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SAP America, Inc. volunteers at UCAN Academy

On October 4, 2011 a group of 16 SAP America, Inc. volunteers from around the country spent four hours painting the perimeter fence at UCAN Academy. The volunteers were tremendously detail-oriented and even though it was an extremely hot day, the group was determined to complete the task at hand!

Founded in 1972, SAP is the world's third largest independent software manufacturer with more than 109,000 customers in over 120 countries and more than 53,000 employees worldwide. SAP puts great focus on contributing to the larger community, and their efforts are evident in their commitment to strategic philanthropic funding and non-profit partnerships, matching gifts, and employee volunteerism. UCAN was a beneficiary of SAP's Month of Service, which includes projects for North American employees that range from school renovations to tutoring programs. SAP has previously funded UCAN Academy through various grants and has also donated computers to the Academy - we were thrilled when we were contacted to partner with them again on their Month of Service initiative.

SAP employees chose to work with UCAN because they appreciate the unique and comprehensive work UCAN does in the community. "We wanted to get our hands dirty today - we want to give back in some way and to do our part to show the students we care about them and their success," said a volunteer from SAP's Philadelphia office.

After hearing from UCAN's Governing Board Vice Chair Jeff Palan, Senior Vice President, Premier Customer Network at SAP America, Inc., the group was ready to get to work. They tackled specific sections of the fence in pairs, beginning by tediously scraping off old paint. Over the next three hours the group worked together, painting the entire fence with smiles on their faces!

The new paint job has enhanced the entire exterior appearance of UCAN Academy, and the project was a fun experience for the SAP volunteer group to complete together. Thank you to SAP for this donation and your support; your partnership is greatly appreciated!

For more information on volunteering at UCAN please email Ellen Acevedo, our Mentor/Volunteer Coordinator at acevedoe@ucanchicago.org.

UCAN's Mentor Program pairs the talents and interests of successful men and women with the needs of our clients. The program helps young people build positive relationships with adults and broadens a child's social and cultural experiences.

One mentee's story

*Please note the mentees names in this article have been changed in order to protect the identity of the youth.

Chris DuPuis, 33, has been a UCAN mentor for a year and a half. He became involved with UCAN through a friend and subsequently felt compelled to become more involved with his community. He saw crime in the neighborhoods and many youth who just needed someone to talk to, and he wanted to be able to give back in some way. His current mentee is James, who lives with his mother in the Lawndale neighborhood. Chris also works with James' brother Marcus.

"James is a quiet, fun loving kid who has overcome a lot of trials in his life. In the beginning, it was challenging to overcome our communication barrier. I wanted him to reach out to me as I was reaching out to him, but that level of comfort doesn't come instantly. After a few sessions and many text messages, that communication barrier was broken," says Chris.

Chris and James have eaten dinner together, talked about basketball, attended professional sporting events and spent time just talking on the phone or texting. Chris says that James is "one of the most polite people in the world and he is always avoiding the trouble that others his age seem to find themselves in."

Chris and James usually see each other once a month and talk often during the week. Chris has found this experience to be very rewarding and hopes to continue to mentor these boys as they reach various milestones in their lives. He currently lives in the city and practices small animal medicine as a veterinarian in Naperville.