Helping Caregivers of Combat Wounded Veterans Face Their Own Battles on the Homefront
When Joey Caswell’s husband, Charlie, was severely wounded in Iraq in June 2005 from a multiple IED blast, the impact on her as a U.S. Army spouse and mother was profound as well. When he returned home on his 30th birthday, he looked healed on the outside but, internally, he battled constant back pain, major depression, and PTSD – a battlefield where Joey joined Charlie, facing multiple medical appointments, all-night care, and countless errands.
That devoted journey as a caregiver of a wounded service member was a lonely, high-stress, career-straining one, and Joey Caswell gathered lessons learned along the way. Now a fellow with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and president of the new nonprofit, Warriors and Caregivers United in Michigan, Caswell mentors other caregivers of wounded service members.
She knows the drill of caring for a combat wounded veteran. “I lost sleep, I lost friends, I was tired, exhausted and finding myself getting angry,” she recalls, “angry that his issues and symptoms seemed to be working their way in to my everyday life as well.” Through it all, she stayed inspired by her husband, saying, “He gave so much for this amazing and beautiful country we live in and asked for nothing in return.”
Now the mother of three children, “It is my goal to make sure that no one – vets or caregivers alike – ever has to go through what we did, and that people get the knowledge and support we all deserve.”
Caswell says support could include assistance with childcare, meals, household chores, and a sympathetic ear. But it also includes a more widespread acknowledgment of PTSD as an injury, the strains it puts on families, and the fact that wounded veterans and their caregivers can be found in every community.
“Behind every wounded vet is a family member or spouse who is the invisible person most of the time keeping that veteran alive,” says Caswell. “Offer your friendship, support and love to them. And educate yourself on PTSD and the invisible wounds of war.”
Thanks to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Joey Caswell will share her story and her expertise at the Military Forum “Service in Support of Our Military Caregivers,” sharing the stage with Catharine Grimes of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Leisa Easom of the Rosalynn Carter Institute, Laurel Rodewald of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and many more at the 2016 Conference on Volunteering and Service, June 27-29 in Detroit. Find out more about this year’s Conference and register now!
ServiceWorks Scholars Join Citi Volunteers for Global Community Day
program is using volunteerism as a pathway to college and career readiness. And there aren’t many better opportunities for program participants – Service Scholars – to gain firsthand experience and exposure to the value of service than Citi’s
year for an event that’s now totaled close to three million hours of volunteer service. In 2016, over 85,000 volunteers gave 425,000+ hours at 1,400+ events in 91 countries and 500+ cities to enable growth and progress.
As a grantee of the Citi Foundation’s
initiative, ServiceWorks host sites partner with Citi employees across the United States to perform acts of service several times a year, culminating with Global Community Day. This gives young people in the program a chance to make a positive impact in their hometown while playing a role in an event that’s happening in thousands of local communities around the world. But it’s so much more than that.
While working alongside Citi Volunteers on these projects, Scholars are organically building on some of the core principals of the program. They’re getting to practice skills like communication, teamwork and leadership. By connecting with Citi professionals, they’re not just expanding their networks – they’re expanding their minds in terms of what they believe is possible for their future. Global Community Day is an exceptional chance for them to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Some of the day’s highlights included:
In Boston, English- and Spanish-speaking Scholars were matched with Citi Volunteers for personal success coaching. Maria Grande, an
, said it was a useful and unique experience for them: “The Scholars were really interested in what they were learning. Nobody had ever sat them down before and shown them how to write a resume or set S.M.A.R.T. goals.”
in New York enjoyed a day of cultural learning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Teaming with Citi Volunteers for various activities, Scholars quickly established a rapport with Citi’s employees that led to meaningful lunchtime conversations about possible career paths. Despite living in New York for most of their lives, for several of the Scholars, it was their first opportunity to visit The Met.
Global Community Day had extra meaning in Chicago. Graduates of the ServiceWorks program at
returned there to do beautification work on the space where they received their ServiceWorks training – and often return to for after-school time. Leading such hard work alongside the Citi Volunteers provided a chance to polish the relationship-building skills learned in the program.
