ThedaCare's Helping Hearts Program

In Waupaca, Wisconsin, ThedaCare, a community-owned health system, sponsors a "Helping Hearts" employee volunteer program. Initiated in 2003, Helping Hearts allows employees to log volunteer hours at their non-profit of choice (and occassionally helps match volunteers with volunteer opportunities). When the employee meets certain requirements, ThedaCare provides a donation to the NPO. ThedaCare also has a matching grants program for selected organizations.

Based on the comments in the postcrescent.com article, ThedaCare's employees appreciate the ability to be recognized for their work in the community as well as raise funds for their favorite organizations. This is a relatively low-cost, low-investement model for organizations, as the employees are primarily responsible for finding their volunteer opportunities and logging the hours. Because employees can choose their organization, they may be more invested in volunteering. At the same time, the organization gains appreciation from the employees and the community. A drawback is that this model does not provide the team-building opportunities group employee volunteer programs offer.

Postcrescent.com Article

Encouraging Employee Volunteerism

A nonprofit organization in NYC, Agencies in Action, the brain child of Bill Oberlander, working with the New York Coalition Against Hunger, has initiated an advertising campaign to encourage for-profit ad agencies to organize employee volunteer trips to soup kitchens and food pantries. According to AdWeek, agencies who agree to participate commit to sending teams of 6 staff for at least three hours a month. With only 20 agencies participating, the program has the potential of staffing at least one of NYC's soup kitchens every weekday for a month.

To me, this is a very interesting development in employee volunteerism--rather than a nonprofit reaching out to a company, or visa versa, this campaign is targeting a community of firms to join forces for a common cause. As employee volunteerism replaces corporate philanthropy, we may see more campaigns like this.

AdWeek Story
Creativity Online Announcement

Effect of Economic Downturn on Corporate Philanthropy

Last month (February 2009), the Conference Board surveyed over 150 companies about how the economic crisis is affecting their corporate social responsibility. Not surprisingly, 45% of companies surveyed had a reduced CSR budget in 2009, and another 16% of firms were considering cuts. However, many companies surveyed are increasing the resources available for their employee volunteer programs.

Conference Board Press Release

Employee Volunteerism Helps Bilodeau Become Businessperson of the Year

Denis Bilodeau, a senior vice president and partner at Oswald Trippe and Company, was named the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce 2008 Robert T. Cashion Business Person of the Year (North Carolina).

Besides the company's growth and expansion, the Chamber cited the company's strong culture of employee volunteerism as a key factor in the decision to award the honor to Bilodeau. In bestowing the award, John Stritch, president of operations for Carolina Beer and Beverage LLC, and recipient of the 2007 honor, explained: "Volunteerism is a cornerstone of [Bilodeau's] company's corporate culture. Under his leadership, the business supports a variety of community, not-for-profit and service organizations, through both financial contributions and employee volunteerism. Making a difference in their home communities is as important to the team as the service they deliver to customers. As employee-owners, they live the corporate philosophy that everyone has a responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others."

Hopefully, Bilodeau and Oswald Trippe and Co. can set a positive example for other companies in the region and in the nation, not just in spite of, but because of the difficult economic times we face.

Mooresville Tribune Article

Matching Gift Programs Affected by Poor Economy

Today's Wall Street Journal reports that a number of companies are suspending their matching gift programs or reducing the amount matched. These programs either give a particular dollar amount to a charity for a given amount donated by the employee or provide donations for a certain amount of employee volunteer hours.

Some of the companies that have adjusted their matching gift programs include Proctor and Gamble, Weyerhauser, General Motors, Pfizer, and Northrop Grumman.

Article

New Employee Volunteer Program at Dot Foods

As reported in the Journal Courier, Dot Foods, one of the largest food redistributors in the United States, has inaugurated a new employee volunteer program at their Illinois branch. Employees can participate in the "Teaming with Local Charities" (TLC) program by volunteering at one of three local organizations: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, or Brown County Schools. Employees then log their volunteer hours, and after a certain threshold, they receive paid time off or money that can be donated to charity. If things go well with the Illinois program, Dot expects to roll-out TLC to its other U.S. locations.

Unitarians Practice Social Action

In Lewes, Delaware, Unitarians practice social action through their Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware church's social justice committee. In an article that describes the work of the congregation (such as supporting the local Boys and Girls club), Michael D. Smith, the pastor, is quoted:

'Social justice is to ensure the concept in our founding documents -- equality and justice for all -- is put into action,' said the Rev. Michael D. Smith, pastor for the UUSD. 'A term that goes often with social justice is social action, and that is putting into practice your principles and your beliefs so you don't just sit around and talk about it; you actually go out and make changes.'

This might be my favorite definition yet of "social action." How have you been putting your beliefs into action lately--and how much of that is being done not through your church, but through (or at) your place of work?

Article