Points of Light Coronavirus (COVID-19) Action Plan

About

Updated May 1, 2020

The health and safety of our team and partners is our top priority. As a global organization, we are closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and state and local authorities, where our teams and partners live and do business.

Current Points of Light Status and Approach:

  • Points of Light has a staff response team in place that includes representatives from each department and the full executive team. The role of the response team is to support the organization in addressing this crisis, providing recommendations on a common course of action and communicating/informing Points of Light Global Network affiliates and partners.
  • Points of Light has temporarily revised our travel policy. We are postponing any international travel for business. We will then follow the CDC’s recommended travel limitations to countries that have widespread, ongoing transmission of the disease. Only business critical domestic travel will occur.
  • In compliance with all state-wide mandatory shelter-in-place, all Points of Light staff are currently teleworking from their homes. This will allow Points of Light do it’s part in helping flatten the curve and reduce employees being exposed to the coronavirus.
  • All other business operations are normal, as most of our business can be completed via technology. We are committed to providing timely updates and responses to all team members and partners.
  • We have asked anyone on our team who has a fever and/or any symptoms of acute respiratory illness to stay home and call their healthcare provider for medical advice.
  • We have asked team members who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 to notify human resources and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure. We have asked that team members not return to work until 14 days after the family member is no longer symptomatic.
  • Points of Light will enact a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all staff in any location if someone in that office/floor tests positive for COVID-19.

Points of Light Events and Programs:

  • Points of Light Conference – We know everyone’s time is valuable and participating in activities that provide access to helpful resources and best practices is important to your work in the community. The Points of Light Conference is an event that we all look forward to attending, so we can connect with peers and hear innovative solutions in driving transformative change.Today, the health of our global community is in a fragile state. Partners from around the globe, and even organizations like ours are feeling the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. The work to flatten the curve is imperative to the health and well-being of our communities and is forcing many organizations to alter plans for the immediate future.In March, we released a survey to understand how you and many of our current registrants would feel about transitioning to a virtual experience. The response was overwhelming and highly insightful. Coupled with feedback from our partners and the continued impact of COVID-19, we have made the decision to pivot from an in-person conference to an online experience.

    To learn more about conference updates and FAQs, please visit our conference web page.

  • The George H.W. Bush Points of Light Awards Gala – At this time, we do not plan to alter the schedule of The George H.W. Bush Points of Light Awards Gala in September. As we continue to plan for the event, we are carefully considering and consulting with experts on what the appropriate sanitary, health and other measures should be. In addition, we will re-evaluate standard contractual language to ensure we are able to pivot with minimal to no financial impact should the need arise.
    Corporate Partner Project Activation – Points of Light is evaluating each project on a case-by-case basis with corporate partners and affiliates.
  • Additional Contingency Planning – Each department within Points of Light is working on contingency planning for their programs, including The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows and youth program.

Information and Knowledge Sharing

Points of Light partnered with Caesar’s Entertainment and VeraWorks to create a resource to help companies operating in the United States make decisions regarding in-person corporate volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is meant as a supplemental resource to inform decision-making around activation of in-person volunteer opportunities for employees to meet community needs — some of which are more urgent than ever — during a time when there might be a public-health imperative to minimize in-person events. Should a company determine that it is feasible to proceed in offering in-person volunteer opportunities for their employees, this document helps inform project management during this unprecedented time.

To gain access to the document, click the link and download the PDF.

 

Corporate Partners:

  • Points of Light hosted a webinar on Thursday, March 19 open to any interested company or nonprofit working with companies to discuss strategies involving corporate volunteering when in-person service isn’t an option.
  • Points of Light respects the position of our partners to determine their plan of action for projects and activations moving forward. For those who would like decision-making guidance, Points of Light recommends using a 60-day benchmark before the start of projects to make a decision on whether or not to proceed. Points of Light will proactively work with affiliates and corporate partners to determine the best path forward.
  •  Points of Light, our global network of affiliates and Daily Point of Light Award honorees and our corporate and individual stakeholders will be instrumental in rebuilding social connections and addressing critical needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are asking donors and corporate partners to think about both short and long term support and the overall need for resiliency in the nonprofit sector. We are asking our existing partners to consider converting currently restricted funding to unrestricted mission support for our network. It’s imperative for Points of Light and our local affiliates to be ready to step into action, equipping us with the resources and tools needed to provide local communities with impactful services, especially those serving the most vulnerable populations. 
  • Use this opportunity to engage your employees in learning about community challenges, bringing in virtual speakers and experts, developing ideas for future projects, supporting efforts like the U.S. Census and voting initiatives. Connect with Points of Light for advisory services which include: limited consulting; best practices; connections to peer organizations; research; and benchmarking services.
  • Existing corporate partners should reach out to their primary POL contact; new business partners can connect with us at [email protected].

As people across the globe continue to be impacted by COVID-19, we must remember that we are a community of millions of points of light joined together by a shared belief that we can make a positive difference. Every action, no matter how small, is significant and can have an impact and change a life. We will update this page with news, updates and changes in our plan based on recommendations from World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and state and local authorities.

Volunteer Virtually