2017 Pay-It-Forward Efforts Net $16,000 in Honor of Clients

Pictured above: Erin Koury of Gabriel Group with Bill Wallace, President, and Christine Cronin, Vice President, of Missouri Veterans Endeavor

After another full calendar year of fundraising, Gabriel Group’s Pay-It-Forward initiative has continued to impress with a grand total of $16,000 collected for the company’s 2017 nonprofit organization of choice, Missouri Veterans Endeavor (MOVE-STL). Bolstering the largest amount raised to date, Gabriel Group has now completed its tenth year of partnering with a local charity in order to directly impact the St. Louis community through year-round giving in lieu of a traditional Christmas gift to clients.

MOVE-STL is a nonprofit organization that provides long-term supportive housing and comprehensive services to veterans and their family members. MOVE-STL was established in 2012 and currently houses 30 veterans, 16 dependents and 9 children, providing a wide range of services including case management, employment assistance, job training, sobriety support and permanent housing.

On top of traditional fundraising events including raffle basket drawings and happy hours, Gabriel Group associates were also given the opportunity to volunteer at MOVE-STL by using company time to give back. This was the first year an option to directly volunteer for our PIF organization during Gabriel Group hours was available. Following a large end-of-the-year push to break 2016’s record of $15,000, Pay-It-Forward Committee Lead Erin Koury presented a check for $16,000 to MOVE-STL leadership on February 5, 2018.

To date, Gabriel Group has funded a spring water aqueduct in the Dominican Republic to provide children with safe drinking water; built four double-family homes for families in earthquake-ravaged Haiti; funded a new classroom at an early childhood education center in Zambia; provided food and clothing to an orphanage in Mozambique; supported relief efforts following the tornado in Joplin; helped local St. Louis children suffering from abuse or neglect; and partnered with an organization close to associates’ hearts after losing one of our own to ovarian cancer.

We couldn’t be prouder to have continued increasing our annual Pay-It-Forward contribution as we as a company work to make a difference in the St. Louis area. Keep an eye out for our next big announcement where we will be naming our 2018 Pay-It-Forward organization nominee in just a few short weeks! Onward and upward!