Community Involvement

Manekin has been involved in corporate philanthropy since it’s beginning. Bernard and Harold Manekin founded the company with a commitment to give back to the communities in which it operates.

Throughout its history, Manekin has made long-term financial commitments and pledges to most major social and cultural organizations in Baltimore City, as well as to hundreds of non-profits throughout the region that assist women, children, the hungry, homeless, disabled, indigent and those in need of medical services.

Taking a break from commercial real estate activities to directly help those in need, the company participates in an annual Day of Caring. It has spent the Day of Caring assisting such organizations as: Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army Camp Puh’tok, Sandtown Habitat for Humanity, Gilmore Elementary School and St. Ambrose Housing Coalition. In 2007, approximately 100 Manekin employees assisted Harford Family House and Harford Habitat for Humanity. In-kind donations through Manekin’s annual Day of Caring program average $75,000.

Since 1984, the company has celebrated the holidays by hosting a party for its subcontractors and vendors. At the 2006 party, Manekin, along with 88 subcontractors and vendors contributed approximately $57,000 to 30 charities – making the history of giving related to this event approximately $644,000.

Furthermore, the company makes annual donations to the Relay for Life and annual gifts in memories of Manekin employees and family members. Numerous Manekin employees continue to sit on various non-profit boards throughout Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Harford and Howard counties. In 2007, Manekin’s property management division held a 2007 food drive for Helping Grandparents Raise Grandchildren. Through the years, several employees have tutored local school children through the Star Reading Program, participated in Toys for Tots and donated food to Viva House in Southwest Baltimore.

Manekin consistently has been one of the highest giving companies in Maryland in terms of both percentage of employees and average contributions to the United Way Campaign of Maryland. With a participation rate of 89 percent, Manekin and its employees have contributed approximately $85,000 in 2007.

Overall, Manekin takes corporate citizenship very seriously and its employees welcome the opportunity to take an active role in giving back to the community. In 2007, Manekin provided in-kind contributions and donated more than $300,000 to charity. The company previously won the Maryland Business Philanthropy Award for its commitment to improving Marylanders’ quality of life through philanthropic efforts.

Company teams participate in the Relay for Life, and the Race for the Cure and significantly, Manekin also contributes to the community through two other major annual charitable events which the company organizes on its own:

• The Karen Dean / Manekin Subcontractor’s Charity Fund : in memory of a Manekin employee who died of breast cancer in 1993, is a special contribution event, which has raised in excess of $420,000 over the history of the event, and donated to more than twenty-eight charities.
• The Annual Day of Caring : This tradition of giving back to the community was begun on the company’s fiftieth birthday in 1996, and is a direct expression of the company’s belief in not only giving to the community but actively participating in the community. One day a year, Manekin closes all its offices, leaving a minimal staff, and the rest of the employees, along with subcontractors, numbering in the hundreds contribute their “sweat equity” together in a “Day of Caring” working on a renovation project—a complete block clean-up, an elementary school renovation, and recently working on re-building, cleaning, and renovating houses for Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity.