At RAND, giving back is woven into everyday life, from office fundraisers and volunteer days to donation drives that support our neighbors across New York City. Through our RAND Gives Back program, staff come together throughout the year to support organizations that fight hunger, expand educational opportunities, and lift up New Yorkers in need.
This Giving Tuesday, we’re reflecting on what our team has done so far in 2025, and what’s still ahead.
9/11 Day Meal Pack at the Intrepid Museum
In September, RAND employees once again joined thousands of volunteers at the Intrepid Museum for the 9/11 Day of Service Meal Pack aboard the USS Intrepid, part of a two-day effort that brought together more than 6,500 volunteers to pack over 2 million meals for New Yorkers facing food insecurity. This year’s event supported the work of City Harvest and the Food Bank for NYC.
What has become an annual tradition for RAND is also a meaningful way to connect remembrance with action, supporting our neighbors while honoring the spirit of service that defines 9/11 Day.
Empowering Women Reentering the Workforce: Bottomless Closet
This year, RAND partnered with Bottomless Closet, a New York City nonprofit that helps women prepare to reenter the workforce with confidence. In November, we hosted an in-office event for women preparing for interviews and new job opportunities.
RAND volunteers led a presentation on the interviewing and hiring process, sharing practical tips from both sides of the table, and then joined small-group roundtables where participants could ask questions about resumes, networking, workplace expectations, and career paths. Staff also prepared swag bags filled with small luxury items such as perfume and makeup to help each woman feel her best for upcoming interviews.
Following the event, we launched a clothes and coat drive at the office, collecting gently used professional attire and winter coats for Bottomless Closet clients.
Volunteering with Volunteer New York!
This year, our partnership with Volunteer New York! expanded to four separate volunteer events, giving staff multiple ways to get involved. Across these projects, RAND employees spent time assembling items, lending hands-on support, and working directly with organizations that serve vulnerable populations in our region.
These events continue to be an accessible way for team members to step away from their desks and give time, energy, and care to the community.
Supporting Health and Equity
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In October, RAND Gives Back once again supported the Young Survival Coalition, which focuses on the unique challenges faced by young adults diagnosed with breast cancer. For each employee who wore pink, RAND pledged a donation, with a 2025 fundraising goal of $3,000. With contributions still being tallied as of Giving Tuesday, this effort is on track to provide meaningful support to young people facing breast cancer.
Hispanic Heritage Month Movie Night
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, RAND hosted a movie night that brought staff together to learn, connect, and reflect. In conjunction with the event, RAND donated $1,600 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to help expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students.
Literacy and Learning: My Own Book & Brooklyn Tech
Book Bingo for My Own Books
Our annual Book Bingo event returned this year, combining a fun staff activity with a serious purpose: supporting literacy for New York City students. Through this year’s game, RAND donated $3,000 to My Own Books, an organization that helps provide books to children in under-resourced communities.
Looking Ahead: Brooklyn Tech Science Olympiad
Later this season, RAND will support the Brooklyn Technical High School Science Olympiad team for the first time, with a $1,500 donation to help students on their journey to the Olympiad. This new partnership reflects our commitment to STEM education and to opening doors for the next generation of engineers and problem solvers.
Backpacks, Food, and Coats: Meeting Everyday Needs
New Alternatives for Children (NAC)
As part of our ongoing relationship with New Alternatives for Children, RAND staff helped prepare 192 backpacks for children with complex medical needs and their families. Each backpack was filled with school supplies to help students start the year with the tools they need to succeed.
City Harvest Food Drive
Our City Harvest food drive brought in just under $500 in donations from staff, which RAND matched. Combined with collected goods, these contributions support City Harvest’s work delivering food to pantries and community programs across the city.
Winter Wishes: Holiday Gifts for Local Students
Looking ahead, RAND employees are participating in Winter Wishes, fulfilling holiday wish lists for students at two schools. More than 200 children will receive gifts - sometimes the only holiday gift they may receive this year. Staff across the firm are pitching in to wrap and organize the gifts so they’re ready to be shipped and received on time, adding a personal touch of care to each package.
Thank You to Our RAND Team
None of these efforts would be possible without the enthusiasm, generosity, and follow-through of our RAND Gives Back volunteers, organizers, and donors. From packing meals and backpacks to hosting bingo games, movie nights, and drives, our team continues to show up for communities across New York.
This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to learn more about and support the organizations we’ve partnered with this year:
- 9/11 Day
- Volunteer New York!
- Young Survival Coalition
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- City Harvest
- Bottomless Closet
- My Own Books
- New Alternatives for Children
- Brooklyn Technical High School Science Olympiad
Together, these efforts reflect what RAND Gives Back is all about: using our time, resources, and skills to help build stronger, more connected communities.
Isabelle Walsh is Human Resources Manager at RAND
