Are you ready for National Volunteer Week?
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EmailNational Volunteer Week is April 6-12, 2014. Find out what it’s all about and how you can get involved.
For the past 40 years, America has been celebrating National Volunteer Week. President Nixon established this week to celebrate volunteer efforts and inspire and encourage others to volunteer. Points of Light provides leadership to this effort to demonstrate the power of volunteerism and how volunteers make communities stronger.
The 2014 theme is “Celebrate Service.” With a few weeks to go, it’s not too late to get involved - everyone can participate in the celebration! What can you do?
- Volunteer! There are thousands of organizations looking for help. There are one-time, short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities in most communities. To connect with opportunities near you, check out the HandsOn Network.
- Celebrate the volunteer efforts of friends and family. A simple “thank you” or “good job” can mean a lot.
- Coordinate a volunteer project for friends or colleagues. Connect with a local nonprofit or find an organization through HandsOn Network. You will want to know the approximate size of your group and the types of service they can provide. There are a variety of needs to meet the skills and talents of any volunteer.
- Connect to Points of Light on Facebook or Twitter to get tips and use #NVW to be part of the conversation.
- If you own a business, consider providing a promotional discount to volunteers during National Volunteer Week.
- If you have more money than time, consider buying lunch or a treat for a volunteer group. Contact an organization that you are interested in and ask to speak to the volunteer manager to see if they will be hosting a volunteer project.
- If you manage a volunteer program, check out the marketing resource guide to promote the week in your community.
Volunteers are a critical part of the Michigan State University Extension family, so Happy National Volunteer Week from us!