But to Karina Cabrales, one of the two VISTA Members there, doing it early on a hot, Saturday morning – when it wasn’t required – spoke to the essence of ServiceWorks: “They’ve realized the value of community service. It was really important for them to come back and give to this space they consider their own.
Finally, back in New York, Scholars from the
got to build bikes for needy children with Citi’s CEO, Mike Corbat.
To see more images from this day of global inspiration and local impact, search the hashtag #CitiVolunteers on
Delivering on Our Commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative
A STEM major in college and now the mother of two girls passionate about science, you could say that Sandy Marshall knows a little bit about the challenges of getting more girls and women interested in STEM careers. That’s precisely why, in 2011, she started
, a nonprofit that educates, coaches, and advocates for girls and women with an aptitude, talent, and passion for STEM.
Seeing early success, Sandy was looking for ways in which she could catapult the nonprofit’s success and increase its impact. She was accepted into the fifth cohort of the Points of Light Civic Accelerator, or CivicX, in the fall of 2014. Through this 10-week boot camp-style program, she gained the right knowledge and skills to seek investments and scale her social innovation. Since graduating from the accelerator, she has increased the organization’s funding, grown the program from serving 95 girls to serving over 500, and is now focused on building a nationwide model to increase the number of women in STEM fields.
Sandy’s success with Project Scientist tells just a fraction of the changemaking story that is being written by the CivicX with every cohort that graduates from this Points of Light initiative. Soon after we launched, we knew we had tapped into a pool of talent with the determination to make a difference. That’s why, just two years after launching the Civic Accelerator, we made a bold and exciting bet at the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI) in the summer of 2014: to double the number of graduated civic entrepreneurs within two short years!
Two years later, and in our home city of Atlanta, we are thrilled to once again be at CGI America. With a new emerging program on the national scene, a disruptive model that abounds with diversity and a unique desire for both innovation and scale, we have great progress to share on this commitment and much more.
The headline: we are 75 percent to goal in doubling the number of civic entrepreneurs with two cohorts to go this year! The real news, below the headline, is in the impact and the alignment with CGI-America and its goals. Taking a glance at this year’s working groups for the CGI conference, CivicX has graduated social ventures that match up with all nine of this year’s working groups. A few examples:
In “Financial Opportunity,” MoneyThink has been a national force in financial literacy for low-income communities, having trained over 10,000 high school students and engaged over 1,200 college-age volunteers.
In “STEM Education,” Atlanta’s own STEAMTruck, a mobile innovation lab, provides STEM education by bringing innovative tools, equipment and experts directly to students, no matter where they are.
In “Workforce Development,” CareerVillage, through an innovative technology now available to millions, empowers young people from low-income communities to attain gainful employment by closing the career, information, and advice gaps.
Speaking of innovation, in the last year, as part of the CGI commitment to leverage learnings to-date, CivicX developed a new Rapid Innovation Summit. This two-day onsite workshop provides design thinking, rapid prototyping and startup methodologies to social entrepreneurs and civic leaders. Rolled out initially in the three cities – Atlanta, New Orleans and Houston – the Summits represent a very effective way to provide entrepreneurial capacity to a broader range of nonprofit leaders in regions that lack sufficient resources for aspiring social entrepreneurs. In addition, the eighth cohort of CivicX, scheduled to take place in Detroit in the fourth quarter of 2016, will focus on Opportunity Youth – scaling innovative social ventures that reach displaced youth in order to provide educational and workforce opportunities.
On the heels of CGI America in Atlanta, we’ll turn our focus to graduating the seventh CivicX cohort this Thursday. If you are in the Washington, DC area, join us for
to see first-hand how these civic entrepreneurs are leading innovations in accelerating technology adoption and financial inclusion so that everyone may succeed in our digital economy.
