“Even though we were unable to coordinate events for our employees to show their support in person due to the pandemic, we still felt it important to make a contribution to these organizations that tirelessly serve our communities,” commented Dr. Bernd Türk, CEO of HQ Capital.

Since its launch in 2017, HQ Capital Gives Back! initiatives have focused on partnerships and support for organizations meeting the needs of underprivileged and vulnerable populations in our local communities. In line with this global theme, each office has generously donated to the following organizations:

In Frankfurt, we continue our support for Children for a better World (https://www.children.de/). Children for a better World is a donation-financed children’s aid organization based in Munich. It was founded by Gabriele Quandt and Florian Langenscheidt in 1994 to fight childhood poverty and create opportunities for children and youth to support their own communities. The initiative also involves children participating directly in multiple fields of charitable work, enabling them to take responsibility for their lives, their future, and the society they live in. During the pandemic, Children for a better World established an emergency fund to provide food vouchers, play packages, lessons at home, and digital tutoring to serve the 4,500 children and families associated with the program. HQ Capital’s donation will support this initiative and goes directly to a project for children in need in Frankfurt. The team previously supported Children for a better World with a social day as part of HQ Capital Gives Back! in 2019.

In New York, we selected the Food Bank for New York City (https://www.foodbanknyc.org/). Food Bank for New York City is the first organization we supported with our HQ Capital Gives Back! initiative and continues to be an essential hunger-relief program serving New York City. During this pandemic, Food Bank has taken proactive steps to safely provide food and other resources for the New Yorkers who rely on them. Our donation will be used to provide emergency food to vulnerable New Yorkers who may be quarantined, along with those impacted by the economic downturn.

In Hong Kong, we selected Oxfam Hong Kong (https://www.oxfam.org.hk/en). Oxfam Hong Kong dates back to 1976 when volunteers joined together to open a shop for second-hand goods in Hong Kong and raised funds for anti-poverty projects around the world. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oxfam has reached over 46,000 people in Hong Kong and over 14.3 million around the world, providing access to clean water, distributing masks, hand cleansing supplies and other relief items to street cleaners, the elderly, the visually impaired, those with mental illness, low-income families, and ethnic minorities. Our donation will be used to help keep Oxfam’s inventory well stocked to protect the front-line workers and these vulnerable communities during this difficult time.

HQ Capital will continue to support its local communities through our HQ Capital Gives Back! initiative. In addition to the corporate donations per region, the team has also made private contributions and is in close contact with the charitable organizations offering support.

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Forty employees volunteered to work at Concrete Safaris’ “Back-2-School Bash” for the children and families of Public School 57 in East Harlem. Concrete Safaris is a non-profit organization focused on improving the health and fitness of underprivileged children. The fair offered the children a day of fun which included an obstacle course, games, arts and crafts, face painting, music, and giveaways in the form of school supplies.

“We are proud of the teamwork, enthusiasm and dedication of our employees,” said Ben Wilson, Managing Director at HQ Capital. “Watching the children and families enjoy the last day of summer break with so much excitement and festivity showed us how impactful our combined efforts can be on our communities. We are grateful to have been able to support the work of Concrete Safaris.”

This is HQ Capital’s second time partnering with Concrete Safaris. Last year, HQ Capital participated in the organization’s “Green Exercise Day” gardening and outdoor play event.

For more information about Concrete Safaris, visit www.concretesafaris.org.

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More than 30 employees attended the event, hosted by Pajama Program, a national organization dedicated to providing new pajamas and books to vulnerable children in support of a caring bedtime ritual and good night’s sleep. The Reading Party began with introductions and then the children spent an hour reading with their adult “reading buddies.” At the end of the Reading Party, the children each selected a book of their choice to take home and were presented with a new pair of pajamas, specially wrapped and labeled with their name. Each child was given a round of applause to encourage their participation in reading activities.

“As a parent of teenage children, the Reading Party brought back memories of reading to my own children. Knowing the importance of this activity made the experience especially meaningful,” said Chris Lawrence, Managing Director at HQ Capital. “The event was well-run, and the staff is extremely devoted and caring. It was truly rewarding to have contributed to the impact the Pajama Program is making in the lives of these kids.”

