ELWYN GLOVER
Elwyn Glover has quietly volunteered for the Midget Football program for the past 38 years. He has laid a solid foundation of sportsmanship and life skills for nearly four generations of young people in the Lancaster County community.
Mr. Glover’s duties include and have included serving on the Board of Directors, serving as a Commissioner during game days, coordinating the Red Cross First Aid Teams for game days, coordinating the football officials for the games, maintaining the fields, preparing the fields for games and working with the general operation of the league. Mr. Glover also is responsible for coordinating the eight sponsorships that have a total of about 55 teams annually. The coordination includes budget, insurance and financial responsibilities. He is currently President of the organization and has been so for the past 15 years. Prior to that he served as Vice President for 10 years.
There are about 1,200 boys and girls that participate in the program annually. Based on his years of service between 38,000 and 45,000 boys and girls have had an opportunity to participate because of his continuous dedication and hard work. Many of those young people have continued to play football in high school and college.
Mr. Glover not only plays a leadership role, but he also mows and maintains the fields along with his other league duties. The annual hours are conservatively estimated based on 15 hours per week for eight months of the year and 10 hours for eight football days. This totals nearly 600 hours for Midget Football alone. In addition, Mr. Glover has been a volunteer in the Scout organization for more than 30 years. He first served at the local level on various committees. For 26 years, he served as Scout Master and he is currently on the Boy Scout Cornhusker Council Properties Committee.
His work with youth does not stop here; he has also served on Board of Directors of the Lincoln Lutheran Junior and Senior High Schools for seven years. Mr. Glover’s priority has always been youth and his dedication is unmatched by anyone in the community.
CRESCENT REAL ESTATE EQUITIES
Crescent Real Estate Equities Company is one of the largest publicly held real estate investment trusts in the nation. The sense of commitment and excellence found at Crescent properties is brought to the community through Crescent’s FACES of Change program. Founded in 1997, FACES of Change creates three-year partnerships between Crescent properties and elementary schools in need. Currently, 37 Crescent properties are partnered with 26 elementary schools nationwide. FACES of Change partnerships take many different forms but they all create powerful benefits for the schools, students, families and volunteers. During the 2002-2003 school year, Crescent properties raised a combined $312,513 for their FACES of Change partner schools.
For Read Across America Day, in celebration of Dr. Suess’ birthday, volunteers from 14 different Crescent properties volunteered their time at FACES of Change partner schools, reading to students and stressing the importance of strong literacy skills. The volunteers added to the fun by dressing like the Cat in the Hat, complete with signature red and white striped hat and big red bowtie. In addition, the schools were presented with new books for their classrooms and libraries.
A FACE of Change partner school, Sidney Lanier Elementary in Dallas, Texas, was the recipient of a brand-new ten-station obstacle course and playground. Previously no play equipment was available for the schools’ older students. FACES of Change volunteers from The Crescent® funded the playground through two silent auctions at the property raising a total of $20,000. The shiny new playground has also become a community resource since the school is located in an urban neighborhood with very few parks.
Last spring, more than 35 students from Nash Elementary School in Fort Worth learned first hand what it means to be a Crescent team member at the “Hands On” Crescent Career Day. Crescent’s corporate office hosted the career day involving more than 64 Crescent employees.
With a FACES of Change partnership in every market in which Crescent operates, FACES has touched the lives of more than 25,000 children through 52 partnerships with elementary schools since its inception in 1997. And FACES’ 7,000+ volunteers have contributed more than $1.2 million, including goods and services, and more than 22,000 hours of service.
Crescent CEO, John Goff, explained the FACES philosophy best in a recent interview, “I could write a check for [students from a FACES partner school] to go to Six Flags or I could spend some quality time with them. At the end of the day, I think time is more valuable.”
