Our Commitment to the Community

Play Nice and Share

“What If?” can solve the impossible and make the imaginable, real. There are a myriad of challenges that face the schools, neighborhoods and families in our community. We are convinced a key aspect of ensuring children have their basic physical and emotional needs met is giving them the time, space and opportunities to wonder, explore, pretend, imagine, create and question.

The Mission of Community Engagement is to give employees the opportunity to free their “What If” and help to solve the impossible and make the imaginable real by working side by side with community organizations to overcome their challenges.  This mission gives employees the ability to enrich the schools, neighborhoods and the lives of families in the global communities in which we live and work. Employees are able to offer their diverse personal and professional skills and expertise to lead, support and advocate for nonprofit and education organizations.   This mission creates a win by helping to enrich the organization receiving support, by increasing social awareness and developing a variety of relevant skills for the volunteer and by benefiting Crayola through increased capabilities and overall employee engagement.

We develop and implement community involvement programs within the areas of:

• Community Programs & Partnerships 
• Philanthropy 
• Employee Volunteerism
• Community Response

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

We partner with leading nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and other community based organizations to tackle immediate concerns and to develop longer-term solutions. Through a combination of company-wide signature initiatives like board memberships and locally-driven programs like those selected by The Employee Volunteer Council who helps identify the key community activities Crayola will support in the upcoming year, we strengthen the capacity of community organizations to help people thrive.

PHILANTHROPY

Financial and product donations are essential resources for our communities and sustaining nonprofit organizations in meeting their missions. In grant-making through corporate charitable funds and local business support, we contribute to local and national organizations that are making a meaningful impact. Here are our programs:

Dollars for Doers

Dollars for Doers demonstrates Crayola’s commitment to encouraging employees to volunteer for organizations that are important to them and touch their heart.  To support all full- and part-time employees in their volunteer efforts, this company sponsored grants program annually provides $100 grants to nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations where an employee volunteers 24 or more hours a year.  Employees may apply for up to 2 grants a year.   Call Community Engagement at Ext. 4749 for an application.

Corporate Donation Programs

Our contribution programs include:

• Annual Grant Program.  Crayola provides support to many Lehigh Valley nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations.   Grant information about the following year’s funding is sent to nonprofits in September; the deadline to submit their grant request is Dec. 1.

• Arts Education  Grants for Schools.  This grants program encourages creative innovation and excellence in the classroom.  Crayola provides cash and product support to classroom teachers in Lehigh Valley public and private schools, Grades K through 8, that links the arts with other disciplines.  Grant information is sent to school Principals in September and grant requests must be submitted by December 1 from the classroom teacher.

• Employee Matching Gifts. Crayola will match qualified contributions of full and part-time employees to education and nonprofit arts and cultural organizations.  The gift must be an actual donation; donors cannot receive goods, services or other privileges as a result of the contribution.  We match the following contributions (to a specific limit).

- Accredited Higher Education Programs (colleges and universities)

- Public and private schools, grades K through high school.

- 501(c)3 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations

**Employees are limited to one contribution in each category. There is a minimum match contribution of $25 and a maximum of $500.  Employees must complete an application that can be found in information stations or by calling Community Engagement, Ext. 4749.

• Volunteers on the Go. Crayola will contribute $25 to an employee’s fundraising efforts for a walk, run,  bicycling event, etc., that is not listed on the current year’s Employee Volunteer & Events Calendar or supported by a Crayola contribution.   All active, full and part-time Crayola employees in the Lehigh Valley or regional sales offices are eligible to participate.  Flyers can be found in Information Stations or Contact Community Engagement, Ext. 4749 for information.

• United Way. The United Way believes every person in our community deserves an opportunity for a good life and so does Crayola.  We have a year round United Way fundraising program.  The employee giving campaign is conducted in early fall and employees look forward to our continued participation in the United Way’s Day of Caring.  In addition, the corporation makes a significant annual gift.

• Annual Product Donations. Once a year, Lehigh Valley nonprofits can request a Crayola product donation.  We partner with Good360, a national distribution center, to provide product donations to nonprofit organizations outside the Lehigh Valley.