Blackstone Gives Back Through 2022 Summer of Service

Blackstone initiated the Summer of Service campaign (led by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation) that works with their nonprofit partners to create community service activities.

According to the organization, this year over 1,000 employees were able to commit to 3500 hours of their time to give back. Causes range from nature conservation and education to food security and career readiness.

“Each year, Blackstone employees come together for Summer of Service — a volunteer campaign where our people share their time, talent and expertise with the communities in which we live and work,” Maura Pally, Executive Director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation said. “The energy and enthusiasm they bring to these projects reflect the firmwide culture of service we’ve built here at Blackstone. We’re incredibly proud of their accomplishments to date and look forward to continuing to make a meaningful difference in the communities that need it most.”

Here is a list of the initiatives that the organization was able to do so far:

The Childhood Trust – London

The Childhood Trust helps to alleviate the effects of childhood poverty throughout London. The organization runs a volunteering program that renovates parks and homes for economically disadvantaged children.

Blackstone volunteers helped engineers and builders fix defects in a North Kensington playground, making the park safer for the children who play there.

Blackstone LaunchPad

Blackstone LaunchPad, the Charitable Foundation’s student entrepreneurship program, helps students access key entrepreneurial skills to launch thriving careers. Over the last decade we have been present on over 50 campuses.

They’ve supported students at every level of the venture creation process – whether they’re already raising money and building out a workforce, or just have the beginnings of an idea. Summer of Service volunteers met virtually with participants in the Summer 2022 Blackstone LaunchPad Fellowship program to offer feedback on students’ presentations and business ideas.

Part of the Solution (POTS) – New York

Part of the Solution fights poverty and hunger in the Bronx by providing personalized, comprehensive care to members of the community. This includes services such as access to showers, meals, medical care and legal guidance.

Blackstone employees worked alongside kitchen staff in the POTS Community Dining Room, which serves hundreds of meals each day. Volunteers washed dishes, packed to-go containers and served meals during the lunch rush.

Billion Oyster Project (BOP) – New York

Billion Oyster Project works to restore oyster reefs in the New York Harbor and educate volunteers on the importance of conserving local ecosystems.

Blackstone employees helped clean oyster shells in support of BOP’s Shell Collection Program, which processes discarded oyster shells donated by restaurants and uses them to build new reefs. Our volunteers organized and washed shells on Governors Island so that BOP could reintroduce them into the harbor.

Publicolor – New York

Publicolor promotes the long-term success of at-risk students, engaging them through after-school initiatives, scholarships, apprenticeship and professional development opportunities that span from 7th grade through high school, college and beyond.

Blackstone employees worked with Publicolor students to paint various public schools and Department of Education offices in New York City. The volunteer program also encourages informal mentorship, which sparked conversations between students and our team about their life experiences and career journeys.

New York Cares – New York

New York Cares is the largest volunteer network in NYC offering thousands of volunteer opportunities with nonprofits and schools in all five boroughs.

Blackstone volunteers pictured here revitalized Marcus Garvey Park in Central Harlem.

Institute of Technical Education (ITE) – Singapore

The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) provides technical secondary education in Singapore. Blackstone’s Singapore team began a mentorship program with ITE East Campus students to offer career advice.

Blackstone volunteers held their first session with their mentees in May and continued to connect with them throughout the summer. Mentors met with students once a month to review their CVs, give tips on preparing for interviews and provide advice on career paths.