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?

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TMMK Participates in National Public Lands Day

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc (TMMK) company volunteers, alongside community members, recently participated in the 15th Annual National Public Land Days activities at the Salato Wildlife Education Center in Frankfort, Kentucky.

During the event, volunteers helped construct the 230 foot boardwalk on the"Toyota HabiTrek Trail," helped with general trail clean-up and maintenance, and built two smaller trails.

In conjunction with the activities at Salato Wildlife Education Center, representatives from Take Pride in America, visited the site as part of the "Voluntour America" initiative.

Press Release

Walmart's Good Works Board

By posting this shot, I'm admitting that I was at the local Ithaca Walmart--why I was there I will not discuss!--but I managed to get a shot of their "Good Works" board. As I understand it, the manager of each Walmart store has a discretionary fund to use for community projects. This board praises the over $30,000 donated to the local community and displays thank you notes from local groups helped by Walmart donations--the usual suspects such as schools and 4H groups but also a pirate academy?