National Volunteer Week

April 20, 2021
, , Blog, Business VoicesTM

In his proclamation, President Biden said volunteers provide “Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another.” This week is National Volunteer Week, established by Presidential Proclamation in 1974 to recognize the impact of volunteers and to highlight the various opportunities available for those interested in volunteering.

Volunteers lend their time and talents to keep benevolent and essential organizations operating, face some of our greatest challenges and help provide services that may otherwise not be available to those who need them. They make our communities stronger and can sometimes produce transformative effects. This week we shine a light on the efforts of volunteers and consider ways we can make a difference.

Since its establishment, National Volunteer Week has grown exponentially and today leads to thousands of projects and special events being organized around the country. All kinds of volunteering opportunities are available online, at places of work and in communities.

BNI member have an exclusive volunteering opportunity. The BNI Foundation was founded more than 20 years ago to improve tomorrow’s business through education today. The Business Voices Initiative helps BNI chapter members, as well as other business leaders and organizations, team up with and help schools and educational organizations in their communities. Visit our website for more information.

Take some time this week to consider the essential work of volunteers now and throughout history. You are sure to find inspiration to volunteer yourself.

National Volunteer Week

April 25, 2020
Uncategorized

At Home Volunteer Opportunities.

Today is the last day of National Volunteer Week. It is a time to reflect and show appreciation for all of the volunteers who provide their time and energy unselfishly to people and issues that need attention and help. It is also a time to consider how we can help. Below are some volunteer opportunities to explore during the current quarantine. Most of these volunteer activities are convenient to participate in from home and will be easy to continue even when we are no longer confined.

BOOKS

BookShare.org is dedicated to offering books to those with reading disabilities including vision impairments, dyslexia and learning disabilities. Online volunteering opportunities include scanning books into their database and editing books scanned in by others.

A great option to help in your own neighborhood is by following the lead of our volunteer of the year, Brian Bentzen. He set up a “social distancing neighborhood library” where kids can share their books. This is a great way to stay connected in your community while sheltering in place.

MENTORING

CarrerVillage.org is a platform where students, “who want to be you when they grow up,” ask questions that you, as an experienced professional in your field, answer. You will need a LinkedIn account to take part. Sharing your expertise with students is a great way to practice Givers Gain® in the spirit of the mission of the BNI Foundation.

COUNSELING

CrisisTextLine.com is a free national crisis intervention and counseling service conducted through SMS texting. Set up for individuals dealing with issues like bullying, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, it is currently being used by many having a particularly hard time with isolation during the quarantine. Volunteering involves a screening, online training and weekly four-hour shifts answering texts from people needing emotional support. If you could benefit from this service, text HOME to 741741.

CLOSE TO HOME

Those with certain health conditions and the elderly are more susceptible to the serious effects of Covid-19. This increases the risk of running errands where they will come in contact with others. If you go to the store for groceries and medicine, consider doing the shopping for your at risk neighbor to minimize their risk. Always follow the recommended social distancing guidelines and practice increased hygiene in all of your volunteering activities.

Business Voices in Abruzzo Italy

November 22, 2019
, Business VoicesTM, News, School Projects 1

Business Voices Redevelops Classrooms in Abruzzo Italy

Business Voices Ambassador, Samya Ilaria Di Donato, visited with 200 children from a primary school set to receive classroom redevelopments and new educational activities. The event was hosted by the Comprehensive Municipal Institute to support the redevelopment of classrooms and new educational activities for 900 students.

Samya Ilaria Di Donato, entrepreneur, mentor and author of Colours, was joined by members from the “Flaiano” Pescara BNI Chapter. Fifty entrepreneurs from Pescara have committed to serving the school in Spoltore which enrolls 900 students up to middle school age. Also present were vice-principal Rosaria Pignetti and teacher Roberta Rullo who is head of the continuity function and councilor for public education, youth policies and culture of the Municipality of Spoltore, The chapter members presented the students with hundreds of colored paper hands inspired by the Business Voices logo and meant as an inspiration to the children who will create Christmas greeting cards with proceeds of their sale going to finance school initiatives.

Di Donato illustrated how the project reflects the Business Voices and BNI Foundation ethos and its decades long mission to mobilize business in support of children and education around the world. “Business Voices is not a non-profit organization but a free return movement to the territory that aims to support schools with the awareness that the local business community can and should play a social role to inspire children and young people who will be professionals and entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” explained Di Donato. “We marry initiatives not through the collection of money but through the availability and generosity of our entrepreneurs and professionals.”

Aside from the chromatic redevelopment painting of the classrooms, an abandoned school bus will be transformed into a science laboratory and new trees will be planted in the garden.