Pajama Program was founded in 2001 by Genevieve Piturro after she was asked by a young girl living in a shelter, “What are pajamas?” Piturro regularly read to children at a local shelter and was shocked to realize how many did not have pajamas to change into or a book to read before bedtime. She started the program with the goal of helping to transform bedtime into a loving ritual for children living in difficult circumstances. The program now serves children in every state and has delivered more than 3 million pajamas and over 2 million books.

“The number of employees who participated in the Reading Party is a testament to HQ Capital’s commitment to giving back to the community,” said Jeremy Katz, Co-Head of Real Estate at HQ Capital. “We are proud to have partnered with the Pajama Program and to have supported their mission of providing new pajamas and books to children who might not otherwise have them. We are continually looking for opportunities in which we can make a positive social impact.”

About Pajama Program

At Pajama Program, we understand deeply how many children in this country don’t have a stable home life, or a home at all. To these children — often abandoned, neglected, living in shelters or temporary housing — we pledge our unwavering commitment to the inherent right of every one of them to have a loving bedtime and restful good night as the start of a positive, empowering good day. New pajamas and books are magical gifts that we collect and give, with love, to vulnerable children. They inspire them, teaching them how to use imagination and creativity to change their lives in the moment, and every day. They are the building blocks of confidence, trust and love. Further information can be found at www.pajamaprogram.org.

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Malteser Social Day is an annual nationwide event hosted by the Order of Malta in Germany, where companies and their employees spend a day giving back to communities in need. Malteser is a catholic relief organization with the long-term objective of alleviating poverty through hands-on, active and on-going volunteer work. With their “Social Day,” the Malteser encourages companies to free up their employees for one day to take part in various social projects within their communities.

As part of this year’s Malteser Social Day, the HQ Capital team helped to refresh the appearance of the Georg-Büchner-Gymnasium (GBG) in Bad Vilbel by painting its corridors. GBG is a general education and performance-oriented high school of the Wetteraukreis that focuses on helping its students to be well-rounded, both academically and socially. The school offers a wide range of opportunities for children from sports, music and vocational studies, to leisure and social activities that promote the importance of giving back to your communities. This volunteer service was a great opportunity for HQ Capital to reward the school’s good work by helping prepare for their upcoming 50th anniversary, while exemplifying the benefits of team work for the students.

Oliver Schlümer, Director at HQ Capital, commented, “Participation in the Social Day was successful in many ways. First and foremost, we were able to help children by beautifying their school. In addition, it was a great teambuilding event that allowed us to get to know colleagues even better. Special thanks go to the headmaster of the Georg-Büchner-Gymnasium for the delicious food and the Malteser for the organization of the day.”

Daniela Hufnagel, IT & Office Management at HQ Equita and the event organizer added, “Our first Social Day experience was very rewarding. The pre-planning with both GBG and the Malteser was seamless and enjoyable. The enthusiasm and gratitude of the school management and teachers for supporting them in their project helped to motivate and energize our team. The event was fun and has helped to bring us closer as colleagues and teammates. I would encourage other companies to consider participating in the next Malteser Social Day.”

HQ Capital is committed to supporting social initiatives around the world. Its New York and Hong Kong offices also participated in community service days earlier this year. Georg Wunderlin, CEO of HQ Capital, explained, “As part of our HQ Capital Gives Back! initiative, we will continue to seek out opportunities to share the same professionalism and dedication that we bring to our firm with those in need, through team work and community engagement.”

About Malteser

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta, better known as the Order of Malta, has a two-fold nature. It is one of the most ancient Catholic Religious Orders, founded in Jerusalem in around 1048. At the same time, it has always been recognized by nations as an independent subject of international law.

The Order’s mission is summed up in its motto “Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum” – which translates as live the faith and assist those who suffer. The Order of Malta works in the field of medical and social care and humanitarian aid, in over 120 countries, supported by the diplomatic relations it currently has with 104 nations. Malteser International, the Order’s worldwide relief agency, works the front line providing humanitarian aid in situations such as those where natural disasters have occurred, or civil conflicts. It is completely neutral and impartial.

