Your company can raise its hand in several ways:
- A commitment to supply a minimum number of new volunteer readers, tutors or mentors in your community
- A willingness to allow employees to volunteer on a regular basis during work hours
- A pledge to sustain the effort through a company-wide initiative or policy
- A financial investment to support Raise Your Hand infrastructure, technology, and tracking
Employees benefit because those who volunteer through the workplace report more positive attitudes toward their employer and their coworkers. Further, those who volunteer are more positive about their own physical and emotional health than non- volunteers.
Companies benefit too. Top-level executives recognize the bottom-line value of corporate citizenship because it enhances a company’s image, is valued by customers, and helps recruit and retain employees, among other benefits. Most importantly, volunteering to read to, tutor or mentor children helps us build the workforce of the future.
What can employees do, even within just an hour or so a week?
Volunteer readers read stories to individual students or to groups. Tutors work one-on-one with students, reinforcing what is taught in the classroom so students keep up with their peers. Mentors connect with students beyond the classroom, providing advice guidance and friendship. Mentoring is invaluable to show students that adults care about them and want them to succeed. For more information, or to begin the launch of a program at your organization, please contact Mary Graham at United Ways of Tennessee at 615- 495-9970 and mary.graham@uwtn.org or connect with your local United Way.
Raise Your Hand Tennessee is generously funded by grants from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the United Ways of Tennessee
