posted on December 22, 2004 08:07:13 AM new
Gap to donate employees
In Colorado and elsewhere, they'll be paid and divide their time between training and volunteer activities.
Hundreds of Gap Inc. employees being displaced for three months by extensive Colorado store remodelings will be farmed out by the company - with pay - to volunteer at local nonprofits.
One Denver nonprofit leader, Jean Galloway, said companies occasionally lend employees to nonprofits. But she wasn't familiar with a program as extensive as the retail giant's.
"I think more companies should look at following suit," said Galloway, president of the Galloway Group, a Denver firm that consults with nonprofits and businesses on charitable giving programs. "It shows a sensitivity and appreciation of the needs of the nonprofit sector."
A spokeswoman for the publicly traded company said workers will remain on the payroll and divide their time between company training and volunteer activities. "It's just a part of our corporate culture," Kris Marubio said.
But many details are still being worked out.
San Francisco-based Gap Inc. will close several of its metro-area Gap stores for three months for a marketwide remodeling project that could be a prelude to a nationwide revamp. A handful of stores will remain open during the change, and two stores - one in Boulder and another in Greeley - will close permanently.
Some local Gap workers have been told they will be working with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing organization that builds shelters for people worldwide.
Habitat for Humanity officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday, and Marubio said a final roster of groups the company is working with was still being determined.
She could not specify the number of workers that would be affected but said it would most likely be "several hundred."
Stores that will close for remodeling - from mid-January to April - include those at Park Meadows in Douglas County, FlatIron Crossing in Broomfield, Aspen Grove in Littleton, and Denver Pavilions and Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver.
The company has been mum on the remodels except to say that they will involve reconfiguring its Gap, Gap Body, Gap Kids and Baby Gap offerings. Stores will also be updated with new lighting and displays.
Volunteer activities would most likely begin in February, Marubio said.
Gap's charitable outreach efforts include a program allowing headquarters employees five hours a month of paid time to volunteer in the community and another that contributes $150 to a nonprofit for every 15 hours an employee volunteers there.
Gap employees logged 22,000 hours of company-paid time in 2003. Figures for 2004 were not yet available.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 22, 2004 11:48:53 AM new
I like the idea, but is Habitat for Humanity the only charity choice?
If I had a job working at the Gap, a retail, classy fashion store, and somebody gave me a hammer and told me to "go build a house", I don't think I'd be pleased.
Not to mention some of those skinny little sales girls probably couldn't LIFT a hammer, much less USE one.
But again, it's a good thought.
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posted on December 22, 2004 12:13:38 PM new
They don't have to volunteer for anythinng replay... they can always stay home and not get paid
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 22, 2004 07:33:34 PM new
Gap, "a retail, classy fashion store" - evidently you shop at a different Gap store than I do.
Great idea. There are many jobs at Habitant for Humanity that don't require a lot of manual labor. What other non profit organizations are there that Gap employees can work for and not take jobs away from others? Habitant is ALL volunteer except for the home owner and they have to put in X amount of hours before they can qualify to own the home.
As fenix said they have a choice work for pay or stay home.
Have you ever worked in a retail store for 4 hours or even 8 hours. That might seem easy for you but I can attest that standing in one place for 4 hours or 8 hours isn't fun. In fact it is very hard on your legs and feet at least working for Habitant I bet they can at least sit down for a couple of breaks or probably even more.
posted on December 23, 2004 07:03:10 AM new
"evidently you shop at a different Gap store than I do. "
Never been there. That's the impression they give on TV.
"retail store for 4 hours or even 8 hours. "
NO. The Retail store I OWNED for 14 years, usually had me standing there 10 to 12 hours a day, dealing with every sort of stress-inducing idiot. Oh, I KNOW retail!
But I'd still rather fo that than climb a ladder and put up a new roof.
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posted on December 23, 2004 07:15:16 AM newThat's the impression they give on TV
In the mall near my old San Jose house the gap was just a store full of shelves mostly with mainly casual shirts and slacks stacked high. For sure...not an upscale store by any means.
I think the Gap giving their employees an opportunity to collect their full wages rather than just laying them all off is a considerate idea that benefits all.
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You're putting a roof on your house replay? At this time of year?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on December 23, 2004 11:09:48 AM new
Linda: In the mall near my old San Jose house
Linda, would this be Eastridge Mall?
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