Sands' Regions and Team Members Brightened Communities This Past Holiday Season
Volunteerism and winter celebrations took center stage during November and December, with Sands Team Members participating in a variety of programs that included local charitable engagements, holiday events and roadshows hosted by the regions.
A few examples of holiday programs in Sands’ regions around the world included:
Aiding People with Disabilities and Families in Las Vegas
Corporate Team Members conducted a few holiday volunteer activations, including participating in Opportunity Village’s annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run to raise money for the nonprofit organization’s mission of serving people with intellectual and related disabilities to positively impact their lives and the lives of the families who love them. The run was held in early December, and 70 Team Members participated.
Also in December, several corporate Team Members helped decorate for the holidays at East Valley Family Services to support the nonprofit organization’s celebrations for its beneficiaries. East Valley Family Services provides Las Vegas families with a range of resources, including food assistance, health insurance advocacy, and support for elder caregivers and families facing hardship.
Supporting Caritas Macau and the Performing Arts in Macao
In November, Sands China donated MOP 300,000 (approx. $37,500) to Caritas Macau for two of its annual events, the 54th Charity Bazaar and the 2023 Charity Run, marking the company’s 20th year of supporting the social service organization. Sands China has long helped promote Caritas Macau’s services, and Team Members regularly volunteer for its events.
The Sands Cares Ambassador volunteer corps again supported these two events, with more than 100 Team Members participating. Efforts included running a game booth at the bazaar to raise funds for Caritas Macau and participating in the run, which raised funds for one of Caritas Macau’s new elderly care service programs.
Sands China established its Sands Cares Ambassador program in 2009 to give Team Members outlets for serving the local community through activities and initiatives that work toward creating a better Macao. With membership of more than 3,300 volunteers from all of Sands China’s properties, Sands Cares Ambassadors have contributed more than 302,000 hours of community service since the program’s founding.
For one of its December initiatives, Sands China teamed up with the Macau Band Directors Association for the Sands China Performing Arts Program Outreach Series – Winter Showcase, which featured three community performances. Supported by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the initiative aimed to promote the vibrant performing arts scene in Macao.
More than 230 musicians from Macao and Japan participated in the showcase with outdoor performances at The Venetian® Macao and the Macao Cultural Centre Square. These free concerts offered a unique opportunity for the public to enjoy wind music during the winter season.
On Dec. 16, more than 110 members from Japan’s Hachioji High School Wind Orchestra performed in Macao for the first time at the Macao Cultural Centre Square, delivering a lively, large-scale marching band performance. Sands China invited more than 130 participants from Against Child Abuse (Macau) Association Child Protection Centre and Good Shepherd Sisters Women’s Mutual Help Centre, as well as Sands Cares Ambassadors, to enjoy this first show of the series to share the joy of the festive season with the community.
With Christmas approaching, Sands Cares Ambassadors presented Christmas gift packs to the members of the local nongovernmental organizations. The gift packs, made and packaged by Fuhong Society of Macau students and purchased by Sands China, are part of Sands China’s support for the Gift Pack Community Sharing Programme, which aims to provide job opportunities for people with disabilities by making gift bags, allowing them to develop their talents, while promoting social harmony.
At the end of the month, the Macau Youth Symphonic Band, a long-time hub for nurturing local music professionals, played festive holiday favorites on Dec. 28 at The Venetian Macao’s lagoon area, and well-known anime and J-pop songs on Dec. 30 at the Macao Cultural Centre Square.
Making a Difference in Singapore
From December 5-12, Marina Bay Sands hosted the Sands Cares Let’s Go M.A.D. (Make a Difference) roadshow for Team Members. The weeklong back-of-house series featured an array of activities in which Team Members were able to support the local community and extend their knowledge around ways to engage in community service.
A giving bazaar with APSN, a social service agency that supports residents living with intellectual disabilities; the Singapore Association for the Deaf; and local businesses, including The Shy Crafter and Olive & Woods, raised $4,000 through sales of food and handmade merchandise to Team Members.
More than 50 Team Members participated in a blood drive, and 22 Team Members participated in CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) workshops, both conducted by the Singapore Red Cross. All Team Members participating in the CPR/AED workshops passed the provider assessment and received CPR certifications.
The series also included hosting impact conversations to help Team Members deepen their understanding of intellectual and hearing disabilities, homelessness and dyslexia. In addition, Team Members learned sign language skills.
Finally, more than 800 Team Members signed into their profiles on Sands’ new volunteerism platform and gained a deeper understanding of its role in better organizing and tracking the company’s volunteerism initiatives through how-to videos and informational signage.
To learn more about Sands’ commitment to its communities around the world, read the company’s latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/2022-environmental-social-and-governance-report/
