Community matters

Vanguard seeks to give kids a strong start

October 31, 2022

Vanguard crew around the world came together in early October to show their support for Vanguard Strong Start for KidsTM and other community agencies, organizations, and causes during the 2022 Vanguard Gives Back campaign.

This year’s campaign theme—Stronger Together—highlighted the many ways crew work together globally for the greater good, in alignment with Vanguard’s core purpose.

Investing in children to create lasting impact

Strong Start for Kids, Vanguard’s signature philanthropic initiative, is guided by the belief that all young children, given the right resources, can learn, thrive, and reach their full potential. Vanguard’s focus through Strong Start is grounded in empirical evidence that confirms the long-term social and economic benefits of high-quality early childhood opportunities.

In a video message to crew, Vanguard CEO Tim Buckley noted the importance of young children having access to lots of books and other resources to build a solid foundation for success in school.

“Strong Start invests in early education, including supports that help build effective early learning programs, partnerships that strengthen communities, and programs that provide books and foster literacy,” he said. “That helps give more children the best chance for success throughout life.”

Vanguard CEO Tim Buckley sits on a chair behind a child-size wooden table in a brightly decorated room filled with books and children’s toys. Four children, 4 to 6 years old, are seated in small chairs at the table and four more children are standing. The children listen as Tim speaks with a boy seated at far left.

Volunteering time and talent too

In addition to gathering monetary support for Strong Start and other community organizations, the annual campaign harnesses the time and talent of Vanguard’s crew of nearly 19,000. They completed service projects in their offices and local communities and took part in a variety of activities and events, many featuring Strong Start partner agencies.

Crew joined pop-up volunteer events to create sensory bags, which help young children to develop their sense of touch and fine motor skills; decorate bookmarks to encourage young readers; and stuff backpacks with needed supplies for children in the community.

Throughout the campaign, crew also collected new and gently used children’s books to stock Little Free Libraries to help inspire young readers and expand book access in underserved communities. Teams of crew volunteers will install them in the coming weeks, using volunteer time off.

The annual Vanguard Gives Back campaign is just one of many ways Vanguard responds to humanitarian challenges and works to strengthen our communities. Read more about our approach to philanthropy and volunteerism.