Can Business Help Bring Civic Engagement to Scale?

The spirit of young people, their idealism and desire to serve have been a source of inspiration since I co-founded City Year 25 years ago. Over the last quarter century, 18,000 City Year AmeriCorps members have dedicated at least a year of their lives to causes greater than themselves, from revitalizing under-served communities to serving as tutors, mentors and role models for students in some of the nation's highest-need urban schools.

But the young adults who served with City Year in 1988 are now in their mid-40s, and the demands of life, career and family make it challenging to stay civically engaged. The same is true for many working Americans who have the skills, expertise and desire to give back, but lack the time or opportunity. Fortunately we're seeing an increasing number of companies--particularly City Year's corporate partners--invest in initiatives to make service more widely accessible. Company-sponsored service projects and volunteer days support civic engagement, allow employees to unite over a shared goal, and to have a meaningful impact on the communities where they live and work.

Last month, our partner Aramark, which has a strong culture and passion for service, hosted its annual Global Volunteer Day. Thousands of employees participated in more than 100 service projects across the United States and in 14 other countries. The theme, Inspiring Kids to be Healthy for Life, focused on teaching children and families how to make the right choices to lead healthier lives. Aramark CEO Eric Foss, who initiated the global effort, and other company leadership also joined in, dedicating this day to serving their communities.

Continue reading the orginal blog on Huffington Post about employees serving their communities >>

Original source: Huffington Post