OPI Products Inc. has a long tradition of philanthropy, and is committed to the concept of giving something back.
George Schaeffer, OPI President & CEO, and his family, founded the Schaeffer Family Foundation to offer this financial support. To date, OPI and the Foundation have donated millions of dollars to charities worldwide, most notably the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, City of Hope, Gilda’s Club Worldwide, the Leukemia Research Foundation, the National Kidney Foundation, Oceana, Pamper Me Pink (a fundraiser for children with irritable bowel disease), Project HOPE International, Rock the Vote, and the Starlight / Starbright Children’s Foundation, among others.
In addition, the company has created several Nail Lacquers exclusively for specific organizations and causes, including the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and breast cancer research, for their use in raising funds both nationally and internationally.
OPI is particularly committed to health-related causes and children’s education, and its philanthropy through the years has helped achieve tremendous growth in both areas.
Helping Globally and Locally
In addition to those charities which OPI helps support on a regular basis, there are also large-scale, national tragedies which have required support. OPI and its employees rallied to help after 9/11, and during Hurricane Katrina, OPI joined with its employees and others in a matching funds program, thereby raising more than $350,000 for the American Red Cross.
OPI’s philanthropy is also felt at home. The company donates annually to countless local and community causes, including a local North Hollywood health clinic dedicated to providing health care for individuals and families without insurance; Los Angeles-area hospitals; and local police and fire departments.
As a leader in the community, the industry and the business world, OPI is deluged with hundreds of requests each year for donations both of product and money; each is carefully reviewed, and the company tries its best to respond to as many as it possibly can.
OPI and the Schaeffer Family Foundation do more than help those around the world, the country and the community. They also help OPI employees and their families.
Education Celebration
Because OPI is such a strong proponent of education, the company and the Schaeffer Family Foundation offer the OPI Children’s Education Celebration – an event which rewards children of qualifying OPI employees with computer systems and college scholarships.
To qualify for a computer system, children are encouraged to write an essay explaining why they need one. To earn a $1000 college scholarship, an employee’s child must maintain a grade point average of 3.0, among other qualifications. No one believes more strongly that in order to compete in today’s world, children need access to educational and technological resources – and no one is more committed to meeting that need – than George Schaeffer.
Since 2002, the first year of the event, the Foundation has awarded a total of almost 200 computer systems and nearly 50 college scholarships!
Giving Back to OPI Employees
OPI also believes that giving employees a chance to enjoy high-quality, reasonably-priced cuisine in a healthy environment is vitally important. George’s Place, an employer-subsidized cafeteria, opened in the spring of 2004. This beautiful, full-service cafeteria offers freshly prepared breakfast and lunch – and a chance to enjoy plasma TV and karaoke.
In addition, the company provides every OPI employee with comprehensive health insurance for a very nominal fee, and the opportunity to upgrade that insurance with personal options including family and other special coverages. The company also offers a 401K retirement program and profit sharing, as well as tries to help employees through personal financial challenges on a case-by-case basis.
In its commitment to providing employees a safe and secure place to work, OPI has established an Employee Safety Program with mandatory employee participation. The program brings employees together on a quarterly basis to educate and demonstrate safety precautions and procedures. OPI invests millions of dollars in the safety of its facility and its equipment in order to protect its most valuable resource – its employees.
When asked why OPI as a company feels so compelled to give so much back, year after year, George Schaeffer has a simple answer.
OPI Products Inc. has a long tradition of philanthropy, and is committed to the concept of giving something back.
Education Celebration
To qualify for a computer system, children are encouraged to write an essay explaining why they need one. To earn a $1000 college scholarship, an employee’s child must maintain a grade point average of 3.0, among other qualifications. No one believes more strongly that in order to compete in today’s world, children need access to educational and technological resources – and no one is more committed to meeting that need – than George Schaeffer.