AbbVie’s Dublin Employees Help Transform Walkinstown School’s Autism Facilities During Their Global Volunteering Week. More than 50 volunteers from AbbVie’s Dublin offices transform autism facilities at Greenhills College, South Dublin. Outreach involves improvements at the school’s kitchen, library and autism sensory unit. Approximately 8,000 AbbVie volunteers in more than 50 countries – including more than 400 in Cork, Dublin and Sligo – will volunteer 36,000 hours to worthwhile community projects – especially in the area of education.
AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company with offices in Citywest and Santry, marked the fifth anniversary of its Week of Possibilities volunteering programme with a facelift project at a Dublin school. For the fifth consecutive year, AbbVie employees joined forces with non-profit partners to enhance education through volunteerism and improvement projects.
In total, approximately 8,000 AbbVie employees in more than 50 countries will volunteer 36,000 hours assisting their local communities. Over the last five years, the AbbVie Foundation – with the assistance of AbbVie employee volunteers – has positively impacted almost 19 million people around the world.
Employees from AbbVie’s offices in Citywest and Santry completed an extensive refurbishment of the autism unit facilities at Greenhills College in Walkinstown, South Dublin during the week-long initiative. A significant number of the students enrolled at the boys-only secondary school have autism needs and attend Greenhills College to avail of the school’s autism resource unit. Volunteers worked alongside staff to upgrade the unit’s sensory room, library and kitchen to benefit the students with autism who attend the school.
AbbVie believes in making a strong commitment to local communities. In partnership with not-for-profit groups, the company undertakes improvement projects – particularly in education – through charitable giving as well as employee engagement.
In Ireland, AbbVie has joined forces with the national volunteer development agency, Volunteer Ireland. Together, they have planned and implemented Week of Possibilities projects in three communities in Cork, Sligo and Dublin – locations at which the company has a major presence. The partnership with Volunteer Ireland ensures AbbVie’s efforts align with the needs of their local communities.
Speaking about the positive impact of the Week of Possibilities initiative Ann Bray, Principal of Greenhills College, said: “We would like to thank AbbVie and Volunteer Ireland for choosing Greenhills College for their Week of Possibilities. Through this initiative we will see our autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) Unit, sensory room, breakfast and lunchtime space and school library transformed. The work carried out this week will have a huge impact on the whole school community. Our students will now have a long awaited relaxation space and state of the art library facilities in surroundings, which will encourage improved literacy and numeracy. Without the support of AbbVie we would never have achieved this goal so soon.”
Now an annual event all over the world, AbbVie’s Week of Possibilities was founded in 2014. It is funded in part by the AbbVie Foundation. AbbVie employees have expanded their commitment each year, giving 17,000 volunteer hours in 45 countries in 2015; 26,000 hours in 51 countries in 2016; and 33,000 hours in 57 countries in 2017.
Commenting on the Dublin project Todd Manning, General Manager, AbbVie said: “Week of Possibilities reflects AbbVie’s commitment to transforming education for communities in need. Over the past five years, AbbVie employees have volunteered their time, talent and efforts to help improve their local communities to do what they can to support and improve the educational resources available locally.”