BIG FRIEND LITTLE FRIEND
The Big Friends of Yankton, South Dakota come from all walks of life. They are college students, retirees, insurance agents, doctors, mental health workers, clergy and even schoolteachers. Some of them are also police officers, social workers, attorneys, truck drivers, principals, nurses and various other professions. Before becoming a Big Friend you must be screened extensively to ensure a safe relationship with your Little Friend. In addition, the Big Friends complete an “interest” survey to give the greatest chance of matching with a Little Friend that has similar interests. Most Big Friends participate in the Big Friend Little Friend program an average of three to five years.
Thirty-six Big Friends have a weekly commitment to meet with their Little Friend. They talk, go fishing, ride bikes, walk on the nature trails, and participate in crafts, camping, picnics, yard work and baking. Some of the Big Friends take their Little Friends to the movies, sporting events, concerts or a multitude of other activities. The Big Friends are dedicated adults who work to have a special relationship with their Little Friend and have a positive impact in their life.
The Little Friends come from various walks of life also. They do not all come from single parent families. All of the Little Friends benefit from the additional time with a caring adult. Little Friends are 6 – 17 years old with the majority being between the ages 9 – 15. Currently there are 23 unmatched Little Friends, 17 boys and 6 girls. There are many Little Friends who have graduated from the program, but they still stay in contact with their Big Friends. Some of the Big Friends are now the “adopted” grandparents of the former Little Friends’ children.
There are monthly Fun Functions for the duos to attend. This is also a time and opportunity for the Big Friends to share experiences. Several of the Big Friends are now Board members of the Big Friend Little Friend program and can share their personal experiences to aid with Board decisions.
Big Friends and Little Friends consider this a “win-win” relationship. In a recent interview, a potential Big Friend said that she wanted to join the program because when she had a Big Sister, it made a very positive impact on her life. These current 36 Big Friends along with the hundreds of other adults who have participated in this program have made a difference for many years in the lives of youth in South Dakota.
PAT FARENGA
Pat Farenga has had a family funeral business in New York City for the past 38 years. In addition to serving the community in the for profit sector, he has also been involved in civic, ethnic and nonprofit organizations.
Mr. Farenga is President of Columbus Alliance, a philanthropic Italian-American club in Bronx, County, New York. In 1981, Mr. Farenga was instrumental in organizing a humanitarian effort to assist the victims of the devastating earthquake in southern Italy. He rallied fellow funeral directors, medical providers, and anyone who wished to donate medical supplies such as bandages and crutches for this endeavor. These items were then encased in caskets and brought by hearses to Kennedy Airport and loaded on the airplane by a previous agreement with Al Italia Airlines and flown to Rome. The items were then put on trucks by the Italian Red Cross workers and delivered to the “Mezzogiorno” for use by the afflicted and maimed and ultimately for burial of deceased victims.
As a result of this particular project, Mr. Farenga was sent $15,000. The republic of Italy announced a shortage of burial receptacles and was very appreciative of his efforts; however, Mr. Farenga turned over the entire amount to the Columbus Alliance. They decided to give $5,000 to then Governor Mario Cuomo, Congressman Mario Biaggi and Monsignor Patrick Carrol Abbing of Boys Town of Italy, respectively. Mr. Farenga was also honored with a citation from the State of New York, a Congressional Medal of Merit and a Certificate of Gratitude from Boys Town of Italy.
In addition to his work with the Columbus Alliance, Mr. Farenga is 45-year member of Kiwanis International, Worldwide Service Organization, Charter Member and President of the local North East Bronx Club and has a lifetime membership bestowed upon him by the Kiwanis Club of Hartsdale, New York, where as a member in 1968, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of the Bronx-Westchester Division. As the Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Farenga was the catalyst along with fellow Kiwanis Club members, in establishing a “Key Club,” which is a Kiwanis Club designed for high school students. The youth in the club are introduced to service and helping those who are materially less fortunate than themselves. Now, Mr. Farenga performs at senior citizen functions and boat rides the club sponsors for the seniors. He also participates in Christmas caroling for youth at the annual Hartsdale Kiwanis Club Christmas Party.
