Points of Light Celebrates National Volunteer Week with a Focus on Recognizing Individuals Who Make a Difference

ATLANTA (April 8, 2019) — Points of Light, in partnership with The UPS Foundation and TEGNA, celebrates National Volunteer Week, April 7-13, 2019, through volunteer recognition and service events around the country. Each year, National Volunteer Week is celebration of the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, to build stronger communities and be a force that transforms the world.

“National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to shine a light on people who are creating positive change in their communities,” says Natalye Paquin, president and CEO of Points of Light. “It is also an opportunity to inspire others to lead and lend support to the causes they care about. In today’s society, as people strive to lead lives that reflect their values, doing good comes in many forms. We recognize and celebrate them all.”

Through recognition programs such as the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Daily Point of Light Award, Points of Light celebrates volunteers and the impact of volunteer service in communities across the country. Recognizing and sharing stories about individuals who are doing good serves to inspire others to take action and realize their own potential to make a difference.

With support from UPS® and media partner TEGNA, a Points of Light PSA featuring Natalye Paquin will be broadcast during National Volunteer Week to inspire volunteerism and encourage individuals to nominate outstanding volunteers for the Daily Point of Light Award. Additionally, four inspiring video stories featuring Daily Point of Light honorees will be shared through TEGNA’s national HeartThreads channel on Facebook.

“Volunteering has the power to uplift individuals and entire communities,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and UPS chief diversity and inclusion officer. “We committed to achieving 20 million volunteer hours by the end of 2020, and we are on track to achieve our goal. By bringing our strengths and our passion for serving others into action, and by supporting organizations such as Points of Light, we are able to amplify the results.”

During National Volunteer Week, Points of Light will also recognize five individuals for their extraordinary commitment to service. These volunteers join a community of nearly 6,500 Daily Point of Light Award honorees, who show that every action, no matter how small, makes a difference.

• Hannah Dehrandunwala created Transfernation, a platform that allows companies and corporate hospitality groups to donate untouched extra food, providing healthy, fresh options to those in need of food assistance. To date, Transfernation has rescued 530,000 pounds of food and provided 510,000 meals to those without reliable access to food sources.
• Linda Horne is a retired nurse who has served more than 10 years as a volunteer with the Health Wagon, a nonprofit that provides free medical care for patients in need. She also volunteers her time for health fairs, ensuring each patient and their family has a meal to eat while in attendance.
• Tedman Chai leads a community service organization that has collectively volunteered more than 1,000 hours in South and East San Jose, California. He also founded the Youth Policy Alliance, helping students become civically active and contribute to the community through long-term projects;
• Alicia White is the founder of Project Petals, an organization that works to improve under-resourced communities in New York City by improving their environment and helping young people become leaders through educational programs. Her organization has grown to help communities and youth in Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx, and internationally in Uganda.
• Terry Lauerman spends 15 to 20 hours each week at Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary in Green Bay, Wisconsin, volunteering Tuesday to Saturday. He brushes all of the cats, spending extra time socializing with the shy ones, and slowly learns and communicates their likes and dislikes to other volunteers. After photos of Terry napping with shelter cats went viral last fall, the shelter received more than $20,000 in donations in a single day.

To nominate a volunteer making a difference for a Daily Point of Light Award, visit www.pointsoflight.org. Individuals interested in finding volunteer opportunities or planning a service project in their local community can visit www.allforgood.org.

About Points of Light

Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities across 37 countries and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 5 million volunteers in 20 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people where it’s needed most. For more information, visit www.pointsoflight.org.

About The UPS Foundation

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation leads its global citizenship programs and is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2018, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $114.9 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/Foundation and @UPS_Foundation on Twitter. To get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_News on Twitter.

About TEGNA

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. With 49 television stations and two radio stations in 41 markets, TEGNA delivers relevant content and information to consumers across platforms. It is the largest owner of top 4 affiliates in the top 25 markets, reaching one-third of all television households nationwide. Each month, TEGNA reaches 50 million adults on-air and approximately 35 million across its digital platforms. TEGNA has been consistently honored with the industry’s top awards, including Edward R. Murrow, George Polk, Alfred I. DuPont and Emmy Awards. TEGNA also delivers innovative and unparalleled solutions for advertisers through TEGNA Marketing Solutions (TMS). TMS is a one-stop shop that helps businesses thrive through an unmatched suite of services and solutions that reach consumers across television, email, social and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Premion, TEGNA’s OTT advertising service. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com.