eveloped with youth in mind. Use this resource as a starter
for
creating a volunteer project that kids (and adults!) will love.
For Kathy and Floyd Hammer, serving together in Tanzania in 2003 has turned into a lifelong passion for fighting food insecurity and starvation. Their nonprofit TheOutreach Program has grown significantly since its inception. The organization has helped to package nearly 580 million meals to be distributed nationally and abroad. Learn more about the amazing impact their service work has had on the world, and for them as a couple, in our special Valentine’s Day video.
Becoming more civically engaged isn’t just for those in a relationship this mon
th
.
Points of Light believes that every individual, and
both inside and outside of your home, allowing you to find a project that fits your comfort level and interests.
In the words of Floyd Hammer, “It just takes one or two people to start something like Outreach, and if they believe in the mission, it will succeed. It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”
As you make plans, we encourage you to add an element of civic engagement to your schedule and help spread more love and kindness through service this month. Points of Light strives to offer creative, impactful and inspiring ways for people to take action and engage in their communities. We appreciate your support of our mission and ask that you consider making a donation today in honor of someone special in your life. Your gift helps Points of Light create a society where it’s easy to get involved and make a difference.
that Generation Z is one of the most civically engaged generations, with nearly 40 percent saying they have taken five or more civic actions in the past year. But still, many said they have taken less.
We know today’s civically engaged person may express their desire to do good through the purchases they make, what they share on social media, and what nonprofit organization to support as a volunteer or donor. But often times, using one’s voice to speak up on an issue can be the most intimidating step to take, especially for a young person.
It may be difficult for young people to see how they can use their voices and make themselves heard. Parents, family members, and educators can play an important role in supporting children and young people in using and developing their voices. No matter who we are, we all have the ability to influence those around us – from sharing information on social media to speaking at a local town hall meeting to simply having a conversation at the dinner table with family.
Here are some ideas for supporting children and young people in your life to use and develop their voices, along with insight from the Points of Light Youth Council.
Listen. Sometimes, for young people especially, the challenge is feeling that their voices aren’t heard or don’t make a difference. Listening and responding when they raise and advocate for issues that they care about can help encourage them to develop their voice.“The youth are not waiting until they get older to make an impact in the world. We are making moves and your support is always needed. My advice is to give us room to grow and listen to our needs. As youth we see what’s going on in the world and we want to do our part to make it better.” – Khloe Thompson, Youth Council Member
Offer guidance. There are as many ways to use our voice as there are causes we want to support. Learning what issues and causes matter to us and how to advocate for them is a constant process, particularly for young people. Help them think through ways to use their voices safely and effectively.
Provide tools and resources. These tools could include books or other materials about how to use your voice, as well as resources on the causes and social issues they care about. A great place to start is the Voice issue of Civic Life Today, which includes numerous resources, including a Youth and Family Corner with tools geared toward a young audience.“Sometimes the best way to get youth involved…is to show them the ultimate impact. If they know what they’re working towards, they are more motivated to make a difference.” – Adom Appiah, Youth Council member
Lead by example. Perhaps one of the best ways to support young people in using their voice is to use your own. From more formal ways like advocacy to informal ways such as having conversations with family and friends, there are many ways to model using your voice and to support the young people in your life in using theirs.“Leading with the next generation of changemakers has allowed me to found two service projects, each giving me the chance to use my voice to benefit others for the past decade — all because my mom encouraged me to believe in myself and showed me what it meant to serve others.” – Eleanor Schoenbrun, Youth Council member
For more on using your voice, including resources and action plans,
A new year often brings with it a time of reflection and observation
.
This past year has been a year that has changed and transformed the entire world, and
it can feel overwhelming to
think about traditional res
olutions.
As you look ahead to what 2021
could
bring, you
may be
consider
ing
what
small
intention
s to set
for yourself
, and how you can bring your light to your local community
. While intentions can involve structured goals, they also open up space for purpose and
attitude; the
inclusive nature of this word inspires us at Points of Light to think deeply about our aspirations and
mindsets
for this year.
We appreciate that our community of light is powered by each of you. While your intentions will be unique to
you, we hope that you are able to bring
more light
to your corner of the world. Nonviolent civic engagement
in all its forms has the power to bring meaningful change.
If you are asking yourself what intentions you should set, we encourage
you
to consider the ways you can infuse civic engagement
into
different areas of your life.
Our Civic Circle helps
individuals connect to opportunities and understand doing good comes in many forms
.
The framework acknowledges what users have already incorporated into th
eir
civic engagement journey and provides insight into new ways to get involved
.
Below you will find a few resources to help you as you set, or refine, your intentions for 2021.
Volunteer: Find personallyfulfilling volunteer opportunities on our recently launched Points of Light Engage platform, the world’s largest digital hub for volunteering and community engagement opportunities.