Mr. Farenga was called upon by the Fordham University Circle K Club to do a benefit performance for the International Project of the Year. There he opened for the Harlem Boys Choir in a fundraiser for third world children afflicted with AIDS. That evening $6,000 was raised and sent to the Kiwanis representatives in the countries where these poor children are cared for and treated. Most recently, Mr. Farenga has been a “community mobilizer,” working with the Mayor and School Superintendent of Tuckahoe High School for “The First Year Remembrance of Our Never Forgotten Heroes – The World Trade Center Tragedy – September 11, 2001.”
LEANNA ALEXANDER
“Bringing Books to Bremond” was the result of reading a small article in a local newspaper about a group of people in Bremond, TX forming a committee to establish a “first ever” library committee in their little community of 830 people. As Leanna loves to read, it was hard for her to grasp the thought of any town not having a library.
Leanna contacted the president of the Bremond Library Committee with the thought of helping collect books. In her initial contact, Leanna learned what they really wanted to do is establish a charter to become part of the Central Texas Library System. A building to house the library had been acquired and they had already collected 3,500 books. Now all they needed was 4,000 more books to reach the required number of 7,500 books to meet the minimum standard of the Central Texas Library.
Through her advertising efforts at several churches and organizations, to date Leanna has sorted, catalogued and delivered more than 6,300 books. On the reverse side of her flyers requesting books, she also listed a brief questionnaire to try and learn ore about the descendants of the original settlers of Bremond, TX. With the response that came back on these simple flyers, Bremond has now formed a committee of citizens that are looking into the possibility of creating a separate Historical Museum for the town of Bremond.
As a direct result of Leanna’s efforts, the number of individuals using the facilities of the library has tripled. The children’s collection and the resource books have been expanded greatly. More importantly, because of the tremendous response, the library has been able to secure additional funding through various foundations to expand its facilities and obtain more shelving. The Bremond Library has received a three-year provisional membership from the Central Texas Library System, having reached three of the four criteria’s required. The last criteria is to be able to afford and hire a full time librarian.
Leanna learned to use her time and resources wisely in order to get everything completed. She says that her most important intangible aspect was the joy and pride she felt when she saw the empty shelves gradually filling up with books. Leanna learned that success could be measured on a little girl’s face reading a new storybook for the first time or an old man’s helping hand on sorting day.
BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF RHODE ISLAND
BlueAngel Community Outreach is the name of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) community outreach program, which encompasses employee volunteerism as well as employee and corporate giving. As a health insurer serving only Rhode Island, we focus our volunteer activities on health-related projects that specifically benefit people in our state. Our BlueAngel program is centered on several core projects and included many more individual activities.
Every April, Rebuilding Together matches teams of volunteers with local families, schools, and nonprofit organizations whose homes or building are in need of repair. BCBSRI has sponsored one or more locations each year for nine years, providing supplies and volunteers to transform these building into better places to live and work. In 2002, 181 BCBSRI volunteers renovated the Holy Ghost School in Providence.
The American Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s major annual fundraising event. BCBSRI President and CEO, Ronald Battista, was the chairman of the event committee in 2002 and 2003, and in 2002, the BCBSRI team included more than 500 volunteer walked who helped raise more than $60,000.
BCBSRI has “adopted” West Broadway Elementary School, a nearby school that serves many children from low-income families. BCBSRI works with school administrators to design activities for the students that are educational, such as an annual health fair and the school newsletter, as well as activities that are just for fun, such as an annual Ice Cream Day. BCBSRI employees are conducting Project Cover-up, a program that provides a hat and mittens for every student in the school each year.
Good health is a basic need shared by everyone. BCBSRI recognizes that due to a variety of circumstances, some of which are preventable, not everyone enjoys good health. BCBSRI believes this is a serious problem that must be address, and thus prioritizes the major health issues using data from the Centers for Disease Control and the local Department of Health. Nearly all of BCBSRI’s employee volunteer activities are focused on health-related projects.
SUSAN FISCHER
Friends of the Children – Portland is a nonprofit mentoring service that caters to at risk youth. Susan Fischer is passionately dedicated to the children served by Friends. She uses her artistic talents to reach out to the youth at Friends. During the last three years, Ms. Fisher has used the weekly sewing groups that she develops and runs to teach the children useful skills and to develop lasting, caring and committed relationships with those who attend.
