Abbvie initiative to improve localities marks ninth year

ABBVIE, a global biopharmaceutical company which has two locations in Dublin, recently celebrated its ninth annual Week of Possibilities.

The initiative is the company’s signature community volunteering programme, empowering company employees to personally improve the localities where they live and work.

AbbVie’s Dublin-based volunteers, working from the company’s commercial offices in Citywest, and at its manufacturing and operations facilities in Clonshaugh, joined forces during the initiative to refurbish the Cill Bharróg Day Centre for people with disabilities in Kilbarrack.

A total of 196 AbbVie employees from the two locations spent more than 714 hours across the week on the volunteering effort.

The AbbVie renovation at the support centre, which is run by the St Michael’s House charity, included a repaint of the entire facility, a refurbished sensory room, and new furniture.

Sinead Richardson, Social Care Leader, Cill Bharróg Day Centre, said the hard work and dedication of AbbVie employees had helped transform the building into the modern facility her service-users deserved.

“Cill Bharróg now boasts a fantastic reception area equipped for service-users to welcome any visitors, a beauty corner for our service-users to pamper themselves, a brand-new, beautiful kitchen, an updated living area and a calming sensory room.

“Without funding and support from AbbVie, this project would not have been possible.

“This renovation means so much to service-users, families and staff,” she added.

At each Week of Possibilities location, AbbVie selects projects that meet the greatest needs of local communities.

AbbVie partnered with the national volunteer development agency, Volunteer Ireland, on the design and implementation of the projects.

“At AbbVie, we are committed to supporting our local communities through volunteering, and we were delighted to partner with Volunteer Ireland on this project again this year,” said Marco Froehlich, Site Head, AbbVie North Dublin, Clonshaugh.

“I’d like to thank our incredible employees for their tremendous efforts across the week.

“They should be very proud of the work that they have done which will make a positive impact for the service-users of St Michael’s House for years to come.”

Commenting on the volunteering project, Andres Rodrigo, General Manager AbbVie Citywest, said: “We are deeply proud of our unique connection to our local communities across Dublin.

“Through initiatives such as Week of Possibilities, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact in the areas close to where we live and work.”