AD&Co in Action: Volunteer & Cultural Days 2026

At Andrew Davidson & Co., Inc. (AD&Co), our values extend beyond the work we do for our clients. Humanity, inclusivity, dedication, citizenship, creativity, and integrity shape how we engage with one another and with our community. This August, members of the AD&Co team took the opportunity to put those values into practice during our Volunteer Day supporting Volunteers of America-Greater New York’s Operation Backpack® and our Cultural Day at Ellis Island.

Operation Backpack®

For AD&Co’s Volunteer Day, employees participated in Operation Backpack®, Volunteers of America-Greater New York’s annual community service initiative supporting children living in New York City shelters. Operation Backpack provides unhoused K-12 students with new backpacks and school supplies, helping ensure they can begin the school year equipped with everything they need to be successful.

For the third year in a row, our team spent the morning filling backpacks with school supplies that would ultimately make their way into the hands of these local students.

We invite you to click the link for more information on Volunteers of America-Greater New York’s Operation Backpack®.

Ellis Island

For our Cultural Day, AD&Co employees took the ferry over to Ellis Island to participate in the Save Ellis Island’s Hard Hat Tour, an in-depth, off-the-path guided tour of Ellis Island’s Hospital Complex and grounds, visiting areas that were closed to the public for more than 60 years. The complex included a hospital that once cared for immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island with illnesses or medical conditions. Approximately 1.2 million immigrants were treated there over the course of its history. 

Also, throughout the complex, we had the chance to see Unframed—Ellis Island, an installation by French artist JR. The site-specific works bring immigrant stories to life through historic photographs incorporated directly into the abandoned spaces. Save Ellis Island works in partnership with the National Park Service to preserve and restore these historic buildings so that this chapter of American history remains accessible to future generations.

Walking around the island gave our team a unique perspective on the history of immigration in New York City and the country as a whole and highlighted the human experiences that form an important part of American history.  In the same vein, AD&Co’s culture is defined by a series of ethical and personal values that define who we are and how we operate.  By recognizing our multi-cultural workforce, it allows us to operate with a wider expanse of ideas and viewpoints in our day-to-day work.  Ellis Island provided a meaningful setting for reflection.

For more information on the Save Ellis Island organization or their Hard Hat Tour, please visit their website.

Values

Both of these fantastic experiences reinforce AD&Co’s commitment to fostering a culture in which different perspectives are valued, people are treated with respect, and our responsibilities extend beyond the walls of our offices.

We are grateful to Save Ellis Island and Volunteers of America-Greater New York for giving our team the opportunity to take a step back from our day-to-day responsibilities to give back to and educate ourselves about our community.

We look forward to continuing to find ways to learn, participate, and give back together.