Company Overview  |  History  |  Executives  |  Community Relations       At CDW, we don’t just invest in the success of our customers. We also invest in the success of our community and the communities of our coworkers, customers and industry partners. CDW is an active contributor to communities where we live and work. For more than 20 years, CDW and its coworkers have contributed millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to national and local charitable activities. CDW’s founding principals are organized into the “Circle of Service” philosophy, in which “everything revolves around the customer.” Our Circle of Service philosophy extends beyond our customers to reach out to the communities where we work and live. Each year, CDW receives thousands of requests for charitable support from our customers and community organizations. Although the number of incoming requests has made appropriating the funds more challenging, CDW does its best to contribute to as many of these organizations as possible. At CDW, we make it a priority to contribute to a wide range of charitable programs and events in the communities in which our company does business and our coworkers live and work. Some of the highlights of the programs and organizations CDW supports are: The Center for Enriched Living (CEL) — nonprofit agency for children and adults with developmental disabilities such as mental retardation. Members range in age from 10 to 80 and come from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. CEL offers after-school, evening and weekend programs for social enrichment and skill development. The Greater Chicago Food Depository — one of the largest nonprofit food distribution centers in the United States, feeding more than 310,000 hungry children and adults in Cook County, Illinois annually. The Depository is committed to efficiently distributing donated and purchased food through qualified agencies such as soup kitchens, shelters and pantries. Children’s Miracle Network — is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America and Canada. The 170 hospitals they support are there 24-hours a day to help kids of every age and background overcome every imaginable disease and injury, regardless of a family's ability to pay. Operation Homefront — provides emergency assistance and morale to our U.S. troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home. A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded after September 11, Operation Homefront leads more than 2500 volunteers in 26 chapters nationwide. Since its inception, Operation Homefront has provided critical assistance to more than 40,000 military families in need. Big Brothers Big Sisters — helps children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that have a measurable impact on youth. Junior Achievement — JA’s purpose has been to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise and understand business and economics to improve the quality of their lives. Hispanic Heritage Organization — this nonprofit organization was created to enhance educational and cultural awareness for Hispanic and non-Hispanics in Illinois. This organization hosts the opening event for Hispanic Heritage Month to showcase the contributions of the Hispanic community and their heritage. The Hispanic Heritage Organization was the first organization to spearhead this event in Illinois and to bring focus on the rich heritage of the Hispanic/Latino people. I.C. Stars — this not-for-profit provides inner-city youth with opportunities to harness the strength of technology for social and economic leadership. By integrating technology training and leadership development, I. C. Stars is helping shape the next generation of technology leaders. CDW is committed to bridging the digital divide by providing technology products to organizations that help improve communities through strategic partnerships. We partner with many organizations by providing a wide-range of products to help raise money for many charitable organizations nationally. CDW is also committed to providing today’s students with education and awareness through the use of technology. Many of our executives demonstrate firsthand their commitment to the community by providing their time and expertise to many local charitable and not-for-profit organizations. Some of the organizations that benefit from CDW executive presence on their Board of Directors include The Center for Enriched Living, The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois, Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Art Institute of Chicago, Ravinia Festival, America Scores Chicago and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Lake County. CDW is proud to provide our coworkers with a Matching Charitable Contributions Program. Through this program, the company allows our coworkers to participate in directing our corporate contributions. CDW will match up to $1,000 per quarter (for an annual maximum of $4,000) per eligible coworker to a qualified charitable organization of their choice. Getting up close and personal with the community is an important part of CDW culture. CDW supports our coworkers’ desire to give back to their communities by offering one paid Community Service Day Off per year. Participation is entirely voluntary. The following are just a few highlights of organizations benefiting from coworker volunteer efforts: Habitat for Humanity — a nonprofit housing organization. Habitat seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Hundreds of CDW coworkers volunteer each year to help support this goal of eliminating poverty housing. American Cancer Society (ACS) — a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Each year, CDW and its coworkers participate in the Relay for Life, an event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and ACS programs. Chicago Cares — a charity that responds to the critical human service, educational and environmental needs of Chicago by creating, managing and leading effective and innovative volunteer service programs, which foster the ethic of volunteerism, promote a sense of community and support their partnerships with community organizations. CDW coworkers volunteer in the Chicago Cares Serve-A-Thon by painting, planting and cleaning up Chicago public schools, parks and community centers. Chase Corporate Challenge — a race of Chicago-based companies who come together for a 3.5-mile walk/run. For the past few years, CDW has been recognized for outstanding participation. Proceeds from this race are donated to charitable organizations throughout Chicagoland. Big Brothers Big Sisters — an organization that is dedicated to bringing friendship, guidance and emotional support to youth through positive adult role models. CDW provides financial support, while numerous coworkers volunteer their time by mentoring children. Junior Achievement — a nonprofit that educates and inspires young people to value free enterprise, business and economics to improve the quality of their lives. CDW provides financial support, while numerous coworkers volunteer by mentoring students. American Red Cross — the nation’s premier emergency response organization. CDW coworkers have been trained for the ARC’s local disaster response volunteer program, “Ready When the Time Comes.” Read more about how CDW has impacted the world. If you are interested in seeking a charitable contribution from CDW, please visit our Donations page.