About|Social Responsibility
OVERVIEW
Stax works on affecting outcomes beyond writing checks. We support the communities where we live and work, with a fundamental focus on education.
» Bronx Lab School, New York
» Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School, New York
» Balathotaella School, Sri Lanka
» World Vision Friends Centers, Sri Lanka
» Army Emergency Relief, U.S.
Bronx Lab School, New York
The Bronx Lab School is a part of the NYC Small School program, one of the four Small Schools created to replace the failing Evander Childs School on Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. At the closing of the Evander Childs School, the on-time graduation rate was 19%. In both 2008 and 2009, Bronx Lab’s first and second classes graduated over 90% of their students. Stax worked with then Principal Marc Sternberg (now a Whitehouse Fellow in education) and Eric Plaks, head of the Music Program, to develop a prioritized set of needs—a school shopping list. We then helped to secure funding to update school technology and contributed funds to launch a music program, providing enough keyboards so that all incoming freshmen were able to practise at home.
Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School, New York
While visiting Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary, Stax’s CEO Rafi Musher saw that nutrition was clearly an issue with the students there. Based on Stax’s work in healthcare, he was keenly aware of trends in child health and diabetes, and suggested some changes in lunches to one of the School’s board members.
In 2007, the first Food Guide Pyramid Music Program at Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary was created. The ten-week class combined nutrition and physical fitness education with performing arts as third, fourth, and fifth graders learned about healthy habits while preparing for a dance performance with professional Broadway performers. The Program won the NYS Department of Health Certificate of Achievement and has been featured on WCBS-TV, CBS, Channel 5 News, and in the Daily News.
Balathotaella School, Sri Lanka
Arj Wignaraja, head of Stax’s Sri Lanka office, put together a wish list for a small school outside Colombo. Our team in Chicago, seeking to expose students to foreign countries and charitable efforts, organized guest speakers to talk about Sri Lanka at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools where Mark Bremer, head of the Chicago office, sends his kids. Two grade 1-4 classes at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools were challenged to raise funds in parallel with Stax. The collaboration resulted in a new drinking well and playground equipment for the students at Balathotaella.
World Vision Friends Centers
For over 100 children previously living on the streets of Sri Lanka, Stax has sponsored clothing, schoolbooks, a holiday party, and an educational outing. The children are part of the World Vision Friends program that rehabilitates and integrates street kids into mainstream society as responsible citizens.
Army Emergency Relief, U.S.
Some years ago, Rafi Musher heard Ben Stein, the economist and writer, mention how we don’t take sufficient care of our military personnel—financially speaking. Since that time, Rafi and Stax colleagues have used our research and due diligence capabilities to find organizations like Army Emergency Relief that assist our servicemen and women with financial issues. In addition to contributing, we promote these agencies in our new year cards that are sent to thousands of clients who generally enjoy high incomes and have the ability and inclination to make contributions.