Thanks to a track record of real impact, CivicX has successfully attracted the attention and amazing support of key national partners, including PwC Foundation, Starbucks Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Capital One and Vodafone, among others. As expansion continues to new regions and markets, exciting new opportunities will be created for partners to join CivicX and the effort to scale social impact through incredible civic entrepreneurs.
Corporate Service Council Asia Meeting: A New Era of Corporate Engagement
More than 60 leaders in corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, and volunteerism convened in Hong Kong on May 25, 2016, for the Points of Light
Asia Meeting. Excitement in the air was palpable, as attendees explored opportunities for accelerating the impact of corporate citizenship in Asia.
“We are at the cusp of a boom in corporate social responsibility,” said Neil Bush, Points of Light Chairman. “The enthusiasm in this room, all centered on the topic of corporate service in Asia, is contagious. In the next 20 years, we are going to witness a complete restructuring of the CSR industry, and the leaders and organizations gathered in this room will be at the helm.”
Participants echoed the importance and strong need to lead purpose-driven organizations. “When you align life values with work, work is more fun,” said Joanne Oswin, COO of
, reiterated the changing trends across Asia and strong enthusiasm of all attendees. “At GE, the culture of service goes from the top to the bottom,” he said. “It has changed me, and changed how I lead.”
Guest speakers shared best practices from their service-leading brands, and representatives from our host partner
attended the meeting, along with Points of Light affiliates from China, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines and Singapore.
Looking for more ways to engage with Points of Light?
How You Can Help Fight Childhood Hunger This Summer
Summer is almost here! This is the season to enjoy endless fun in the sun with sunscreen, flip flops, and cold beverages. But if you’re one of the 15 million children living in food-insecure households, surviving summer means finding a way to not go hungry. School is often the most reliable place where kids can get a meal. With the end of the school year approaching, the fight against childhood hunger becomes especially urgent.
As a volunteer, you can play a big role in achieving hunger relief. Whether you choose to volunteer at a local food bank, host a food drive or engage your civic leaders around childhood hunger – you can make a difference for hungry kids this summer.
Here are three things you can do to help fight hunger this summer:
Be a Champion: Take the Vote to End Hunger pledge, and inspire your friends and family to do the same.
Use Your Skills: Whether you are a marketer, teacher or computer coder, share your professional talents with hunger organizations to help increase their effectiveness.
Get inspired by stories of these volunteers who are fighting on the front lines to end hunger:
“Urban Farming”
Nashville teen Camryn Magsby, teaches kids about urban gardening, meal planning and healthy nutrition.
“Bags of Kindness”
Braeden Quinn Mannering, age 12, provides homeless individuals with brown bags packed with healthy food and water.
“A Family Affair”
The Chung family shows that you can fight hunger, no matter your age.
“Tech for Good”
College student Maria Rose Belding built an interactive website to help facilitate distribution of fresh, healthy food to food pantries.
HandsOn Hong Kong Launches Social Enterprise to Employ People with Disabilities
In Hong Kong, people with disabilities are often not visible in the community. A lack of understanding and accessibility in the city has left people with disabilities somewhat shunned from the general public. Some 2 percent of Hong Kong’s population has an intellectually disability and these individuals are often left out of the workforce due to a lack of appropriate job opportunities.
With this in mind, HandsOn Hong Kong developed an innovative social enterprise to increase the integration of intellectually disabled adults into society, while also facilitating healthy eating habits in the workplace. The initiative employs intellectually disabled delivery assistants to deliver fresh fruit to offices on a weekly basis.
“Fruit For Good is unlike anything we have done since our inception in 2007,” says Shaun Bernier, founder and board chair of HandsOn Hong Kong, which is an affiliate of the Points of Light HandsOn Network. “Given the lack of employment opportunities for people with disabilities in our community, we sought to find a creative solution and one that could also engage our volunteers and the business community.”
To test the effectiveness of Fruit For Good, a pilot was conducted in January with 14 companies near Hong Kong’s central business district participating. Four delivery assistants were hired and seven HandsOn Hong Kong volunteers played a key role in helping them deliver the fruit, and liaise with drivers and participating companies.
