Firms giving back: SD Mayer & Associates founder honored for high school support

St. Louis firm Anders CPAs + Advisors has released its Community Impact Report, which takes note of the firm's charitable activities over the last year.

In 2019, the firm reports that employees volunteered a total of 3,024 hours; sat on 94 nonprofit boards; were active members of 176 local organizations; participated in 115 charitable sponsorships; and donated over $24,700 to their "Charity of Choice," Saint Louis Crisis.

H&R Block has announced a partnership with social networking service Nextdoor, asking Americans to nominate a local improvement project in their neighborhoods.

The two companies plan to select 10 improvement projects in all, to be announced in the spring.

“Nextdoor and H&R Block have a shared purpose to create stronger, kinder communities, and we both believe that starts with the neighborhood,” said Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar in a statement. “I’m excited to hear from neighbors around the county, to bring people together, and most importantly, to create connections.”

The partnership is part of H&R Block’s Make Every Block Better campaign, which looks to build more connections with the neighborhoods it serves.

“Every day we see how social isolation negatively impacts our communities and neighbors,” said Jeff Jones, H&R Block president and CEO, in a statement. “We have more than 12 million cumulative hours of conversations with people each year as we help them prepare their taxes, discussing major life events and helping them with a significant financial moment in their year. These conversations are just the beginning of how we can foster more conversations in communities and tackle isolation year-round.”

Nominations can be made through the Nextdoor app or on the nomination site.

Bay Area firm SD Mayer & Associates has announced that Stephen Mayer, founder and managing partner, has been honored with the Chaminade Award for his support of Archbishop Riordan High School over the past three decades.

A 1972 graduate of the San Francisco high school, Mayer and his firm have recently donated $30,000 to remodel a classroom to honor two of Mayer’s former business teachers, Paul Arrigotti and Michael Lazzari. The donation followed a November 2019 dedication of Riordan’s multi-sport field and athletic complex, the Mayer Family Field at the Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Athletic Complex. Mayer, along with his brother and fellow Riordan graduate, Mike, donated $500,000 in 2012 to begin fundraising.

“It is an honor to receive the Chaminade Award,” said Mayer in a statement. “My experience at Riordan equipped me with important leadership and business skills that I utilize to this day. I am grateful to the educators who were a critical part of my development, and I am happy to enhance the experience of future Crusaders.”