Microsoft employees raise $105 million in record-breaking year of philanthropy

In 2012, Microsoft Corp. employees raised $105 million for nearly 19,000 nonprofit organizations through individual donations, volunteer efforts and company-wide fundraising activities. Of the total amount raised by employees, $60 million went to nonprofits in the state of Washington.

Organizations that received the most cash donations in 2012 included United Way of King County, World Vision, Northwest Harvest, Hopelink, Doctors Without Borders and Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation.

This was the second year in a row in which employee giving topped $100 million and was the highest ever. In 2011, Microsoft employees raised $100.5 million. Nearly two-thirds of Microsoft employees in the United States participated in the 2012 Employee Giving Program, about 37,000 employees, and 40 percent of participants donated more than 60 hours of their time or $1,000. About 2,700 employees, friends and family raised more than $300,000 through their participation in Microsoft's annual 5K Run/Walk.

Microsoft alumni have also created more than 150 nonprofits since leaving the company, including See Your Impact and Jolkona.

Since Microsoft started its employee giving program in 1983, employees have raised $1 billion.

Contact Mercer Island Reporter Staff Reporter Staff at editor@mi-reporter.com.

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