AbbVie and Heart of America to Develop Makerspace at New Brunswick School

More than 60 employees from AbbVie to transform an educational space for STEM enrichment at Roosevelt Elementary School

On Jun 26, 2023

More than 60 employees from AbbVie are giving back to the local New Brunswick community and more than 600 students at Roosevelt Elementary School by creating an immersive and modern makerspace as part of AbbVie’s eighth annual Week of Possibilities employee volunteer program. AbbVie is partnering with Heart of America to bring the makerspace to life, which aims to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for students attending the school.

“Since AbbVie was founded 10 years ago, we have been committed to supporting our local communities through volunteering,” said Claudia Carravetta, president, AbbVie Foundation and vice president, Corporate Responsibility and Global Philanthropy, AbbVie. “Our volunteering programs are informed by listening to our community partners first to understand the areas of most significant need. I’m proud that during this year’s Week of Possibilities we will have thousands of employees around the world working alongside our nonprofit partners to maximize the impact for communities in need.”

Heart of America is a longstanding partner for AbbVie’s Week of Possibilities that focuses on creating quality educational environments that positively impact children’s development across the country. By providing access to educational resources and programs, Heart of America strives to bridge the opportunity gap that exists in under-resourced areas.

“We are thrilled to partner with AbbVie to bring this makerspace to New Brunswick,” said Jill Heath, president and CEO of Heart of America. “This partnership reflects our shared vision of empowering students through access to quality education materials, programs and environments, inspiring them to pursue careers in STEM fields. We believe that by investing in their education today, we are investing in a brighter future for both the students and the community.”

The makerspace at Roosevelt Elementary School will be equipped with new technology, handson learning materials and resources that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In addition to deep cleaning, painting, building furniture, placing décor, assembling technology and preparing maker components to complete the space, the team of AbbVie volunteers will prepare STEM-based educational resource kits, including books and school supplies, for students to take home. A separate team of volunteers will also be engaging in beautification activities across the rest of the school’s campus, including gardening, mural painting, cleaning and organization of storage rooms and classrooms, and creating signage and messages to welcome students back to school this fall.

New Brunswick is one of 15 cities across the U.S., in addition to more than 50 countries and territories around the world, where thousands of AbbVie employees will volunteer for Week of Possibilities projects.

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