Many companies were enthusiastic about the initiative, particularly to be part of an innovative solution to address a pressing social issue – in this case addressing employability of intellectually disabled adults in Hong Kong.
“During the pilot, our staff looked forward to the fruit deliveries each week,” says Vinny Lo, assistant to the president at Montblanc, one of the participating companies. “Many of them enjoy eating fruits, and they appreciated the opportunity to help the disadvantaged while having a healthy snack. It’s definitely a meaningful initiative.”
The delivery assistants also benefited, according to occupational therapist Tim Kwan.
“Fruit For Good was a valuable opportunity for our client to gain work experience in a supportive environment,” says Kwan, who works with one of the delivery assistants at Caritas Lok Mo Integrated Vocational Training Centre. “Not only did he gain practical work skills, but he also developed friendships with his colleagues and volunteers from the initiative. He is now better prepared to pursue similar jobs in the future.”
The initiative also provides HandsOn Hong Kong with a new potential funding stream. Fruit For Good received seed funding from Hong Kong-based Operation Santa Claus. HandsOn Hong Kong hopes to see the initiative become financially sustainable within the next year, in order to continue to support Fruit For Good and the organization’s volunteering programs.
Following the success of and positive feedback received from the pilot, HandsOn Hong Kong is now recruiting companies to participate in the official launch of Fruit For Good, with deliveries beginning in April. To find out more about Fruit For Good, please contact Liana Chan, social enterprise manager of HandsOn Hong Kong at [email protected].
The week of May 23-27, 2016, we are excited to engage with corporate and civil society leaders in Hong Kong. Board Chairman Neil Bush and CEO Tracy Hoover will participate in a meeting, sponsored by Hilton Worldwide, that will convene more than 50 members of the Points of Light Corporate Service Council around the theme of “Inspiring and Accelerating the Impact of Corporate Volunteering in Asia.” In the days that follow, more than 20 leaders from Points of Light’s network of innovative volunteering organizations from nine countries in Asia will meet to share strategies and successful approaches for mobilizing changemakers, building nonprofit capacity through volunteerism and partnering with companies in the region. These meetings are being hosted by HandsOn Hong Kong, one of Points of Light’s most inspiring international affiliates.
Employee Volunteers Demonstrate Fidelity’s Commitment to Education and Service
Corporations that embrace social responsibility make a lasting impact on the communities where they live and work, and also do better financially while maintaining higher employee satisfaction rates. Members of the Points of Light Corporate Service Council demonstrate a commitment to mobilizing, equipping and inspiring high-impact volunteering through successful employee engagement programs. Fidelity Investments is one shining example of this dedication to service.
Demonstrating a long-term commitment to education, employee volunteers and their families invest in local schools through Fidelity’s School Transformation Days, which take place throughout the year. Volunteers clean classrooms, plant gardens, build or fix odds and ends around the schools, and paint murals to create a friendly and clean environment for students. Fidelity volunteers also engage in STEM projects with students, promoting skills for future career success.
Building on its efforts throughout the year, the company, through it’s Fidelity Cares program, recently celebrated its annual Fidelity Cares Day, with more than 6,000 employee volunteers sharing their time and talent with 27 schools and 81 projects across the United States, Canada and India. The day’s projects reached nearly 18,000 students and more than 2,600 teachers. Employees found volunteer opportunities that matched individual passions to connect with colleagues and develop leadership skills in their communities while benefiting local education and financial initiatives. In partnership with nonprofit organizations and regional school systems, Fidelity focused on creating opportunities for employees to leverage their insights and experience to help provide students in need with an educational foundation to feel more confident, make smart decisions, and achieve success in personal and financial goals.
In North Carolina, more than 120 Fidelity volunteers joined Stop Hunger Now to pack 20,000 meals for distribution to local families in need.
In Texas, volunteers energized students by creating hands-on chemistry demonstrations in line with Fidelity STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) educational goals.