Purchase Power: Embrace the power of your purchase to make an impact. Learn more about how your purchases can reflect your values in our Civic Life Today: Purchase Power digital magazine.
Voice:Uplift causes that are important to by using your voice. You can be the spark that generates greater awareness about an issue, inspire others, and gain the attention of leaders who can help facilitate change. Help us uplift the power of civic engagement by sharing our resources or starting a Facebook fundraiserfor Points of Light.
Points of Light remains
hopeful about what lies ahead
, and we continue to be
inspired by each of you, a point of light
in your community
. If you
’ve made an intention to be more civically engaged, we invite you share that with us on social media
at @PointsofLight
. If you have found these resources helpful, we appreciate your generous support, which enables us to continue creating innovative and accessible resources for all.
Spending for Good: Families Can Give Back Through Their Purchase Power
Would you like your family to be more involved in helping others or the environment, but feel like you don’t have the time or ability to volunteer? You can have a positive impact on the world around you through everyday actions you’re probably already doing!
Even the everyday act of purchasing items for yourself or your family can be an action that makes a difference. Through your purchase power, every time you shop, you make a statement on how the world should look and encourage companies to also consider the greater world when they make and sell products. For example, if protecting the environment is important to your family, you may choose to purchase from clothing companies that use organic or recycled fabric.
Here are a few other ways your family can flex your purchase power this holiday season and beyond:
Put your money towards organizations that value what you do.
Think about what changes you and your family would like to see in the world. Perhaps you’d like to make sure that families like yours have enough food. Many companies pledge to donate a portion of their proceeds to food banks and to addressing hunger across the world. How can you shift your shopping patterns so that you’re purchasing from these companies and promoting social good?
Upcycling
Purchase power isn’t always about how you spend your money. Sometimes it’s about not spending additional money at all! Maybe the t-shirt you’ve been holding on to for the last few years has reached its wear limit or the youngest in the family has outgrown their blanket. Instead of tossing these things, why not consider turning them into something else useful like a tote bag or chew toy for a furry friend. These are great projects older youth can do on their own, or younger ones with some supervision
Thrift or Swap
Continuing the theme of paying nothing, consider checking to see if your community has a Buy Nothing group where you can find things you and your family may need for the cost of bringing things to the group that you don’t need. You can also check out your local thrift or consignment shop to purchase slightly used items when you don’t need to purchase brand new
Help business communities thrive.
There are many micro communities within the business world made up of different types of businesses, including small, local (within your immediate neighborhood) and woman-owned businesses, just to name a few.When using your purchase power at one of these businesses you’re not only helping a smallbusiness thrive, but also an individual or a family just like yours.
Making an impact in your community with your family can be as simple as shopping for things you need. At Points of Light we believe that the most powerful force of change in our world is the individual — one who makes a positive difference. The value of individual actions, no matter how small, can have an impact and change a life. Together, our collective actions are a force that can transform the world because we know the issues we are facing are indeed pressing.
82 percent of those surveyed felt post-COVID-19, we all must get involved to rebuild our communities and country, and 95 percent said they would continue their level of civic engagement or do more to get involved.
But what does that civic engagement look like?
In 2019, at the Points of Light Conference in St. Paul, our President & CEO, Natalye Paquin, unveiled our concept of the Civic Circle. The Civic Circle reflects civic life today – all the ways in which people are engaging to do good, to support causes they care about.
From utilizing your purchase power to raising your voice; from choosing where you work based on company values to committing to a term of service with AmeriCorps; from raising your voice to opening your wallet to donate, there are so many ways to engage.
Over the past two years, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of the Civic Circle. But beginning today, we’re going to dive deeper.
Today we’re launching the first of nine editions of
Civic Life Today, a digital magazine with nine issues, each taking a in depth look at an element on the Civic Circle
, thanks to the generous support of
T
he Starbucks Foundation
. These wi
ll help you understand what each element entails, shares examples of it in action, provides resources and materials for you to learn more, gives ideas for you to take a
ction and provides in depth stories from those doing the work.
Our first issue explores purchase power, or using your expendable income to choose to support companies with similar values to you. Where you spend your money showcases what you value, and can double your impact. We’re excited to explore with you the importance of purchase power.
On day 8 of our Season of Giving: 9 Ways to Share Your Light, we’re introducing the newest element in our Civic Circle – Listen & Learn. At Points of Light, we believe that taking action often requires us to educate ourselves first. You can do this by listening to experts in the field, the employees and volunteers serving on the ground and the community members impacted by the issues you want to address. As you listen, you will learn strategies for taking action and gain a deeper understanding, so you have the tools to launch effective, social issue campaigns.
How can you implement listening and learning into your everyday life? We’ve shared a few ways for you to explore.
Seek out resources like webinars, podcasts and seminars from reputable individuals, organizations and institutions who are subject matter experts on the issues and causes that matter to you. Use these opportunities to learn but also to practice your listening skills. Powerful listening involves listening to understand, not listening to reply.
