AbbVie Employees Volunteer to Make a Difference with Two School Makeovers

July 25, 2013 (Lake County, Ill.) – Employees from AbbVie, the Lake County-based biopharmaceutical company, are coming together to take part in a three day school beautification project at two middle schools in the community. United Way of Lake County (UWLC) has coordinated this extensive effort, which will take place on July 29 through July 31 at Webster Middle School and Abbott Middle School in Waukegan. Nearly 400 AbbVie employees are expected to help with various volunteer opportunities at the schools.

On Monday, July 29, AbbVie volunteers at Webster Middle School will be weeding and adding new plants to the exterior areas of the school, sprucing up the baseball field and painting and repairing the benches. They will also be adding flowers to planters and giving exterior doors a fresh coat of paint.

Starting Monday, July 29 through Wednesday, July 31, another set of AbbVie volunteers will be at Abbott Middle School, working on a number of projects both inside and outside of the school. Duties include painting multiple areas, sprucing up all of the grounds and garden, painting the school marquis and retiling the wheelchair ramp inside the building.

“AbbVie is dedicated to making an impact in the community, especially when it comes to students and education,” said Azita Saleki-Gerhardt, senior vice president of operations, AbbVie and UWLC board member. “It’s truly inspiring to see so many of our employees signing up to make a difference, and we are so glad to work with United Way of Lake County on this unique volunteer opportunity.”

 AbbVie is committed to these “school makeovers” in Waukegan.  In addition to employees volunteering their time, AbbVie has also covered all the costs of materials and tools to complete these projects. This service-oriented attitude is infectious, as groundskeepers and custodians from both of the middle schools are also jumping on board to offer their time and expertise. Additionally, Lake County-based Rustoleum is donating all of the paint for these projects, and some employees have signed up to help volunteer as well.

United Way of Lake County is proud to offer a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the year for individuals, small groups and corporate teams. To learn more about volunteering in Lake County, please visit www.liveunitedlakecounty.org/volunteer or contact Community Engagement Manager Carolina Herrera at 847-775-1011 or Carolina.Herrera@uwlakeco.org.

About AbbVie:
AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott. The company’s mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world’s most complex and serious diseases. In 2013, AbbVie employs approximately 21,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries. For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

About United Way of Lake County:

United Way of Lake County (UWLC) is preparing our children to succeed in a changing world by focusing on education and building safe and stable families. Working with nonprofit agencies and community partners, we have identified four key programs to prepare children to succeed: Success By 6 Program – prepare for kindergarten; Reading Success Program – read at grade level; Stay in School Program – graduate high school; Safe and Stable Families Program – empowering families. UWLC is overcoming reading and educational barriers by reaching children, from preschool through high school, through these key programs. The overall effect and benefits are multiplied by the strong collaboration with agencies and our community partners. For more information, visit www.LIVEUNITEDlakecounty.org.