On Martin Luther King Day, What are You Doing For Others?
In 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. posed the idea that, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” As we kick off 2017, millions of Americans will come together for
to honor his legacy through service and civic dialogue.
Points of Light invites you to join your neighbors and get involved with a service project near you on MLK Day. Here are
, and in collaboration with local partners, Points of Light is supporting MLK Day volunteer activities run by eight nonprofits across the country. If you live nearby, we hope to see you there:
of Philadelphia will unite the tristate area – Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware – for the 22nd annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, bringing together 140,000 volunteers at some 1,800 projects, including a health fair, workshops and a civic engagement expo.
will host a Sunday Supper and a variety of service projects designed to steward social change and challenge Atlanta communities to embrace diversity, in line with Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.
will host a Sunday Supper and engage volunteers in a weekend-long celebration through a variety of service and community projects, including a 5K walk/run, a peach march, a resource fair, and more.
will host a Sunday Supper and family movie night, kicking off the 36th annual MLK Day “Capitol March for the Dream,” and engaging residents in a community day of service.
will host service projects across two locations in New York City, involving educational enrichment and recreation for students, socialization for seniors and the revitalization of public spaces.
will host a Sunday Supper Movie Night, with service projects intended to create a sense of community togetherness and provide support to 625 local families struggling with hunger and financial insecurity.
in North Carolina will host a day of service at Four Seasons Town Centre. This event will include on-site service projects and a nonprofit fair where volunteers can connect with dozens of nonprofits.
Scores of other volunteer action centers will activate volunteers in partnership with Points of Light’s programs and divisions during the King Holiday.
In Washington, D.C., Points of Light will partner with
. During this marathon-style service event, project managers will provide pro bono speed consulting to nonprofit leaders, with the end result being a well-defined scope of work and project plan that nonprofits can then use to address specific challenges. During the event, 240 volunteers will contribute more than 1,200 hours of direct service to more than 60 area nonprofits, making a collective contribution of more than $150,000 worth of business consulting in a single day. In recognition of their efforts, the project managers will be honored with the
, to honor the legacy of a man who dedicated his life to the service of others.
As we kick off 2017, MLK Day is an important opportunity for Americans to unite through service. Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – calls together its community of changemakers to reflect on gains won during the Civil Rights Movement and to address contemporary issues facing our nation.
We encourage people across the country to engage in dialogue about issues affecting their communities, and to take action through service. Here are three ways you can make a difference on MLK Day:
Become a Drum Major
Dr. King once said, “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness.” Join volunteers, leaders, and celebrities lending
America’s Sunday Suppers bring together people from diverse backgrounds to engage in dialogue around important community issues. As part of its commitment to building connections among people and communities, Southwest Airlines has partnered with Points of Light to support this meaningful way for changemakers to make a difference on MLK Day. Host a
Waste Management Crisis Meets the Full Power of Employee Volunteerism
The 2016 GE Global Month of Service connects employees worldwide around a commitment to serve, with thousands of GE employees volunteering their time and talent to build stronger communities where they live and work. This month of service, in partnership with Points of Light, demonstrates the power that individuals have to impact their communities.
Nigeria is one of the fastest growing countries in the world. According to recent UN predictions, its population will reach 397 million in 2050, making it the fourth most populous nation in the world. Even now its cities are feeling the pressure – Lagos, the most populous city in the country, is home to 20 million people and is expected to double in population over the next 35 years.
As with all rapidly growing and industrializing areas, Nigerian cities are now challenged to bolster their infrastructure to support the needs of their expanding populace. In addition to concerns about education and health care, Nigerian communities are facing serious waste management concerns.
A city as big as Lagos can produce 10,000 metric tons of waste in a day, only 40 percent of which is collected by the strained municipal government. In addition, only 13 percent of recyclable material avoids the landfill, making the trash problem even worse. Over the coming years, Nigeria’s growing pains will only get worse as it looks for ways to support its rapidly growing populace.
GE is demonstrating how service can be a powerful solution to this problem. On Dec. 2, GE volunteers in two Nigerian cities, Lagos and Rivers, teamed up with more than 5,400 students in 10 secondary schools on a community recycling project. The volunteers worked with students, explaining the importance of recycling and helping them develop plans for a Recycle and Win game.
The children collected recyclable items that could be donated to Recycle Points, a Nigeria-based nonprofit that awards points to people who collect and turn in recyclable material. The children earned points determined by the number and type of recyclables they collected; the points can be redeemed for prizes ranging from basic school supplies to laptop computers. As an added incentive, GE awarded 20 laptops to the school that collected the most recyclables.