450 volunteers served the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati, the Ronald McDonald House, Holmes Middle School, and Crayons to Computers where these volunteers assembled math kits for middle school students, which included a handwritten note of encouragement to boost confidence and show students that Fidelity cares about their success.
75 volunteers worked at the Boys and Girls Club Camp Foster in Manchester, New Hampshire, helping to refurbish buildings.
This is just a small glimpse into the meaningful changes made in local communities on Fidelity Cares Day. Check the hashtag #FidelityCaresDay on Twitter to see more Fidelity volunteers in action.
The Power of Volunteers: Rebuilding Flint
The Points of Lights Disaster Services team has been on the ground in Flint, Michigan, meeting with volunteers, and contributing our expertise in volunteer mobilization and management. In their own words, many of the volunteers shared with us stories of neighbor helping neighbor, and the resiliency and determination of the Flint community in the aftermath of the lead water crisis. Here are just a few of the voices from the frontlines.
Rachel Wenzlick, Director of the Volunteer Reception Center, United Way of Genesee County
As director of the Volunteer Reception Center at the United Way of Genesee County, an affiliate of the Points of Light HandsOn Network, Rachel Wenzlick works alongside the American Red Cross and AmeriCorps NCCC to process hundreds of volunteers each week.
“I like to see the volunteers who are behind the water distribution, the recycling effort, and who are out there helping the community,” says Rachel.
Giving back also requires many sacrifices from the volunteers. Rachel reports that some of the biggest challenges the volunteers coming through the Volunteer Reception Center have faced thus far are cold weather, snow and overall weather conditions.
Jeff, Cookie, and Malcolm Harper, Calvary Methodist Church, Flint, Michigan
Like many of their neighbors in Flint, Jeff, Cookie and their son Malcolm started experiencing headaches, skin breakouts and stomach problems after drinking the city’s water. They believed they had the flu until a youth minister told them their symptoms might be caused by lead in their water. The family was able to get bottled water from a local food bank but realized that many of their neighbors lacked the information to do the same. In response, Malcolm developed better signage for the site to attract more residents. Soon after, the family decided to help when they saw the resulting spike in foot traffic.
Remarking upon his family’s creativity in helping the site where they were first clients, Malcolm says: “Crisis causes innovation and light will shine on the darkest issues. But Flint always bounces back.”
Today, the family volunteers weekly at their local food bank to deliver 40 pallets of safe drinking water to the local community.
Sandra Jones, the Greater Holy Temple, Flint, Michigan
Sandra Jones and her husband, Roger Jones, Bishop of the Greater Holy Temple in Flint, oversee a state-managed water distribution for community residents through their church. The Convoy of Hope initially contacted them to request their help with distributing donated water to parishioners. Soon after, more people from around the country made more donations. Sandra and Roger report that residents come to them daily – 250-300 cars may drive up for water. Already, they have distributed more than 15 million bottles of water.
“I was never a server but I was a giver. This crisis has made me both. Spend a week volunteering with us and your heart and passion for the community will change,” says Sandra. “Don’t give up on Flint. I’ve seem more comradery come out of people since the water crisis has hit then I’ve seen in the past 15 years.”
In addition to water, the couple have also started distributing lead mitigating foods and personal hygiene items like diapers and toiletries. Sandra marvels that she has learned how to drive a forklift truck to move items around and provide work for volunteers.
“Well, it needed to get done,” she says.
Residents are relying on these services and are counting on Sandra and Roger. The distribution center is open six days per week, no matter the weather.
“There are a lot of trust issues in this community and folks have to decide if you are with them or against them before they will open their doors,” says Sandra.
Sandra has been fighting for Flint for years but in this most recent battle she had the support of a powerful ally, President Obama. In advance of the President’s visit in early May, the White House sent Domestic Policy Council Director Cecilia Muñoz to meet with Sandra and Roger. She knows that Ms. Muñoz listened because the concerns she shared on behalf of her community found their way into the President’s remarks.
