National Volunteer Week 2011

National Volunteer Week 2011 will take place April 10-16, 2011 in both United States and Canada.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our schools and shelters, hospitals and hotlines, and faith-based and community groups.  From mentoring at-risk youth and caring for older Americans to supporting our veterans and military families and rebuilding after disasters, these everyday heroes make a real and lasting impact on the lives of millions of women and men across the globe.  (View the complete Presidential Proclamation here.)

Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week has grown exponentially in scope each year since, drawing the support and endorsement of all subsequent U.S. presidents, governors, mayors and other respected elected officials.  National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, in unison, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action, encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change—discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation. 

For more than two decades, Points of Light Institute has equipped nonprofit organizations to celebrate National Volunteer Week, providing visibility, thematic focus and resources to enable them to commemorate this signature week of volunteer recognition.   Through programs such as the President's Volunteer Service Award, Daily Point of Light Award and the Extra Mile - Points of Light Volunteer Pathway, Points of Light Institute recognizes volunteers and the tremendous impact they are making on our country's most critical challenges year-round. 

• To learn more about these recognition programs and how to nominate volunteers for awards, click here.
• To tell us about the impact volunteers are having in your community or through your organization, click here.”

Suggestions for celebrating, including:

• Plan a volunteer appreciation event.
• Take advantage of the big buzz about volunteering and create some new volunteer opportunities for new supporters. You can post them on VolunteerMatch using keyword “National Volunteer Week,” and they’ll be streamed on the special seasons of service page.
• Update your listings on VolunteerMatch so your dedicated volunteers can find you more easily – after all, relationships are a two-way street.
• Share the stories of your volunteers, both new and old, and what they’ve done for your organization.

To all our volunteers, we want to express a sincere heartfelt , “Thank you, - thank you, for the time and talents you give to help our communities, - our associations – and our country.” 

FYI - National Celebrations are listed on USA Today and will be continually updated during the week.