One Day To Celebrate Volunteers and a Lifetime of Thanks

There are more than one billion of them in the world. And they all share one idea: to help others.

They are volunteers. Building homes. Mentoring students. Serving meals. Using professional skills to address societal problems. Taking time to make a difference.

Every year on the 5th of December, the world is invited to thank and celebrate volunteers on International Volunteer Day. This year's theme is #TogetherWeCan.

Below are short videos from nine IBM volunteers sharing what it means to them to be an IBM volunteer. Please take a moment to watch and join us in celebrating them and all volunteers around the world.

Despite the challenges of 2020, IBM volunteers have so far logged over 1,750,000 hours of time helping others; activity that resulted in nearly 2,000 organizations receiving IBM grants.

Take a bow. You deserve it.

Join the nine videos below and share something on social media about the impact of your volunteerism, or thank other volunteers for their efforts. Use #GoodTechIBM and #IVD2020.

For over one hundred years, IBM volunteers have been essential in making their communities inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Thank you!

ShuDon Brown mentors students, volunteers with the Girl Scouts and loves giving back to her community.

Ashis Panigrahi helps senior citizens in Singapore use technology to improve their quality of life.

Carlos Sanchez Rivas created an organization to help children learn a second language and volunteers in other ways.

Begum Daskaya applies her personal experience with Multiple Sclerosis to volunteer with the Multiple Sclerosis Society in Turkey to help others.

Alexis Pollitto is passionate about helping other women succeed in business and recently participated in a volunteer activity with SuitUp to help young girls learn more about marketing.

Asli Ozcivelek is an IBM volunteer in Turkey and participates in making improvements in design for people with disabilities.

Shyamal Chattaraj recently volunteered in the IBM SkillsBuild Reignite initiative to help small business owners and job seekers enhance their skills to participate more fully in today's changed workplace impacted by COVID-19.

Gerçek Karaman is helping to bring a smile to the faces of some children in Turkey with online training and positive messages for their future.

Sharon Miller-Bass helps provide food to children in her community in Virginia in the United States.

Join the conversation. Tag your tweets with #GoodTechIBM and #IVD2020 and follow us @IBMorg.