April 19, 2005

Celebrating civic engagement: United Way forum
to highlight corporate volunteer efforts

BOSTON -- As part of its celebration of National Volunteer Week (April 17-23), United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the Corporate Volunteer Council of Greater Boston are sponsoring a forum designed to foster more partnerships between local companies and nonprofits. The “Corporate Volunteerism Today” forum – set for Wednesday, April 20 – will bring leaders from non-profit organizations and local corporations together to discuss innovative strategies for engaging corporate volunteers and showcases innovative partnerships. The forum is also sponsored by Sovereign Bank and FOX25.

Corporate examples that will be held up as “best practices” include G.I.V.E. (Genzyme Invests in Volunteer Efforts) and two programs of Paradigm Properties. Genzyme provides employees with leadership and professional development opportunities through volunteerism and aims to create long-term, sustainable connections to the charitable organizations for whom employees volunteer and fund raise. Paradigm Properties’ Community Connections program provides monthly educational, volunteer and philanthropic opportunities to tenant companies and individuals within Paradigm’s portfolio of office buildings. The success of this program prompted Paradigm to launch Building Impact, an innovative building-centric approach to increasing civic engagement and corporate citizenship.

Nonprofit models include Mass Mentoring Partnership, which aims to secure the funding and mentors needed to close the gap between the estimated 300,000 kids at risk and the 20,000 kids in mentoring relationships in Massachusetts. Mass Mentoring Partnership has worked with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to develop a leave policy for mentoring and/or volunteerism. The organization has also worked with Liberty Mutual and State Street to launch mentoring programs with Charlestown and North Quincy High Schools, respectively. Greater Boston Food Bank incorporates the work of corporate volunteers into the core mission of their organization, putting to work the 40,000 hours its 12,000 volunteers donate every year. Its volunteer opportunities are available six days a week with flexible morning, afternoon and evening hours.

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