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Local homeless and economically disadvantaged children were the recipients of a $10,000 cash donation and a school facelift courtesy of the Risk Insurance Management Society (RIMS), who held their annual meeting at the San Diego Convention Center, April 27-May 1. RIMS, which attracted more than 10,000 attendees from around the globe, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the practice of risk management, a professional discipline that protects physical, financial and human resources.
The $10,000 cash donation went to the Monarch School, a school that provides accredited educational programs and a stable environment to homeless and at-risk youth. RIMS made the donation on behalf of their 400 guest speakers, in lieu of thank-you gifts typically purchased. RIMS coordinated the donation through the Convention Center’s Donations Program. The program assists Convention Center clients wishing to make monetary donations or with donating usable, leftover event materials to local nonprofits. Material donations have ranged anywhere from leftover food from events to backpacks, automotive supplies and carpeting. In addition, the Convention Center helps facilitate volunteers for community improvement efforts.
“The generous donations of time and money by RIMS, their attendees and exhibitors are deeply appreciated by the San Diego community,” said Carol Wallace, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center. “I am always touched by how willing our clients are to give back to their host community.”
“If there’s any city that we can give back to, a city that’s been so generous to RIMS, its attendees and exhibitors, it’s San Diego,” said Salvatore Chiarelli, Director of Meeting and Events for RIMS.
During their convention, RIMS attendees and exhibitors also partnered with Volunteer San Diego to renovate and beautify the King Chavez Academy Charter School, an elementary school in Barrio Logan. The community service day was supported by the AON Corporation, a global provider of risk management and workforce productivity solutions. Nearly 200 volunteers spent a day at the school building benches, planting trees, painting a mural, and creating a Zen-like garden for the children.
RIMS, like many of the associations and groups that come to the Convention Center, made it a point to make a positive impact on San Diego. In 2007, a total of 19.7 tons of materials were donated to local non-profits by various groups through our donations program.
The San Diego Convention Center Corporation is a public benefit corporation created by the City of San Diego. The Corporation is exclusively responsible for marketing, managing and operating the Convention Center. In its 19-year history, the Center has generated nearly $15.2 billion in economic impact, over $309.8 million in tax revenues and continues to serve as San Diego’s premier gathering place.
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