In putting together a service project to address urban sanitation, GE volunteers are leveraging the full potential employee volunteerism and using it to address the most pressing needs where they live – teaching children the value of sustainable practices. As a result of this program, these students will return to their neighborhoods and encourage their friends and family to recycle, creating a trend that will hopefully have a marked impact on Nigeria’s waste management crisis.
Spreading Holiday Joy to Veterans and Active-Duty Military Through Service
The 2016GEGlobal Month of Service connects employees worldwide around a commitment to serve, with thousands of GE employees volunteering their time and talent to build stronger communities where they live and work. This month of service, in partnership with Points of Light, demonstrates the power that individuals have to impact their communities.
With the holidays fast approaching, individuals and organizations alike are looking for ways to give back and support those in need. This year, to bring holiday cheer to hospitalized veterans, GE volunteers in Milwaukee came together for the second year in a row to decorate the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Medical Center.
Veterans receiving treatment at the Zablocki Medical Center, a regional VA hospital, come from as far away as Hawaii. For many families with loved ones in long-term care, it’s difficult to stay in Milwaukee due to the costs associated with travel and housing. As a result, many of these veterans will be alone during the holiday season.
On Dec. 2, more than 100 GE volunteers decorated the entire hospital for the holidays, visited with patients and distributed more than 500 stockings stuffed with healthy snacks. While the decorations brought holiday cheer to the hospital, the volunteers’ primary purpose was to offer hope and let the veterans know they are not alone.
“Veterans hold a very special place [at] GE. Over 10,000 veterans work across [GE] and over 2,000 within our GE Healthcare business. This event is one of many that GE volunteers lead to celebrate our veterans during the holidays and recognize their devotion and commitment to our country,” said Rob Reilly, vice president and general manager of U.S. and Canada services for GE, who co-sponsored the event with Laura O’Donnell, vice president and general counsel for GE Healthcare.
In addition to the Zablocki Medical Center project, GE hosted several military care packaging projects throughout its Global Month of Service to benefit deployed service members. Five projects in Lynn, Massachusetts; Peebles, Ohio; Evandale, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; and Milwaukee engaged 142 volunteers in 496 hours of service, packing more than 720 care packages.
“These care packages mean so much to the military [members] that receive them! For some it means a chance to brush their teeth or take a shower — some of the little things that we may take for granted each day,” said Penny Louf, the project lead with GE Aviation in Lynn.
Each care package contained nearly 30 items, including socks, toiletries, cookies and padded shoe inserts. Some of the items were included by special request from GE volunteer leads who had served — items that the leads themselves had missed while deployed.
GE sends the care packages directly to the troops using a running list of APO addresses – the GE veterans’ network sites maintain lists of deployed GE employees, friends and family of employees, and others through word of mouth. This enables some GE locations, like Lynn, to host care package events throughout the year, with employees donating most of the goods.
These projects are just some of the ways that GE volunteers are giving back to communities around the world during the company’s Global Month of Service. Through this work, GE employees are demonstrating the true impact that individuals can make when they volunteer their time and talent to improve their communities.
Finding – and Spreading – Joy in 2016
This post is byTracy Hoover, Points of Light’s CEO.
It’s this time of the year when the promise of peace and goodwill seems especially precious to me. Maybe even more so this year, which has unfolded against a backdrop of divisiveness, community unrest, a negative election cycle, and growing disparity. The images and messages affect all of us, including the youngest members of our society. A report by the Southern Poverty Law Center found that “teachers have noticed increased bullying, harassment and intimidation of students.”
We know there is an antidote to this growing crisis. Volunteering gives young people the opportunity to practice putting themselves in others’ shoes, to develop empathy and compassion. According to TeenLife.com, teens who volunteer develop an increased sense of social responsibility – a global view of society and a heart for giving back and helping others. In addition, Marilyn Price Mitchell, Ph.D., says that volunteer opportunities help “young people understand how they fit into society to how they can help solve societal problems. This developmental process grows empathy and fosters children’s identities as engaged citizens.”
Youth service drives compassion and inclusion and is key to creating change and uniting communities. Our goal is to support, celebrate and be led by kids and teens who are serving and solving real world problems through volunteerism, all while developing compassion for others.
That’s why I’m so excited about the Joy Maker Challenge, and so grateful to Hasbro, Inc. for sponsoring this effort, now in its seventh year. Powered by generationOn, the youth service division of Points of Light, the campaign gives kids and teens a way to give back and spread joy during the holiday season by engaging in volunteer service and acts of kindness. Since the Joy Maker Challenge campaign started in 2010, nearly 865,000 acts of service have been completed by youth worldwide, resulting in $6 million worth of toys and games being donated to Toys for Tots by Hasbro, Inc.