Engage with Points of Light’s Listen. Learn. Act to End Racism initiative, in partnership with Morehouse College, designed to empower businesses, nonprofits and individuals to use their influence to fight against systemic racism. You can view recordings of past conversations, access additional educational resources and sign-up for future conversations n our website linked above.
Grow your professional knowledge as a nonprofit employee or volunteer on the Points of Light Community platform. Learn best practices, get insights from other professionals and experts and access our 2020 Points of Light Conference content.
Corporate social responsibility matters, and so we encourage CSR professionals to visit Points of Light’s Community for Employee Civic Engagement (or CECE, as we call it) to learn more about how some of the largest companies in the world are engaging their employees to create social good and support the communities where they live and work to tackle emerging challenges and reach those in greatest need.
The challenges we face have never been greater or more complex. When we take a moment to listen and learn, we can activate more effectively in our communities and enhance our civic engagement thoughtfully. Transformative change endures with the help of every individual realizing their power to do good and getting involved.
Season of Giving: Recognizing the Impact of Volunteering
On International Volunteer Day, we’re celebrating the power of volunteers and the impact they have made during 2020.
Worldwide
,
volunteers have
taken action
in new and
creative
ways
to respond to
the
COVID-19
global pandemic
. At Points of Light, we are grateful for their service and commitment to doing good.
Volunteers
are a
n
in
valuable resource to communities across the globe.
. They are innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations located in more than 200 cities and 37 countries around the world. Together, we promote strategies that inspire a passion for community mindedness, enable community action and deepen a culture of community service.
At Points of Light,
w
e believe that every action
, no matter the size,
is significant
. Over the course of 2020,
Points of Light and our
Global
Network
helped
individuals and organizations
finding new ways to work together and support each other
while apart.
As you reflect on the importance of volunteering, here are a few ways you can get involved today and all year-round:
Search our database Points of Light Engage for safe volunteer opportunities inside and outside of the home that fit your interest, location and comfort level.
of respondents said post COVID-19, voting will be more important than ever.
S
ee
ing
so many people
cast
their vote as a means of taking action and advocating for their beliefs
shows that civic engagement is a continued priority
.
As we celebrate this
milestone in history, Points of Light wants to
thank and
uplift the
volunteers that made the election process safe
and efficient.
Democracy depends on ordinary people who ensure that elections run smoothly and that every vote is counted.
If you know someone in your life who volunteered t
his election cycle, thank them for their service and for being an essential worker for democracy.
Although the
election is over,
there are still ways you can engage and help
others
get
involved
:
Stay informed about local issues.While presidential and midterm elections garner the most media attention, there are critical votes in local communities from school board budgets to town council members. Don’t forget to participate in these critical elections in your community.
Equip others to get involved.Sharing nonpartisanresources and information about upcoming elections and policy issuesequips voters with essential information about the voting process. Organizations likeWhen We All Vote, Civic Alliance, andThe League of Women Voters encourages informed and active participation in government and distributes free, nonpartisan educational materials for all voters.
Volunteer. You can still become a volunteer poll worker, letter-writer or phone banker for the runoff elections that will be held over the next couple months and for local elections in the future. Check out our election resources for more information on all the ways you can get involved, inside and outside of your home.
At Points of Light, we believe that every individual should be able to live their most civically engaged life, and voting is an important piece of that.
Thank you to all the voters, volunteers and elected officials who ensure the voice of the people is
heard
during elections
.
Season of Giving: Ways to Share Your Light in the Workplace
We’re kicking off day four of
our
Season of Giving: 9 Ways to Share Your Light
by highlight
ing
how you can be more civica
lly engaged
through
you
r
workplace.
This element in our Civic Circle focuses on the different ways that you can give back to your community
What can you do to be civically engaged at work? Here are a few tips:
Research the social responsibility programs of the companies you are applying to or working for and see how much they give back to your own community and communities across the globe.
Find out if your employer has a volunteer program and sign up to participate. If they don’t have one, share our resources with your leadership and askthem to explore ways your company can get more civically involved. Check out Points of Light’sCommunity for Employee Civic Engagementfor ideas.
If you are a business owner or hold a leadership position, explore the ways your organization can give back. You can motivate your supply chain to engage in this work with you, amplifying your impact.
We recently launched The Civic 50 survey, a benchmarking tool for companies in the United States with revenues of $1 billion or more, to measure their community engagement and social impact. Encourage your company to take the survey and see how they measure up.
At Points of Light, w
e believe that companies, their employees, partners, vendors and customers
are critical to
drive
transformative social change in communities across the globe.
is more likely to participate in a demonstration or rally while older adults, like
baby
b
oomers,
are more likely to call elected officials.
We believe that civic engagement isn’t a one-size-fits all concept and our suggestions for harnessing the power of your voice can be tailored to fit your unique circumstances and values.
and
