienced such fulfillment in connecting with individuals and organizations in their neighborhoods."
The most acts were performed by Benchmark Senior Living at Woburn in Woburn, Mass., with over 200 in all. The community's many acts included making get-well-soon cups and gifting them to patients at local nursing homes to help make their day a little brighter, collecting and donating over 100 pairs of socks to warm the feet of men undergoing rehabilitation and paying for a mother and daughter in need of quality time to go to Story Land. As recognition of the Woburn community's good work, Benchmark will award a check for $1,530 to a neighborhood charity of the community's choice.
Other communities, like The Village at Kensington Place in Meriden, Conn., created and hosted a Radiant Acts Award Dinner designed to recognize outstanding local community groups and individuals that make Meriden a better place. The Arbors of Bedford in Bedford, N.H., hosted a baby shower donation drive for an area hospital's mother's program and a local shelter. Blenheim-Newport in Middletown, R.I., sculpted and decorated ceramic bowls for the Rhode Island Food Bank.
The Radiant Acts of Kindness initiative first kicked off last year in honor of the company's 20th anniversary and was so successful it turned into an annual event. Over 1,200 acts were committed in 2017.
"Transforming lives through human connection is at the heart of everything we do, so we can't think of a better way to connect with and show how much we care to the communities we serve," says Grape. "We are delighted to see this outreach grow year after year."
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 57 senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer's care and continuing care in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. In 2018, Benchmark was certified as a Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute and became the first senior living organization and only the fifth Massachusetts-based company to receive Certified Age Friendly Employer (CAFE) designation from RetirementJobs.com. It also has been recognized as a top workplace by The Boston Globe for 10 consecutive years as well as by the Boston Business Journal, Connecticut Post, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal. Click here for more information.
SOURCE Benchmark
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