Those involved in Ms. Fischer’s group have gained much from her dedicated efforts to connect with them. They have developed meaningful friendships with her and see her as someone they can look up to. This is important to the children in the program because many of them lack positive role models in their lives. In Ms. Fischer, the children see an example of a talented and successful woman who is dedicated to helping those in need. One of her eighth graders thinks of sunflowers on a sunny; day when she thinks of Ms. Fischer. This young lady believes all her love and compassion shines through to others.
Ms. Fischer’s connection with the children makes her acutely aware of the reality of their home lives, and she always keeps their special needs in mind. She teaches them skills to provide resources for themselves and their families, coordinating fun sewing projects that culminate in the development of something useful, whether it is school bags, clothing or other necessities. Ms. Fischer also recognizes each child’s incredible potential and keeps her expectations high. Knowing what she expects of them helps the children to set high standards for themselves and believe in their ability to live up to the.
Through the relationships that she forms in her groups, Ms. Fischer is able to offer the emotional support and nurturing that the children at Friends need and deserve but often do not receive at home. She makes each child feel special, important and nurtured through praising hard work and creativity. She is also a listener and readily available to help the children find their own solutions to problems. Ms. Fischer models healthy relationships by giving of herself generously while setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries with the children. In addition, many of the children that Ms. Fischer has mentored through Friends go on to be mentors for others to give back what was given to them.
GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION
When children were asked, “What is Philanthropy?” the majority responded that it is a disease, and that community service is something that is given to bad people as a punishment. Unlike previous generations, children are not being taught the lesson of giving to others. Unwittingly, we are creating a future generation of leaders void of this concept¼until now.
The Golden Rule Foundation’s (GRF) mission is “to inspire children to give to others” and does so by providing a hands-on, Service-Learning program for elementary-aged children. Last year alone, GRF spearheaded 92 service-learning projects at 44 elementary schools across Central Florida. As a result, more than 3,000 children had the opportunity to reach out and help others while simultaneously understanding the role they are capable of playing in their own communities.
GRF implements age-appropriate community service projects derived from the expressed needs of other area nonprofit organizations so that the true needs of the community are being met. The projects may arise from the needs of the sick, the underprivileged, and the disabled or involve beautification efforts. The Foundation provides all necessary funds, supplies and transportation needed for each project. All projects are completed as a class, during school hours, throughout the school year.
The GRF program helps children connect with their community in a myriad of meaningful ways. First, mentors assist children with their service projects. These adult volunteers serve as a visible reminder to the children that the volunteer efforts they are starting now can turn into a passion for volunteering when they grow older. Second, the children cultivate relationships with the adults in the charities they choose to support. Last, GRF projects strengthen family relationships. By being involved in a service project during the day, it opens up profound dialogue between the kids and their parents. Children involved in our program indicated that after doing a Golden Rule project, they took their own parents back to where they had visited, so that their parents could experience for themselves the joy, pride and bolstered self-esteem one receives when helping those less fortunate.
The GRF program supports the state mandate to teach Character Education and brings to life such concepts as “Giving,” “Caring,” “Respect” & “Citizenship.” The Golden Rule Foundation is the only agency in Central Florida offering the opportunity for children to be involved in service projects during school hours as part of their lesson plan. This ensures 100% of the students have the opportunity to participate and does not single out “latchkey” children who are not able to attend after school programs. Studies have shown that service learning has a dramatic effect on raising test scores, increasing attendance, and lowering the incidence of harmful behaviors such as drug use, teen pregnancy and teen suicide.
PASTOR DR. DONALD D. FORD
In 1978, Pastor Dr. Donald D. Ford established Second Missionary Baptist Church (SMBC), the first predominantly black church in south Kansas City, Missouri. SMBC, which now boasts a membership of more than 2,000, started with only four members and held the first worship service in the lower level of a bank. Pastor Dr. Ford is also the co-founder of four other churches, in addition to the Joel Ecclesiastical School of Preparation, a finishing and practicum institution for persons called to ministry work or in need of Bible training.
