Ernst & Young LLP Donates $100K to MENTOR’s Youth Programs
MENTOR’s Celebrity Roast hosted by David Feherty and Samuel L. Jackson features Ernst & Young LLP’s Nancy Altobello and employee ‘Mentor of the Year’
(3BL Media) New York, NY - September 10, 2012 - Ernst & Young LLP celebrated its commitment to youth mentoring by donating $100,000 to MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and sponsoring MENTOR’s Champions Golf Challenge for the second year in a row. One hundred percent of Ernst & Young LLP’s donation will benefit MENTOR, the leading champion for youth mentoring in the United States. The tournament is co-hosted by Celtics legend Bill Russell and features the MENTOR Celebrity Roast hosted by the Golf Channel’s David Feherty and actor/philanthropist Samuel L Jackson. The dinner program included commentary from Ernst & Young LLP’s Vice Chair of People, Nancy Altobello, and the presentation of the firm’s Mentor of the Year, Nicole Griffith.
“Mentoring is a long-standing priority of Ernst & Young LLP and this significant donation represents the firm’s dedication to helping MENTOR develop America’s young people,” said Altobello. “Being a mentor is of great personal importance to me and I am thrilled that MENTOR is celebrating the leadership and dedication required to be a mentor.”
Beyond the firm’s financial support of MENTOR, Altobello has served on the organization’s board of directors since 2012 and previously served on the board of Massachusetts Mentoring Partnership for nine years. Thousands of Ernst & Young LLP people currently volunteer as mentors through the firm’s relationships with not-for-profits and through local schools and community based-organizations, as well as the firm’s signature volunteer program College MAP (Mentoring for Access and Persistence).
“MENTOR's strength comes from the dedication of thousands of mentoring professionals, millions of volunteer mentors, our engaged partners and strong board leadership. We thank both Nancy Altobello and Ernst & Young LLP for their continued commitment to expanding quality youth mentoring,” said David Shapiro, MENTOR President and CEO.
Last night’s star-studded celebrity roast was hosted by actor Samuel L. Jackson and the Golf Channel’s David Feherty and featured commentary by NBA greats Julius Erving, Charles Barkley and Alonzo Mourning and football legend Jim Brown, among others.
Ernst & Young LLP’s Nicole Griffith was the only mentor honored by a sponsor at the event. Griffith, a lead recruiter for the Financial Services Office, has mentored New York City high school students since 2001 through iMentor, but her commitment to mentoring extends back to her days as a college student at Cornell. Whether she is helping new members of her team at Ernst & Young LLP adapt to life at the firm, reaching out to minority high school students through the Cornell Alumni Ambassador Network, or helping her mentees become college ready, Griffith believes that creating a strong personal connection is one of the ways she can make a difference.
“I am very thankful to be recognized for my commitment to youth mentoring at this exciting event,” said Griffith. “I am so appreciative to the people who have helped me along the way, and I want to give others the same opportunities I had. For me, mentoring is about setting up people for success. “
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.
For more information, please visit www.ey.com.
Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited that provides professional services to clients in the US.
About MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership
The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) is the lead champion for youth mentoring in the United States. MENTOR’s goal is to help children by providing a public voice, developing and delivering resources to mentoring programs nationwide, and promoting quality for mentoring through standards, cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art tools. MENTOR works closely with State Mentoring Partnerships and more than 5,000 mentoring programs and volunteer centers throughout the country, serving more than 3 million children in all 50 states. There are currently 18 million children in America who want and need a mentor, but only three million have one. MENTOR’s mission is to close the gap so that every one of those 15 million children has a caring adult in their life. www.mentoring.org.