Xolo Mariduena is one of 100 Kindness Ambassadors for the Joy Maker Challenge. He recently led a joint service project in Los Angeles that brought young people together and connected them to the community. In this project, local youth from 9th Street Elementary, located in LA’s Skid Row, wrote letters and made cards for senior citizens in nursing homes to let them know someone is thinking about them during the holidays. The activity gave them the chance to see that they can make a difference. After the service project, attendees had the opportunity to pick out a toy or game, enjoy music and holiday activities.
This is just one of the many incredible examples of young people who are leading positive change every day. And this year, through the Joy Maker Challenge, our goal is to engage 100,000 kids in service. From making gift packages for patients in children’s hospitals, to making decorations for a local senior center – the Joy Maker Challenge encourages and celebrates young people’s involvement in meaningful, hands-on service in their community.
As we look toward a New Year, I am so inspired by the young volunteers making a difference. I hope they inspire others to serve, and ultimately to see past differences and band together for a more unified, peaceful world. I challenge you to join us this year and be a Joy Maker!
Take the Joy Maker Challenge and find project guides and service ideas at www.generationOn.org/joymaker. As part of the Joy Maker Challenge, for every kid and teen who engage in service, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots – up to $1 million worth!
Power of Pro Bono Collaboration Helps NGOs in Hungary Unlock Full Potential
Global Month of Service connects employees worldwide around a commitment to serve, with thousands of GE employees volunteering their time and talent to build stronger communities where they live and work. This month of service, in partnership with Points of Light, demonstrates the power that individuals have to impact their communities.
For several years, NGOs in Hungary have been working to make a greater impact in the communities they serve. András F. Tóth, executive director of
, has been a champion of this cause.
Volunteering Hungary helps local volunteers find opportunities and supports the partner organizations that engage them with information, advice and training, to make the best use of volunteers’ effort. Four years ago, F. Tóth started to think on a broader scale and discovered a way for partner corporations to better leverage their volunteers – through pro bono service.
F. Tóth said there were various factors that influenced this discovery, one being a workshop at the
. It was through them that he discovered the power that corporate volunteers possess, which can result in deep impact when working with NGOs.
The largest American employer in Hungary, with more than 10,000 associates, GE Hungary has been able to carry on the company’s legacy of service. Joerg Bauer, president of GE Hungary, attended the European Pro Bono Summit and was inspired to get more GE employees involved in pro bono volunteerism.
“Pro bono for us means that we contribute with those professional skills that we have been trained for, said Bauer. “Think about a finance or IT person who can give advice in this field, or someone who is doing marketing, communication or customs. We strongly believe in knowledge transfer creating the most impact for the common good, allowing the NGO or charity to concentrate on their core activities.”
This year, GE Hungary and Volunteering Hungary held their second annual Pro Bono Marathon at the company’s Váci Green campus in Budapest, where GE volunteers provided strategic guidance and skills-based support to help four NGOs generate solutions for problems they are facing. The NGOs left the event with fully formed implementation strategies to achieve their goals.
, which provides services for mentally and physically disabled community members, presented a need for marketing advice – how to better spread awareness on the integration of disabled citizens. Volunteering Hungary participated, too, seeking GE’s advice on how to build guidelines to help NGOs and corporations prepare for pro bono collaborations.
“GE is in a special position because they have so many people with so many skillsets,” said F. Tóth. “They have the potential to go into detail and offer an overview of projects that the NGOs might not have been able to do on their own.”
, whose mission is to protect and restore the current condition of Nógrád caste and the tourist area surrounding it, worked with volunteers to develop a plan to implement more technology and tech knowledge to their town. This pilot example will serve as a case study for how other villages in Hungary that are behind in technological and business advances can get up to speed with the rest of the country.
F. Tóth reflected that the “the added value is the systematic and business mindset that allows GE to help NGOs grow.”
GE follows-up with participating organizations to see how they’ve used the knowledge gained during the workshop. And, participants from the first Pro Bono Marathon have reported tangible results: GE volunteers defined an exact action plan for the implementation of an
project for Autisták Országos Szövetsége, which was recently successfully realized. In the future, GE plans to extend the scope of this collaboration and establish a long-term mentorship with NGO partners.
When major corporations like GE encourage employee volunteers to use their skills for social good, NGOs are able to maximize their potential and truly focus on their areas of impact. But even beyond the impact they will make is the lasting message of the power in cross-sector collaborations to improve communities around the world.