Pastor Dr. Ford and SMBC reach out to the community through Touch of Grace Ministries, an initiative that includes a sports association with basketball and softball teams, a drill team, drama guild, and adult and youth praise dancers. However, Pastor Dr. Ford’s commitment to the Kansas City community does not end with his church ministry. As a personal goal, Pastor Dr. Ford strives to give back, or “tithe,” at least 10% of his time weekly in volunteer efforts, which equates to approximately 72-75 hours per month.
The many programs and initiatives that are in place as a result of Pastor Dr. Ford’s community outreach are evidence of the depth of his passion for motivating and encouraging youth. Pastor Dr. Ford’s accomplishments include:
- Created and given leadership to the “Youth in a World of Pressure” program, which nurtures and encourages youth to reach their full potential and involves parent participation;
- Established SMBC as a Kansas City Promise site and received national recognition by America’s Promise as one of the outstanding model sites in the country;
- Engaged SMBC as a participating sponsor site for Freedom School in 2003 and again in 2004 (one of only nine sites in Greater Kansas City to be selected by the Children’s Defense Fund);
- Organized the Jackson County Family Court Image Makers ministry to provide mentoring and outreach to youth in the juvenile justice system;
- Served as former staff chaplain of Jackson County Juvenile Court;
- Mentored Ruskin High School students in the Hickman Mills School District; and
- Established the Windsteppers Track Team more than 15 years ago and, as one of only a few churches that sponsor a track team in the Junior Athletic Association Union, led the team to qualification in national competitions all 15 years.
Pastor Dr. Ford currently serves as a coach for a co-ed youth basketball team and participates with Vineyard Keepers, a youth entrepreneurial lawn care service. He continues his 26-year commitment to helping those in need, especially youth, to find solutions to problems they are facing. Numerous children have benefited from participation in Pastor Dr. Ford’s ministries and programs. He is willing to go the extra mile for those in need – preparing and serving meals, mowing lawns, reading to playgroups, coaching, counseling, visiting the elderly and shut-in – and he is always available and eager to serve his neighbors.
NIKE, INC.
Nike, Inc. has 23,000 employees globally. Nike is committed to employee volunteerism throughout every level of the company. Nike’s employee volunteer program is structured to allow employees the greatest possible choice and incentive to donate their time to nonprofit community organizations that are important to them. Volunteer activities are a part of Nike’s Community Investment budget, which has increased due to higher levels of employee volunteerism. Last year the company contributed $3 million to match employee volunteer hours and charitable contributions – an increase of 38 percent from the previous year.
The NikeGO Employee Program helps inspire kids ages 8-15 to get more active and more healthy. 60 Nike departments donated more than 10,000 volunteer hours in the first year. Nike employees taught physical education classes, beautified playgrounds, assembled playground equipment, organized walking and baseball clubs and a Recess Buddies program, and much more.
For Nike’s Fifth Annual U.S. Community Involvement Day, more than 1,300 Nike employees volunteered at 48 locations in Portland, Memphis, Los Angeles and New York. Employees donated a total of 6,500 hours, which Nike matched with a corporate donation of $65,000, in conjunction with Hands On Portland and Volunteers of America, Oregon.
Oregon is consistently ranked the hungriest state in the country so Nike employees rallied around the Oregon Food Bank to help. Nike helps fight hunger by sponsoring more than 190 families. In the past year, Nike’s participation in this program increased by more than 300 percent involving 120 departments. Working with the company’s food service department, Nike donated 1.2 tons of food to the Oregon Food Bank’s homeless programs.
Involvement in the community is one of the ways Nike shows our commitment. Nike’s leadership team continually stresses the importance of giving back to communities and leads by example. For instance, Phil Knight talks to employees at quarterly meetings about the pride he has for what employees are doing in communities around the world; our CFO did landscaping for eight hours at Nike’s Habitat for Humanity project and led a team during the annual U.S. Community Involvement Day and the President of the Nike Brand helped paint murals at a center for kids with HIV.
