Connected to the Community
Encouraging and supporting philanthropy in the communities where we live and work.

TAP was founded on connection. Our connection and commitment to the communities where we live and work is central to our mission as an organization.

We have focused this commitment throught a program called Connected to the Community, which is comprised of a variety of philanthropic efforts. These efforts, individually and collectively, are designed to put the company's resources where our employees' hearts are.

TAP Charitable Contributions Committee
Perhaps the most direct example of employee-directed philanthropy is TAP's Charitable Contributions Committee. Through this group, company resources are available to employees and their families for the charitable causes and community programs in which they participate, including health and human services groups, schools, civic and community organizations, and art and cultural groups. It encourages employees to become involved with community organizations by providing financial support from TAP.

To be eligible for a contribution, employees or their immediate family members must have a direct role and involvement in the organization. The Committee has supported everything from Little League jerseys to a domestic violence shelter to a unique trip to Africa for area high-schoolers, ensuring that Connected to the Community truly reflects the depth and breadth of our employees commitments.

Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
TAP has established a unique partnership with an important neighbor near our Lake Forest, Illinois, home office. TAP sits adjacent to the Middlefork Savanna, the finest black soil, tall grass savanna in the United States. Like so many areas, the Savanna was in danger of being lost to development. In 1998, the Elawa Farm Foundation was created by purchasing Elawa Farm, an early 20th century "gentleman's farm," to serve as a base of operations for a nature education and conservancy program aimed at preserving and protecting the Savanna.

Today, Elawa Farm features a Wildlife Discovery Center that educates local schoolchildren about area wildlife, the Savanna and the importance of conservation. TAP was a founding sponsor of the Center, and TAP employees are encouraged to learn about its mission and participate in its work. Employees are welcome to volunteer in a variety of capacities, including as chaperones or program guides. Working with the Elawa Farm organization, TAP hopes to help foster an appreciation for nature among children and to help restore the Savanna and preserve its beauty for generations to come.

Connected to the Community Giving Campaign
The Giving Campaign is a cornerstone of TAP's philanthropic efforts. Each fall, employees can donate a portion of their paycheck to the health and human services organization of their choice, and TAP matches their donation dollar-for-dollar. This program has been hugely successful, providing nearly $1 million each year to scores of worthy organizations.

Major Gifts
Being connected to our community means being ready to help in times of need. During crises, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Tsunami in southeast Asia in December 2004, or after the attacks of September 11th, TAP has made major donations to organizations such as the American Red Cross, UNICEF, America's Second Harvest and others.

At TAP, being connected to each other, our communities, our patients and our partners is a commitment, a responsibility and a joy. By supporting and encouraging volunteerism among our employees and remaining committed to philanthropy on both the local and national levels, TAP truly is enhancing lives.