Sandra and Roger say that resources are beginning to dry up and donations of water are slowing down, but they have personally contributed to purchasing equipment and providing food to volunteers to keep the operation going.
James Greer, Outreach Coordinator of North Central Church, Flint, Michigan
The congregation of North Central Church and the surrounding neighborhood are elders or retired, so James Greer and a few younger church members give out water five days a week. James, the church’s outreach coordinator, calls his volunteer work at the church “Labor of Love 2016,” but he’s been in love with Flint for as long as he can remember.
Greer went away to boot camp five days before his 19th birthday in 2004. He came home once a year and each year he noticed more and more of Flint disappearing. All of the schools that shaped his childhood are boarded up.
“To me, it is devastating,” Greer says.
Greer and a few members of the church started with just 20 pallets of water. Sixteen semi-truckloads later, he continues to lead volunteers to give away water. He remains committed to distribution efforts, despite working full-time on the 2nd shift – sometimes even pulling double shifts – because his community needs fresh water.
Once while loading water to a few cars he noticed that some folks were trying cover up how much they had been given. When he asked them why, he learned that a few distribution sites limit the amount of water per household. Greer told them to spread the word that anyone can get as much water as they need at North Central Church. Now, when people come to get free water in the church parking lot, they pick up for themselves and for their neighbors.
Moving back to Flint has been an adjustment for Gladis Sheron, who returned in 2012 to help care for her sick brother.
“It’s been a culture shock, the conditions of the city have changed dramatically—empty houses, torn down houses and houses without doors,” she says. “But that’s what we are here for. I really enjoy helping people.”
Gladis runs the Calgary Praise Church, serving a small community of parishioners. She worries about the limitations on water for bathing, cooking, drinking. Some residents stand in line for water and only get two bottles for water for the whole family. She believes that families should be given water on a weekly basis.
Volunteering is also a family affair for her.
“My cousin from Richmond, Indiana, came up with two truckloads full of water all collected from Richmond residents,” she says.
The Points of Light Disaster Services program activates volunteer efforts around the world to provide disaster relief. We partner with local and national organizations to establish Long Term Recovery Groups and mobilize volunteers as part of the ongoing effort to build more resilient communities. For more information, contact [email protected].
10 Reasons to Attend the 2016 Conference on Volunteering and Service
Each year, thousands of people who really care about the future of volunteer service convene at the Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service – to learn from, share with and get inspired by one another, and to work together to increase the number of volunteers in the world and the impact of the work they do.
This year’s event features 11 diverse learning tracks with more than 100 workshops with nonprofit, corporate and civic leaders. Plenary sessions will include inspiring leaders from the rapidly evolving field of social change, including activists, entertainers, civil rights leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, athletes, elected officials and CEOs from nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies—all joining attendees to celebrate volunteering and service and to highlight the impact of changemakers across the globe.
We hope you’ll join us! Here are 10 great reasons why you should register today:
Location, location, location.
This year’s event will take place in Detroit, a city that is a shining example of how social innovation, cross-sector collaboration and citizen engagement can drive change. Detroit is a big city on the rise – with culture, history, entertainment, grit and determination, and oh-so-many stories to share.
Unmatched value.
The annual Conference on Volunteering and Service is the largest service-related convening of nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders in the world. You won’t find an event that offers this much content, and this many inspiring speakers and changemakers anywhere else.
Progress and impact.
You’ll hear from people who are working on some of the world’s toughest problems, and learn about their solutions for the future. Whether you are new to your organization or a senior executive with years of experience, you’ll discover volunteerism and civic engagement practices that will make a difference in your community and your career.
Get inspired.
At our conference, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in industry-leading civic engagement discussions about solutions to the most important challenges you face in your local community. You’ll return home equipped with new plans, tips and tools to make your organization faster, leaner and stronger.
Make a difference.
Attendees will have the chance to participate in hands-on service projects designed to make an impact on Detroit. You can engage in peer collaboration and discover lessons learned across the city and in surrounding communities.
Meaningful connections.
