TMCnet News
Twin Cities Businesses Help Communities and Increase Morale with Work-For-Free ProgramsBLOOMINGTON, Minn. --(Business Wire)-- From the latest micro-volunteering strategies to leveraging the technical expertise of food industry giants, companies in the Twin (News - Alert) Cities and across the country are redefining the future of corporate service through pro bono volunteering. On Nov. 16, A Billion + Change will recognize Twin Cities businesses leading social change through pro bono service at a breakfast and panel discussion at the Mall of America. This breakfast will spotlight the innovative ways companies are giving back to their communities at the start of the giving season, and will build on the momentum of A Billion + Change's national campaign to mobilize billions in pro bono service from businesses across the country. The breakfast will be held from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. in the Great Room at the Mall of America, and will feature a thought-provoking panel discussion with:
"It was a mind-blowing, hair on fire, sleep-when-I'm-dead experience. The people we've worked with are incredible, the need is unimaginable, the experience indelible," said Lane Desborough, who participated in Medtronic's pilot volunteer project in Chennai, India. The Mall of America event, organized by A Billion + Change, UnitedHealth Group and HandsOn Twin Cities with sponsorship support from Corporate Volunteerism Council-Twin Cities, is the latest in a series of events highlighting pro bono change-makers across the nation. Since November 2011, more than 250 companies have pledged $1.9 billion worth of pro bono services to help build nonprofit capacity as part of A Billion + Change. "By investing in skills-based volunteering, the business community can make a big impact on social issues critical to our country's economic recovery and overall well-being," said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light, which houses and manages A Billion + Change. "Skills-based volunteering is central to our ability to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world." For nonprofits, the value of skilled support in areas such as general operations, technology and professional services can be 500 percent greater than the value of traditional volunteering, according to True Impact, which helps organizations measure the social and business impact of their operations. Skills-based volunteering programs are also valuable talent management tools that help businesses attract and retain talent, especially as skilled volunteers are 47 percent more likely to report higher satisfaction from their service than traditional volunteers. To learn more about A Billion + Change and to see a list of companies that have pledged, please visit: www.abillionpluschange.org.
About A Billion + Change
|