SALT LAKE CITY — April 21-27 Utah will join in National Volunteer Week, a nationwide effort to honor and celebrate ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve communities across the country. It highlights the enormous contributions that volunteers make every day.
Utah continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to improving communities in a variety of ways through service and volunteerism, ranking #1 in the nation for volunteering seven years running by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The most recent data shows more than 837,000 volunteers in Utah served approximately 144 million total hours, which is the equivalent of over 69,000 full-time employees.
“We as Utahns know through volunteering, we can meet challenges and accomplish goals, touching lives along the way,” said Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism Executive Director LaDawn Stoddard. “National Volunteer Week is a great opportunity to recognize and celebrate the volunteers that are making a difference, strengthening the lives of individuals, organizations, and communities.”
The total estimated economic value of volunteer service in Utah was over $3.1 billion based on the Independent Sector’s annual estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour, which is $21.79.
Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week focuses national attention on the impact and power of volunteerism and service as an integral aspect of our civic leadership. The week draws the support and endorsement of the President and Congress, governors, mayors and municipal leaders, as well as corporate and community groups across the country.
This years theme “Celebrate Service” honors individuals who take action and solve significant problems in their communities. Since our nation's founding, volunteers have been the source of action and change. Two hundred thirty five years later, their energy continues to move our country forward. Advances in technology and social networking make volunteering today more simple than ever.
The Commission on Service and Volunteerism encourages everyone to find a way to say “Thank You” to the volunteers that are making a difference in Utah communities every day.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The Utah Commission on Volunteers Receives State Farm® Lead Agency Designation to Engage Utah’s Youth in Large-Scale Projects for Global Youth Service Day, April 26-28, 2013
The Utah Commission on Volunteers Receives State Farm® Lead Agency
Designation to Engage Utah’s Youth in Large-Scale Projects for Global Youth
Service Day, April 26-28, 2013
Designation
includes $2,000 grant for community improvement through youth-led service
Salt Lake
City, UT— YS (Youth Service America)
announces the Utah Commission on Volunteers will serve as a State Farm Lead
Agency, organizing Utah’s young people to lead projects that improve their
communities. As a State Farm Lead Agency, the Utah Commission on Volunteers
receives a $2,000 grant, as well as ongoing training and expert consulting, to
develop high-visibility, youth-led community service projects in the lead-up to
Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), April 26-28, 2013. The Utah Commission on
Volunteers will sub grant these funds to local organizations who will engage in
projects throughout the state.
Projects
in the past included environmental cleanup and restoration efforts, collecting
and sorting donated supplies for teen refugees, and preparing educational
games, hygiene kits, and other supplies for schools in Uganda.
Project planning
begins on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (January 21, 2013), and projects
culminate on Global Youth Service Day, the world’s largest service event. As a
State Farm Lead Agency, these local organizations will engage at least 600
youth in their GYSD events.
Applications
for sub grants will be available on volunteers.utah/gov beginning January 25,
2013 and will close on February 21, 2013.
Now in its 25th year, GYSD reaches more than one million
young people via partnerships with schools, community groups and faith-based
organizations. Service projects will occur in more than 100 countries and will
address community needs such as healthy living, childhood hunger, and
environmental conservation.
“We are
thrilled Utah is stepping up to lead Global Youth Service Day activities
throughout the region,” said Steven A. Culbertson, president and CEO of YSA.
“Every youth should have the opportunity to make a difference.”
###
Celebrating 25 years of youth changing the world, YSA (Youth Service America) improves communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people serving in substantive roles. Through campaigns such as Global Youth Service Day and Semester of Service; YSA Grants and awards programs; and resources and training opportunities, YSA activates millions of young people each year. Working with—and on behalf of—youth, adult mentors, organizations and schools, YSA promotes a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of community action, learning, leadership, and achievement. www.YSA.org and www.GYSD.org.
State Farm® insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is
the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada.
State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million
policies and accounts – almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies
in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm
Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of
companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest
companies. For more information, visit www.statefarm.com®
or in Canada, www.statefarm.ca.
About the Utah
Commission on Volunteers
The Utah
Commission on Volunteers (UCOV) is the state’s central coordinating body for
service and volunteerism. The Commission
is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining a vision and
culture of civic engagement and national and community service within the
state. UCOV does this through; promoting volunteerism; administering National
Service programs; connecting people with opportunities to serve; building
organizational capacity for effective volunteer engagement and; participating
in strategic initiatives that mobilize volunteers to meet local needs. For more information, please visit
volunteers.utah.gov
Media Information
Katie Barlow
Utah Commission on Volunteers
801-715-6717
kbarlow@utah.gov
National Media Contact:
Michelle
Pendoley, Communications Director
YSA
(Youth Service America) | Global Youth Service Day
202-650-5064 mpendoley@ysa.org
Follow @youthservice | Like at www.facebook.com/youthserviceamerica
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