Further information can be found at https://www.malteser.de/

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Employees spent a half-day preparing a variety of vegetables for meal distribution at a local food station operated by Food Angel, a Hong Kong-based charity. Food Angel is a food rescue and food assistance program that collects edible surplus food that would otherwise be disposed of as trash. The team carefully prepared the food, following strict safety and health protocols, into delicious meals for people and families in need. Food Angel’s mission, which aligns closely with HQ Capital’s core values, is to reduce food waste, alleviate hunger, relieve poverty and educate the next generation on waste reduction and giving back to those in need.

“It was very meaningful to give back to the community and surprising to see how much food is wasted in a single day,” said Cheryl Li of HQ Capital’s private equity investment team. “We were inspired seeing how much it helps the less fortunate when food is properly distributed. In partnering with Food Angel, we are proud to be living our firm’s core values – contributing aid to people, communities and the environment.”

Since 2011, the food rescue program is estimated to have saved an average of 4,000kg of edible surplus food daily, from the 3,300 tons of food waste that is dumped into the local landfills every day. The food assistance program is estimated to serve over 6,000 nutritious hot meals and food packs to more than 100 charity partners across Hong Kong every day. The communities served include elderly citizens and children.

As part of its own initiative, HQ Capital donates leftover food from company lunches every week to avoid waste and feed those in need. The company also partners with suppliers who donate fruit trees for each fruit basket purchased to ensure a continued supply of food for all. Last year, each office raised money through employee donations to support local food drives in each community, including Food Angel.

“This event made us reflect on how even small efforts can make a difference to the less fortunate, simply by recycling what we don’t need,” said Jacob Chiu, Managing Director at HQ Capital. “We encourage our team to support community efforts and to be more considerate in our daily lives by thinking of the wider society.”

About Food Angel
Food Angel is a food rescue and food assistance program launched in 2011 by Bo Charity Foundation with the mission of “WASTE NOT, HUNGER NOT, WITH LOVE.” The program rescues edible surplus food from different sectors of the food industry that would otherwise be disposed of as waste. Following strict safety protocols, the rescued food items will then be prepared as nutritious hot meals in our central kitchen and be redistributed to serve the underprivileged communities in Hong Kong. Further information can be found at http://www.foodangel.org.hk.

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Nearly 50 HQ Capital employees participated in a “Green Exercise Day,” hosted by Concrete Safaris, a non-profit organization that helps students grow produce in Jefferson Gardens in East Harlem, while learning about exercise, gardening and healthy eating. The HQ Capital team enjoyed completing a fun fitness circuit with students and participating in educational activities, as well as pulling weeds, tilling soil, and replanting the entire garden with healthy fruits, vegetables and beautiful flowers.

“We learned so much during this event,” said Janine Diljohn, Chief Compliance Officer at HQ Capital. “From the garden’s history, to the endless benefits it will bring to the community, to the transformative impact of planting each small seed, we gained a broader understanding of our relationship to our local community and our environment.”

The revived garden is expected to produce over 2,000 pounds of food and serve nearly 10,000 children and families this year. It will also help reduce pollution, create organic waste to limit the impact of trash on the environment, and provide kids with an adventurous way to incorporate outdoor activity into their daily lives.

HQ Capital’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Georg Wunderlin said, “Through our volunteer efforts, our team has embodied the core principles of our firm: getting things done, being professionals, and succeeding by working together as a team.”

About Concrete Safaris
Concrete Safaris is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with the mission of preparing youth in East Harlem, New York, and beyond to lead healthy lives and shape their environment through outdoor education, play, exploration, and community engagement. Green Exercise Days are one of the many ways firms can get involved with their local communities. Schools are invited to participate by organizing their students for a field trip to a local garden, where they partner with corporate sponsors to play outdoors and empower their community through beautifying public housing-based community gardens. Further information can be found at www.concretesafaris.org.

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