DuPage Foundation Celebrates Service of Volunteers During National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change--discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to make a difference. The DuPage Foundation has nearly 150 volunteers who serve on the board, committees and volunteers in the office and at events.
"We rely on the service of our volunteers in every aspect of what we do," said Dave McGowan, Foundation president. "They are a significant part of the Foundation's work and we are grateful and thank them for all they do to advance the Foundation."
We asked some of our volunteers to tell us why they engage with us and volunteer. Here's what they said:
"Volunteering is just a way of saying 'thank you' and thank yous are an important part of life!"-Pat deRosset, Naperville
"I volunteer to leave my footprint on the hearts of others."-Loretta Kearns, Lombard
"It is so rewarding to send some of the good fortune that I have received over the years back out into the world. Volunteering can be a great way to meet other like-minded individuals, have some fun and achieve a bit of good simultaneously. It is a true win-win opportunity."-Suzan Kramer, Lombard
"A volunteer is someone with a gift that is in search of a place to make a difference. It is someone who is full of gratitude for so many things and the only appropriate way of responding is to share those gifts. The miracle of it all is that the more the gifts are given, the more they multiply."-Ray Schulte, Naperville
National Volunteer Week, a program of Points of Light, was established in 1974 and has grown exponentially each year, to include thousands of volunteer projects throughout the week.
About the DuPage Foundation
The DuPage Foundation seeks to raise the quality of life throughout DuPage County by
fostering philanthropy, connecting donors to area needs and building community partnerships. Based on the American virtues of volunteerism and philanthropy, the Foundation fosters a legacy of support for the people of DuPage County by making grants to not-for-profit organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, health, and human services. Since its inception, the Foundation has built its endowment to more than $63 million and awarded more than $21 million in grants to not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of DuPage County and beyond.
Established in 1986, the DuPage Foundation is a publicly-supported 501(c)(3) organization to
which contributions are tax deductible. It was created to benefit the people of DuPage County and receives contributions and bequests into a permanent endowment from individuals, corporations, organizations and foundations wishing to make lasting contributions to the people of DuPage. The earnings on these funds are then used, in accordance with donor wishes, for the Foundation's grantmaking and community leadership activities.
For more information about the Foundation, or to arrange future media opportunities, please contact Joelyn Kott, marketing & communications officer, at (630) 665-5556, extension 19, or joelyn@dupagefoundation.org.