Cresa Washington DC strengthens team through DC SCORES partnership

Written by Kelsi Moran
Communications Intern

As the campers filed into Truesdell Education Campus for camp, Cresa Washington DC employees were busy at work grilling and setting up for the annual Summer BBQ. Plates were cleaned, stomachs were filled, soccer games were played, and Cresa employees had the opportunity to interact with the kids of the program they fundraise for.

The DC SCORES and Cresa partnership began in 2010 when Senior Vice President Chris Finley recognized the lack of a formal community outreach program within the company. Finley believed it was time Cresa (then named Cresa Partners) make an organized effort to give back. He was made chair of the community outreach program and kick-started the search for a partner organization.

In a survey employees were asked to take, Finley found that Cresa employees were interested in the veterans community and underprivileged youth. They were then asked to rank a collection of organizations that target those areas, including DC SCORES.

DC SCORES was not unknown to Finley, who always had a love and respect for the impact it has on youth. Finley lobbied for DC SCORES, and the final decision was made by Cresa employees.

“I was fortunate and proud that DC SCORES was the most popular selection” he said. “There’s no doubt that this is the best organization that has high impact.”

Since the birth of the partnership, Cresa has organized numerous events, connected with sponsors, played in the DC SCORES Cup corporate tournament, and arranged fundraisers. Cresa partially funds DC SCORES summer programming through the annual Couch to Camp campaign -- with employees engaging in successful peer-to-peer outreach.

For Finley, events like the BBQ are encouraged among employees as a way to actually engage with the organization they fundraise for. On Thursday despite another hot and humid afternoon, Cresa employees not only served up a huge lunch for campers but also jumped in the soccer scrimmages – laughing and goofing off with the kids.

“I wanted to create a new method of fundraising to get people to emotionally connect with the cause,” Finley said. “You want people to be emotionally tied.”

As the day came to a close, the mutual benefits of the partnership were clear

“This allows us to strengthen our relationships for a common cause,” Finley said. “We are in a very competitive business and you can lose sight of what’s happening in the communities around you.

“The single greatest thing DC SCORES has done for Cresa is strengthening our team.”