The winner of the third annual Business Philanthropy award was R & B Inc. The winner was announced last week at a breakfast honoring the nominees, sponsored by the Alexandria Volunteer Bureau.
R & B was nominated by the Carpenter’s Shelter. For more than 10 years, R & B has assisted the Shelter in numerous ways, responding immediately to problems with industrial equipment like refrigerators and air conditioning systems, and offering large discounts for regular service for the shelter’s heating and cooling needs.
R & B is a regular corporate sponsor of various Shelter events including the annual Carpenter’s cook-off and sponsors all of the Shelter’s children in the Help the Homeless Walkathon.
Other nominees were Stardust Restaurant and Lunge, Monarc Construction, Inc. and Dwyer Plumbing Corp.
Kerry Donley, the former mayor of Alexandria and a vice president at Virginia Commerce Bank, was the master of ceremonies. At the beginning of the program, Donley asked for the 17 nonprofit exhibitors to briefly discuss their mission and their volunteer needs.
“Kerry was terrific,” said Bill North-Rudin, the executive director of the Alexandria Volunteer Bureau. “We want this event to be about corporations participating with nonprofits, recognizing outstanding contributions in this area and encouraging others to become equally involved. We were very pleased with the event because of the tone and because we raised about $9,000 for AVB.”
Approximately 130 people attended the event, including most members of the Alexandria City Council. “I want to congratulate R & B and to say 'Well Done' to them,” said Vice Mayor Redella S. “Del” Pepper.
For information about volunteering to assist a local nonprofit through the AVB, call 703-8366-2176 or visit AVB online at alexandriavolunteers.com.
<1b>—Carla Branch