I had the great opportunity to travel to Bucharest to attend the 10th annual conference of the HR Club, the association of human resource professionals from many of the largest companies throughout Romania. Some 450 Romanians attended, and those I met were very interested in building employee volunteer programs that help attract, retain and motivate the best and the brightest.
November 5, 2014 marks the 15th annual celebration of International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMD). As I wrote in August, volunteer managers are essential to making sure that organized volunteer efforts are creating impact and a positive experience for the volunteer and beneficiary alike. United Way and others offer training and other support for volunteer managers throughout the year, and on November 5th, organizations around the world create special events to honor volunteer managers.
Fresh back to the U.S. from a fantastic speaking and learning opportunity in Australia, I eagerly prepared for my next experience, this time in Taiwan. I traveled there at the invitation of Dr. Shin-shin Chen, from the Department of Social Work at Chaoyang University of Technology in Taichung City, Taiwan to present a series of lectures and workshops on United Way and Volunteer Engagement practices.
Volunteers across the U.S. will come together on October 25, 2014 with a common mission – to improve the lives of others. For more than 20 years, USA WEEKEND Magazine, in collaboration with Points of Light, has sponsored Make A Difference Day. Millions are expected to participate, making this the largest national day of community service in the U.S.
In mid-September I traveled to the eastern seaboard of Australia, to meet with corporate and nonprofit representatives and talk about what’s new and what’s working in volunteering. Aside from spending lots of hours flying there and back, the experience was eye-opening and inspiring.
Baby Boomers are living longer lives than their predecessors, but not necessarily healthier lives, according to a study that warns of rising health care costs. The oldest of the Boomers, nearing 70, are looking for ways to reverse this trend.
It is fitting that the day after the National Day of Service and Remembrance we will celebrate the power of volunteering in a wholly different way. September 12, 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps, a strength of the volunteer movement in the United States.
9/11/14 marks the 13th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It is a day to remember and honor those who were lost, their families and the toll it took on all of us. It is the National Day of Service and Remembrance. I hope you will join millions of others on this day who are choosing to honor and remember through volunteer service.
Engaging volunteers to help a child succeed in school, a family secure financial stability and a community embrace healthy habits will create a better life for all. United Way and nearly all charitable organizations rely on volunteers to help achieve our missions. Volunteers are our most valuable asset. Not only do they help advance the common good, they are goodwill ambassadors for our organizations and many also make financial contributions that sustain our work.
August 21 is National Senior Citizen Day. Created by President Reagan and Congress in 1988, the purpose of the day is to highlight ways to show gratitude to America’s senior citizens. One way to show older adults that we appreciate their contributions to our society is to volunteer, either alongside them or through projects designed to make life better for them.