Using Employees’ Skills, Toyota Financial Services and UnitedHealth Group Build Stronger Communities
Giving back: it’s an action that can be carried out in countless ways. For some, giving back means volunteering in their community. For others, it means donating money or goods to those who need it most. For Civic 50 sector leaders Toyota Financial Services and UnitedHealth Group, employees give back by exercising their corporate know-how and investing their time and talent in communities to provide the biggest impact. In matching community needs with employees’ corporate expertise, these companies have identified a way to both give back and continually engage employees. These employee volunteering initiatives helped propel TFS and UnitedHealth Group to the top of their sectors in The Civic 50, the annual initiative from Points of Light to recognize and honor the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation.
TFS led the financial sector in the 2016 Civic 50 thanks to their robust community involvement programs. One such program, Financial Empowerment Initiative, helps under-represented youth and local community members make informed financial decisions through training and tools. TFS extends the reach of its programs through partnerships with nationally recognized organizations, such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Girl Scouts, providing financial education support and guidance, along with leadership and life skills and college scholarships and internships to youth across the nation
To improve the effectiveness and reach of their programs, TFS turns to its greatest asset: its employees. Through the TFS Community Ambassador program, team members are empowered to build strategic partnerships with local nonprofits in their community and engage TFS team members to participate in community activities. This leadership development program enables team members to increase their aptitude in the workplace through skill development, while informally guiding and shaping a culture of service in the organization.
UnitedHealth Group, the Civic 50 health care sector leader, leverages its expertise in health promotion and research in order to help make the health care system work better for everyone. To share nationwide health insights, United Health Foundation – the company’s philanthropic arm – publishes America’s Health Rankings every year, assessing nation’s health on a state-by-state basis. This year the foundation published its 27th report, tracking key trends and identifying ways to improve the health of different populations across the country on both the national and state level. Through these reports, which have covered the health of seniors, the health women and children, and the health of those who have served, UnitedHealth Group provides a blueprint for how other community-minded companies can use their expertise to influence positive change.
These two companies are using their corporate strengths to positively affect their communities. They scored highest in their sectors in the annual Civic 50 survey, which provides a framework and a roadmap for how companies can turn good intentions into sound business practices. Toyota Financial Services and UnitedHealth Group are just two examples of the many companies that are using their time, talent, and resources to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business.
Do you work with a community-minded corporation that is a champion of corporate engagement and exemplifies the ideals of the Civic 50? Take the Civic 50 survey today at www.Civic50.org. Survey closes March 1, 2017. For more updates, follow the Civic 50 on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Building a Culture of Service: Altria and Valero Put Local Communities First
Crafting a mission statement is a chance for a company to put into words what truly drives the organization: what are the values it holds above all others? For many, success and profit come to mind. For Civic 50 sector leaders
, community is consistently held as the organizations’ driving force. These companies are doing their part to support local communities by institutionalizing policies, systems and incentives to build a culture of volunteerism and community engagement and to drive their social impact.
Civic 50 consumer staples sector leader Altria pioneered its
, which supports a culture of giving back to the community. Altria employees not only participate in charitable giving programs, they play an active role in managing and operating them. Founded in 2000 by Altria employees, the unique charitable giving program highlights the power of initiatives that bridge the gap between businesses and communities.
As the only publicly reported employee-giving program of its kind in the United States, employees choose the focus areas, lead fundraising, develop marketing and communications plans and allocate funds. Each year, 60 percent or more of Altria employees participate in the program. Since 2001, it has awarded 1,886 grants for a total of $49.8 million.
All administrative costs are covered by the company, which means that every dollar raised by employees goes directly to the community. This fund illustrates the company’s commitment to supporting a culture of community engagement, and employees routinely rate employee involvement as one of the top reasons to work at Altria.
Valero Energy, the Civic 50’s 2016 energy sector leader, has created a culture of community engagement by incorporating community involvement into its highest level of corporate governance. Valero’s commitment to communities is incorporated into its
, as the company pledges to share “success with the communities where we live and work through volunteerism, charitable giving and the economic support of being a good employer.”
During National Volunteer Week, all Valero plants sponsored food drives to address food insecurity issues. The company headquarters in San Antonio collected nearly 1.4 million pounds of food for the
. Valero leverages its strong community engagement culture to consistently and strategically encourage employees to give ample time and commitment to local communities, with 50 percent of employees participating in its community engagement initiatives and logging more than 130,000 volunteer hours annually.
As sector leaders of The Civic 50, Altria and Valero scored the highest in their sectors in the annual Civic 50 survey, a benchmarking effort to recognize and honor the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation. They are just two examples of the many companies that are adopting critical policies, systems and incentives to institutionalize community engagement and create a culture of giving back in the workplace.