This is the largest convening body in the nonprofit sector, bringing together leaders from all over the world to help you learn and grow. And, with plenty of opportunities for networking, you’ll reconnect with old friends and make new like-minded, diverse friends and contacts from all over the globe.
Discover new products and services.
Returning this year, with space for 80 exhibiting organizations, the exhibit hall will be an integral part of your interactive learning experience. Highlights include a demonstration stage featuring experts in volunteer service with new products, services and technologies; numerous fun service areas; multiple networking lounges and a social media lounge.
International learning opportunities.
With the global track, participants have the opportunity to learn about social change strategies, innovative approaches and emerging global trends that are inspiring citizen participation and deepening volunteer impact worldwide.
BONUS: Did you know Detroit has two border crossings leading into Windsor, Ontario? Extend your conference stay and visit Canada via downtown Detroit! Just take the Ambassador Bridge—the world’s busiest international land crossing—or the Detroit-Windsor tunnel, traveling 75 feet below the Detroit River.
Have FUN!
Whether it’s participating in the Compassion Games, engaging in some friendly social media competition to win prizes, or attending an evening event, there will be plenty of opportunities to have a lot of fun. Get pumped up at the Welcome to Detroit Celebration on June 27, which will include networking, games, food and beverages, as well as unrivaled views of the 58th Ford Fireworks shows – one of the best in the country – along the Detroit River.
Be a part of the movement.
Don’t miss out on this singular opportunity to join thousands of changemakers coming together to shape the future of volunteerism! Join us at the Conference on Volunteering and Service, June 27-29 in Detroit. Learn more and register today.
From Food Drives to Disaster Relief, Outstanding Make a Difference Day Volunteers Awarded Grants to Make Change
At age 14, Dominic Esposito saw a need in his community and found a creative way to help solve it. It was 2013, and Hurricane Sandy had recently devastated New Jersey – leaving many families in need of help and food panties struggling to keep shelves stocked. When the entrepreneurial teen learned that valuable scrap metal was not being properly recycled in his community, he founded
to collect and recycle unwanted scrap metal with proceeds benefitting area food banks.
On Make a Difference Day, the nonprofit hosted a walk-a-thon, leveraging social media, word-of-mouth, and door-to-door marketing to gain business and community support. The event raised nearly $2,500 for the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties – enough to provide 7,300 meals for people in need.
Dominic’s commitment to service echoes those of millions of volunteers who unite in service each year on the 4
th
Saturday in October for Make a Difference Day, an initiative of
, in collaboration with Points of Light. This week in Washington, D.C., volunteers with Scrap Hunger and other community groups – selected from thousands of entrants – will be honored for their 2015 Make a Difference Day projects.
Guests at the awards ceremony will include
will award $10,000 grants to the organizers of the 13 winning projects, and the TEGNA Foundation and Gannett Foundation will give an additional $10,000 all-star grant to a past winner that has demonstrated excellence in volunteerism during the most recent Make a Difference Day.
“In celebrating these Make A Difference Day honorees, we can find inspiration to take action in our own lives,” said Tracy Hoover, CEO, Points of Light. “They remind us that we can use our special skills, our talents, our dollars or our tweets to create positive change every day. In return, the best part of service is that it awakens our passions and connects us to one another.”
The 2015 national Make A Difference Day Award honorees include:
Return of the Natives, Salinas, CA
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Muncie, IN
Scrap Hunger, Lincroft, NJ
Animal Friends, Pittsburgh and Wexford, PA
The Pediatric Connection, Richmond, VA
Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA
GFWC Beverly hills Junior Women’s Club, Chicago, IL
Volunteer Center of Story County, Ames, IA
Stanwood High School, Stanwood, WA
Taking Root, Cincinnati, OH
The 2015 City Award honorees are:
Richmond, CA
Moonachie, NJ
Aberdeen, SD
The All-Star Award is:
Operation Access, Sonoma County, CA
Learn more about the 2015 Award Winners and find how to get involved for Make A Difference Day 2016.
