At Biotech Week Boston (Sept 18) we spoke with Sarah MacDonald, Executive Director of Life Science Cares - a collective industry effort that works across companies in the Boston area to fight poverty in the community. MacDonald explained how they are able to work with teams to match financial and human resources to their non-profit partners:
What is Life Science Cares and what do you do?
'Life Science Cares is a collective industry effort here in greater Boston to fight poverty in our community. And we work with companies and individuals in the industry to support non profit organizations in the areas of basic human survival, education, and economic sustainability.'
Considering Life Science Cares is considered a collective industry effort to fight poverty in greater Boston, why is that method more important than companies just making donations?
'So that's a great point, and we encourage all companies to do their homework and find organizations in their community to support. But what Life Science Cares is trying to do is actually make that easier for companies, for whom their resource, either financial or human isn't significant enough to really devote time and energy to that. We are able to work across companies, across teams to really mix and match financial resources as well as talents to support our non profit partners. And we do the work on the back end, making sure the non profit partners are the most impactful, the most efficient and the most effective at fighting poverty right here.'
What can people do to help?
'Absolutely, so there are a lot of different ways to help, you can go to our website to find out more about our upcoming volunteer opportunities, which again you can sign up as an individual or recruit friends and colleagues from your company to join us. You can also make a contribution to Life Science Cares on that website as well. And 100 percent of your contribution goes to our grant making. Or you can join our various volunteer groups to help build Life Science Cares work internally. So check out lifesciencecares.org to find all of the ways you can engage.'
This interview was filmed as part of BWB TV at Biotech Week Boston in September 2018. Biotech Week Boston 2019 is taking place in Boston, MA on September 9-12, 2019. Find out more here.