Do you work with a community-minded corporation that is a champion of corporate engagement and exemplifies the ideals of the Civic 50? Visit www.Civic50.org to learn more and to take the Civic 50 survey today – survey closes March 1, 2017. Want to learn more? Follow the Civic 50 on LinkedIn or Twitter for updates, and email [email protected] with any questions.
Did you know that it was Abraham Lincoln who declared Thanksgiving a federal holiday? It’s true, and a good factoid for trivia night. It also seems especially fitting and worthy of note as we approach this year’s Thanksgiving Day. Because this week’s holiday wasn’t born from nostalgia about the “good ole days” at Plymouth Rock or because Lincoln’s ancestors were pilgrims. Rather, at America’s darkest moment – when economic and ideological divides, and the brutality of war had pitted brothers, neighbors, friends against each other, Lincoln called for thanksgiving. Amidst the bloody battle and the pervasive rhetoric of difference, our visionary 16
th
president knew that the ritual of coming together and giving thanks is powerful. That it could enliven a young democracy, repair a union, quiet the craven yell and reclaim a shared humanity.
These are powerful ideals: shared harvest, fellowship, community, a seat at the table. From civil war to civil rights, the table has been central and symbolic – to healing, equality, justice, progress, and patriotism, too. There’s a reason Dr. King spoke so often about the table of brotherhood. Separated by a hundred years, perhaps both Abe Lincoln and Dr. King believed that table-by-table Americans would reunite across differences and that together they would redefine the common good and reimagine a new, shared American dream.
Last week, a colleague who works every day to build community told me that he dreads gathering with family this Thanksgiving. He fears that at their table – like many tables in America this week – the deep divides and stark disparities the election revealed will be laid bare. I’ve heard similar concerns from many other colleagues and friends. So, this week, we did what we always do, we looked to the points of light community for ideas and answers.
“How will you transform your table?” we asked. “How will you come back together across differences? How will you start a conversation that matters?”
Our partners at Repair the World offer resources for hosting a dinner and facilitating a productive dialogue that allows guests to share, heal, process and talk about where we are individually and as a country. You can download resources and share on social using #ShabbatConversation.
This free Campaign for Change download from artist, designer, illustrator, and educator Andrea Pippins provides a kind and compassionate starting place for crucial conversations. These beautiful grown-up coloring sheets will be the centerpiece of my Thanksgiving table and a central theme of the conversations I hope spark there.
In the wake of an historic election, people from all walks of life are looking for ways to come together, to tackle tough challenges, and to find healing by helping others. That why Points of Light launched Service Unites, an online platform and campaign that asks Americans to serve. This effort will tap into the unlimited hope and potential of individuals to spark change and create solutions to the issues facing our communities and our country. Make your pledge today at serviceunites.org and share your service story using #ServiceUnites.
May this Thanksgiving, and the conversations at our tables, begin to bind us, heal us and repair our nation. May ours be tables of brotherhood where justice, equality and love of country spark conversations, connect us to each other, and enliven our young democracy.
ServiceWorks Bootcamp Brings Project Management Skills to Young Adults in LA
Bringing together speakers from the White House, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office on Workforce Development, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and the Los Angeles Trade and Technical College, a bootcamp hosted on Nov. 19 by ServiceWorks in Los Angeles focused on skills building and service for young adults ages 16 to 24. During a ServiceWorks bootcamp, participants gain skills – including project management competencies – that will strengthen their path to college and careers while helping resolve problems in their communities.
This event, which is part of Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress Initiative, is one of many ways that ServiceWorks’ founding partners, Points of Light, AmeriCorps, and Citi Foundation, are putting youth scholars on the path to success by offering leadership development, project management skills, mentorship, and the personal sense of empowerment that comes with performing volunteer service.
“The ServiceWorks bootcamp features workshops on skills that are particularly relevant as young people go into the workforce. Recently, we’ve been going deep on project management because it’s such a valuable and transferable life and professional skill,” said Georgia Gillette, senior vice president of programs, Points of Light.
The bootcamp, which drew more than 75 youth participants, promoted service as a solution to community problems. After the project management workshop, participants were invited to complete one of two service projects to help kick-off their volunteer efforts. A large group designed mini-murals with uplifting messages for their college-bound peers, to be displayed around Los Angeles at YouthSource community centers. Another subset of participants worked on preparing college information and research packets that will be made available to hundreds of peers who couldn’t attend the event.
“You can be a change agent, and shape a better future for all, through your compassion for others, commitment to excellence, and willingness to work and learn,” said Deputy Mayor Brenda Shockley.
Now equipped with the necessary tools for success, the participants in the event are not only better prepared to achieve their own goals, but also to improve their communities.
