By Special to the Town Crier
The Community Foundation Silicon Valley honored Adobe Systems founders and Los Altos residents Charles (Chuck) M. Geschke and John E. Warnock with its annual Corporate Community Involvement Award at the foundation’s 47th annual meeting, Oct. 23.
Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen also shared in the honor.
“Adobe’s leadership team has put into action the core values that the company has adopted, including supporting charitable causes and public benefit programs financially and through volunteerism, and providing a good example to the community of progressive employment and business practices,” said Peter Hero, president of Community Foundation Silicon Valley. “Adobe was one of the first companies in the valley to commit $1 million to the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County, recognizing that companies will not thrive when workers’ basic needs are out of reach.”
“We are honored that Community Foundation Silicon Valley has selected us for this award,” Chizen said. “Since its founding in 1982, Adobe has made giving back to the community through charitable activity and volunteerism one of our corporate commitments.”
“My partner, John Warnock, and I made a decision early on to involve our employees in directing and administering Adobe’s philanthropic giving programs,” Geschke said. “An award or recognition such as this truly belongs to Adobe’s employees who support worthy causes not only financially but with their talent, time and creativity.”
Adobe focuses its philanthropic resources on improving student performance in K-12 education and breaking the cycle of poverty, specifically hunger and homelessness. The company has partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network and the Cisco Networking Academies.
Adobe is the second largest PC software company in the United States with annual revenues exceeding $1.2 billion. Community Foundation Silicon Valley, founded in 1954, looks to build stronger community with what leaders call “strategic philanthropy.” Its assets exceed $585 million and the foundation awards $52 million in grants annually.
