DENVER, Jan. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether serving meals to families at the Ronald McDonald House, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, rolling up their sleeves at a local soup kitchen,  putting smiles on the faces of children battling illness or neglect, supporting veterans and their families, or helping students achieve their dream of a college education, Apartment Investment and Management Company team members nationwide demonstrated the importance of giving back to their communities during the company's 10th anniversary year of its philanthropic program, Aimco Cares. 

Established in 2004, Aimco Cares was created to build stronger communities where Aimco team members live and work by giving each employee 10 paid hours to use in volunteer service to local nonprofits.  In 2014, each team member had the opportunity to use 20 volunteer hours during a special year that marked both the 10th anniversary of Aimco Cares and the 20th anniversary of Aimco becoming a public company. As the year came to a close, Aimco Cares had made a positive difference for hundreds of nonprofits, touching thousands of lives.  Highlights of the year included:

• Team members participating in 140 separate volunteer initiatives coast-to-coast, such as stuffing Joy Jars with toys for children with cancer in Orange County, CA in partnership with the Jesse Rees Foundation; painting sets for the children's Greasepaint Theater in Phoenix, AZ; hosting an annual barbeque and a Halloween party for residents of the Tennyson Center for abused and neglected children in Denver, CO;  creating care packages for Operation Support Our Troops in Chicago, IL; sorting donations at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in Indianapolis, IN; visiting patients at the Shriner's Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC;  collecting and distributing food to those in need through Philabundance in Philadelphia, PA; preparing meals for clients of the D.C. Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C.; and serving dinner to residents of Rosie's Place women's shelter in Boston, MA.
• Raising nearly $540,000 in the annual Aimco Cares Charity Golf Classic to benefit the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, which helps families cope with the loss of a loved one in the line of duty; Project Sanctuary, which sponsors therapeutic retreats for families reuniting after overseas duty; and the Aimco Cares Opportunity Scholarship, which makes grants to college-bound students living in affordable housing.  This yearly event raises money from corporate sponsorships and has grossed more than $3 million dollars since the first tournament took place 11 years ago.
• Awarding $68,000 in educational grants to 34 children of Aimco team members through the Aimco Cares Scholarship Program.  Since its inception nine years ago, the program has provided 491 college scholarships.
• Distributing a total of $16,000 in proceeds to local nonprofits from 36 area "Jeans Weeks," during which team members paid $10 to "go casual for a cause."  
• Presenting Aimco Cares Star Volunteer awards to team members who went "above and beyond" in organizing volunteer activities for their local communities.  The Aimco teams in Greenville, SC, and Indianapolis, IN received special honors for having 100% of their employees participate in Aimco Cares this year.

"Fundamental to the success of Aimco Cares is the heartfelt commitment of our team members to make a significant contribution to their neighbors and partners in their local communities," said Aimco Chief Administrative Officer Miles Cortez. "Our program is born of Aimco's cultural pillars of valuing relationships and creating moments that matter in the lives of countless individuals.  It promotes collaborative teamwork and community involvement and materially advances our goal of solid corporate citizenship." 

"Aimco Cares has been pivotal to the growth and success of the NLHA's Education Fund which makes a critical difference in whether a student in affordable housing can go to college," said NLHA Executive Director Denise Muha. "Some 200 low-income students over the past five years have had the opportunity to attend college, due in large part to the support of Aimco."

"It's rare to find a group of people dedicated to making a difference in our community and it's even more rare when that group of people is all tied to one company that stands behind their efforts," said Tera Prim, Senior Development Officer for Tennyson Center for Children. "We thank Aimco for knowing that the community is vitally important, particularly the children in it, and for giving their team the chance to be part of that community through their volunteer efforts and kindness."

The success of the Aimco Cares program has been instrumental in fostering team engagement.  When selected a 2014 Top Workplace by the Denver Post for the second consecutive year, Aimco received high praise from team members for putting an emphasis on giving back.  Ninety percent of employees commended Aimco's contributions to their communities, and 95% reported that they are proud of their accomplishments, community impact and Aimco's national reputation.

Aimco is one of the country's largest owners and operators of apartments, with 204 communities in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Aimco common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AIV and are included in the S&P 500.  

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SOURCE Aimco