Uplifting Communities through Volunteering
At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” – Denzel Washington
For the past several weeks, we’ve all been forced to make sacrifices due to COVID-19, with many struggling with quarantine and social distancing, it may seem daunting to give back or volunteer. This week marks National Volunteer Week in the U.S. and today is Earth Day globally. No matter where you are in the world, there are opportunities to give back and have an immediate impact.
This week especially, I encourage everyone to take a moment to pause and reflect on the benefits of volunteering. We can virtually work together for the greater good - to protect our families and our communities, support small businesses and first responders, as well as care for those who live in underserved communities and lack resources to stay safe and well. It feels good to help someone. It feels good to fill a need.
Last year we announced a goal at Verizon to reach 2.5 million volunteer hours by 2025. I’m tremendously proud of my team for quickly pivoting our approach to address COVID-19 needs and adding over 150 virtual volunteering opportunities, with new activities added daily.. Employees are volunteering in teams to write letters, sew masks or print shields, involving family members as citizen scientists, and finishing a full day of demands only to provide homework help to under-resourced students late into the evening. It’s heartening to see the strong commitment from so many of Verizon’s 135,000+ employees working in virtual teams to help where it’s needed most.
While our focus is to address unmet needs during the pandemic, we also recognize that giving back provides emotional benefits such as lifting moods, building self-confidence and helping to offset feelings of isolation.
Now, more than ever, the world needs all the good we can offer. I hope you’ll join me and our Verizon community this week and beyond to spend time volunteering in ways that are meaningful to you and can help uplift your community.
CEO at The Wheeler Group and Owner, TWG
4 年Energy is neither lost nor stolen it's simply transferred. Volunteers have the ability to uplift the spirits of individuals who are dealing with adverse consequences
Nonprofit development and communications leader with over two decades of tangible experience in meaningful relationship building, innovative fundraising, captivating content creation, and mission-centric event planning.
4 年Rose Stuckey Kirk I hope you are well. I would love to chat about WWO's corporate partner program and employee volunteer opportunities. We're currently exploring various virtual opportunities for employee engagement and would love to have Verizon involved in helping our children, families and communities thrive.
Pickleball Influencer & Content Producer
4 年Amen Rose! Now is the time that matters most, and giving to those who otherwise can not is the order of the day. The sneaky thing about volunteering is that it "appears" to be something that is about you giving and someone getting. But the truth is that volunteering blesses both those who give and those who get!