FAIRFAX, VA– June 14, 2004 – LeapFrog Solutions, Inc., a certified woman-owned small business specializing in developing integrated marketing communications programs for a wide range of companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies, is one of the first greater Washington, DC firms to be named to the Greater DC Cares My Business Cares Seal Program.
LeapFrog Solutions and thirty-eight other seal recipients were honored for their commitment to social responsibility, community involvement, and community enhancement at the 8th Annual Greater Washington Business Philanthropy Summit on May 5. They were awarded the first-ever My Business Cares Seal.
“In this era of corporate scandal and public mistrust, we are proud to recognize and honor companies that are doing things right,” said Greater DC Cares President and CEO Siobhan Canty. “These companies are leading by example, making contributions to their communities and making it easy for employees to volunteer in their own neighborhoods.”
The My Business Cares Seal is awarded to area companies that dedicate time and money to be socially responsible businesses. Criteria for receiving the Seal include providing employees time off to volunteer during work hours, offering structured company-wide group volunteer opportunities, or donating money or in-kind goods or services to local 501 c(3) organizations. The baseline criteria were created by Greater DC Cares, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Washington Business Journal based on national and international best practices and regional corporate philanthropy statistics.
“This is a great honor for LeapFrog Solutions and a tribute to my entire team,” said Lisa Martin, LeapFrog President and CEO. “I’m very proud of each of them for their service to a number of local charities, which include Reston Relay for Life and Volunteer Fairfax.
The Greater Washington Business Philanthropy Summit, presented by the Washington Business Journal and Greater DC Cares, began as the region’s response to the call to action at the 1997 Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in Philadelphia. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), then First Lady, launched the first Philanthropy Summit in 1998 and became so engaged in the discourse that in 1999 she returned as keynote speaker. Since then, speakers have included national leaders in corporate philanthropy including World Bank President James Wolfensohn, America Online CEO Steve Case, Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines, and US Secretary of Commerce Don Evans. This year’s keynote speaker was NFL great Darrell Green, chair of Darrell Green’s Youth Life Foundation and President Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. As a result of these efforts, the top 25 corporate philanthropists in Greater Washington have more than doubled their annual giving and new companies are entering the field regularly.
For more than 15 years, Greater DC Cares has been the region’s leading coordinator of volunteer services and corporate philanthropy, providing strategic volunteer recruitment, development and management for area nonprofits. To learn more, visit www.dc-cares.org.
LeapFrog Solutions Inc. (LFS) provides public- and private-sector clients with a comprehensive range of services that include strategic marketing communications, advertising, public relations, Web site design and interactive marketing. Formed in 1996, the company is a privately held, certified, woman-owned small business located in Fairfax, Virginia. For more information, visit www.leapfrogit.com or call 703-273-7900.
Sherry Syence
LeapFrog Solutions, Inc.
(703) 273-7900
ssyence@leapfrogit.com
