April 17, 2004

United Way’s National Volunteer Week activities focus on engaging corporate volunteers

BOSTON --To celebrate National Volunteer Week (April 18-24),United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB) unveiled a new online effort to engage corporate volunteers and to help companies design volunteer programs that will have measurable, positive results in the community. UWMB also sponsored events designed to attract new young professionals to volunteer opportunities and to bring together corporations and nonprofits to discuss innovative strategies for engaging volunteers.

“Recent economic uncertainties have not dampened corporate volunteerism efforts in the Boston region,” said Marian L. Heard, president and chief executive officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay. “United Way this week is convening its business, media and nonprofit partners to magnify the impact of corporate volunteerism in our region.”

The new online toolkit for Corporate Volunteer Programs was unveiled Wednesday, April 21 on United Way’s website. UWMB is partnering with the Corporate Volunteer Council of Greater Boston to offer easy-to-access tools that companies need to start, expand or improve their corporate volunteer programs. The toolkit offers links to hundreds of local volunteer opportunities, example policies from other corporate volunteer programs, measurement tools, tips on starting a corporate volunteer program and running a volunteer project, information on how employees can find opportunities on nonprofit boards, put their career skills to work, and more!

To access this free resource go to: http://www.uwmb.org/company/volunteer.htm.

UWMB launched the new service during National Volunteer Week, and partnered with WFXTFOX25-TV to raise community awareness of the impact volunteers can have in their community. In addition to the new effort to engage corporate volunteers, United Way planned several activities to foster volunteerism in the region, including a “Corporate Volunteerism Today” forum and a “Cheers, Beers and Volunteers” networking event for young professionals. FOX25 will be airing public service announcements throughout the week that profile and salute some of the region’s outstanding volunteers.

“Corporate Volunteerism Today” brought leaders from non-profit organizations and local corporations together to discuss innovative strategies for engaging corporate volunteers. This year's focus was on working together to measure and increase the impact of corporate volunteerism. The forum featured Meagan Campion, executive director of the national organization Business Strengthening America, a business-driven, non-partisan, multi-year, peer-to-peer effort to encourage civic engagement through volunteer service. Also featured on the panel were David Abdow of the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, Jennifer Waldner of State Street Corporation, Mildred Ruiz Allen of the Boston Public Schools and Rebecca Young of the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. Susan Tran, reporter at FOX25, will moderate the event. The event – sponsored by State Street Corporation, the Corporate Volunteer Council of Greater Boston and FOX25 – was held Wednesday, April 21 at State Street Financial Center in Boston.

At the 1 st Annual Cheers, Beers, Volunteers, also Wednesday, April 21, young professionals enjoyed a night of fun, food and Harpoon beer while learning about great opportunities to volunteer in their community. Several agencies including Big Brothers Big Sister, Greater Boston Food Bank and Project Hope were on hand to talk about their organizations and what they are looking for in a volunteer. Most of the agencies present offered attendees the chance to sign up to volunteer at community projects on Saturday, April 24. FOX25’s Doug Meehan emcee'd the night. All proceeds went to United Way of Massachusetts Bay. This event was sponsored by Harpoon Helps, Mix 98.5, FOX25, Parris, and United Way of Massachusetts Bay.

Media inquires should contact:
Jeff Bellows
Phone: 617-624-8250
Fax: 617-624-9114
E-mail: jbellows@uwmb.org