Kaufman, Rossin in the Community: Best Buddies & CCAN

Christine Egan talks about her community involvement.

Which organization are you involved in and what is its objective?

I am really involved in two organizations as I am always looking for the win/win! The first is Best Buddies, which is a wonderful organization that I am proud to support. Best Buddies is a global nonprofit that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendship, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The nonprofit’s eight formal programs engage participants in all 50 states as well as in 50 countries around the world, positively impacting nearly 700,000 individuals. The second organization is The Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN). Its mission is to protect children against abuse and neglect with compassionate support and innovative professional programs and services. I am running the NYC Marathon on November 3, 2013, and raising funds to benefit both of these charities.

What is your role with the organization?

I was introduced to Best Buddies through my involvement with 100 Women in Hedge Funds as it is the charitable recipient of the year. I serve on the Board of Directors of CCAN and was introduced to CCAN through Hedge Funds Care, which is an international philanthropic effort carried out by the wonderful people in the hedge fund community and hedge fund service provider community.

Why did you decide to get involved in this organization?

I decided to become involved in these two organizations because I am passionate about protecting those most vulnerable in our society, namely children and individuals with disabilities.

How has Kaufman Rossin contributed to your success with this organization?

The Kaufman Rossin Group is supportive in so many ways. The firm encourages community involvement and board involvement, and the firm has sponsored our CCAN events in the past. In addition, the Kaufman Rossin Group Jeans Day has really taken off. One Friday each month, we get to leave our suits in the closet and rock a pair of “professional” jeans to the office – no holes please! We encourage employees to participate  in exchange for a small donation to the charity of the month. Employees get to submit their cause in advance and and then their organizations get a place on our monthly jeans day calendar. Needless to say, the 2013 calendar is full! It is a model program, and I would recommend it to any company that understands the “giving back” philosophy.

What is your advice for others who are thinking about getting involved in the community?

It’s nothing new … You get what you give!