More than 1,100 Crawford & Company employees helped others around the world by participating in a variety of service projects undertaken Saturday as part of the company's third-annual Global Day of Service.

“We recognize the connection between the success of our communities and the success of our company,” said Crawford President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey T. Bowman. “Volunteerism is a significant part of our culture, and we partner with organizations around the world to support initiatives that respond in a meaningful way to community needs and priorities. We feel fortunate to be able to help those in need [on this day].”

The 49 projects planned by volunteers in 20 countries helped organizations ranging from food banks and orphanages to domestic violence shelters and nursing centers. Among the specific activities were:

• Making donations and assisting with food distribution at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, which serves more than 61,000 individuals each week.
• Repairing facilities and providing activities for children at SOS Children's Villages in Coconut Creek, Fla.
• Providing meals, reading, and playing games in several Brazilian institutions for abandoned children and senior citizens.
• Making and collecting donations in Dusseldorf, Germany, for organizations that offer palliative and hospice services to terminally ill children.
• Collecting, packing, and distributing donations to a food bank in Birmingham, U.K.
• Providing materials and snacks to children at the Rong-Kuang Children's Home in Taiwan, Republic of China.
• Helping to clean up the Mt. Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java, Indonesia.

Crawford employees also served their communities individually if they were not able to join a group project.