Halloween Safety

October 31, 2019
, , Blog

Tips for a Safe Halloween Night

Halloween, which originated from ancient traditions and religious rituals over 2,000 years ago, is observed around the world as a celebration of candy and mischief, dress-up, dark adventure, and for some, the supernatural. It is most popular in the US, Canada and Ireland- from where it originated.

Tonight millions of children and adults will go out dressed as their favorite hero, or most dreaded villain, to trick-or-treat. Here’s are some basic safety tips to keep in mind while out having fun.

  • Use reflective or light-colored materials and items in your costume to increase visibility at night.
  • Choose makeup over sight obstructing masks for costumes.
  • Trick-or-treat in groups and keep younger children closely supervised.
  • Use sidewalks and crosswalks and make eye contact with drivers before crossing to insure they see you.
  • Put your devices away. Our biggest distractors become more dangerous on a night like Halloween.
  • Drivers: be alert! Drive slowly through residential areas and where trick-or-treaters are present.
  • Turn the headlights on early.
  • Do not text and drive! Distractions can be deadly on Halloween where crosswalks may be less utilized by children and families. 

Keep these points in mind to keep the fun safe. Happy Halloween to all our friends celebrating today.

National School Backpack Awareness Day

September 18, 2019
Blog

Practice Backpack Safety

National School Backpack Awareness Day is observed every year on the third Wednesday of September. The awareness day was launched by The American Occupational Therapy Association in 2001 with the goal of encouraging proper backpack use by students. Improper use of backpacks can result in back pain, injuries, and bad posture as well as circulatory and other health issues. This is a great opportunity – now that school is in full swing in the US – to review proper backpack use with the students in you life. Here are some basic tips.

  • Always us both of the straps on a backpack. Slinging a backpack on just one shoulder can lead to pain, injury and bad posture. If the backpack has waist and chest straps, use those too. The waist and chest straps help to distribute the weight of the pack and keep it stable on the body. Well padded straps help to avoid cutting off circulation to the arms.
  • Ensure that the backpack’s size is appropriate for the child. Straps should be adjusted so the pack fits snugly against the child’s back and the pack should be worn high on the back (one or two inches above the hips).
  • A packed backpack should weigh no more than 10% of the child’s body weight. Heaviest items should be packed closest to the back of the pack (near the child’s back) with lighter items toward the front. Check periodically to ensure only essential items are in the backpack.
  • Backpacks should be picked up and put on by bending and lifting with the knees, not the back. If the child is having trouble lifting and putting on the backpack, it is likely too heavy.

Signs of Improper Use

  • Difficulty putting on and taking off the backpack
  • Pain while wearing the backpack
  • Numbness or tingling in the arms while wearing the backpack
  • Red marks on the shoulders where the backpack straps rest
  • Slouching or bad posture while wearing the backpack

The American Occupational Therapy Association has made a comprehensive checklist available for download. You can find it here.

Interesting Fact:

The modern backpack was invented by Gerry Outdoors in 1938 as a recreational tool for hiking and camping. In 1968 JanSport went into business making lightweight nylon backpacks which made them popular with students around the country. Today JanSport is the largest backpack maker in the world.

International Youth Day

August 12, 2019
, Blog

International Youth Day

Today is International Youth Day, a day to consider the many difficulties that children face all around the world. From poverty and hunger to war and displacement, children face a wide range of hardships. Children are often the most vulnerable and unable to help themselves. At The BNI Foundation we have spent twenty years doing all we can to help children have access to education. The Business Voices initiative was designed to get business leaders to take action and help students and educational organizations in their own communities. Today there are Business Voices teams in cities all over the globe.

Established in 1999, International Youth Day grew from a United Nations program to bring awareness to the plight of children in need. It began with the first International Year of Youth in 1985 and the implementation in 1995 of the World Programme of Action for Youth which established broad guidelines to improve the world for children. Some of the primary goals of the United Nation’s program are to build a better world for children by focusing on fifteen priority areas including education, armed conflicts and health;  raise awareness about poverty and hunger;  and to encourage creative thinking to approach these problems.

Transforming Education

The theme of International Youth Day in 2019 is “Transforming Education,” which is perfectly aligned with the vision of the BNI Foundation. The United Nations is tying this effort with its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which in part calls for inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Education is essential to achieving sustainable development and can play an important role in eradicating hunger, improving health, increasing gender equality and more.

In observance of International Youth Day and the beginning of classes this month throughout parts of the world, we encourage BNI chapter members and others to participate in activities to benefit students and educational organizations. The Business Voices initiative is an excellent way to organize with your business colleagues and make a real difference in your own community. Visit our website for information and a toolkit that will help you get started and provide ideas for charitable programs. Students and schools all over the world need your help, and that means right in your community as well.

Build-a-Bed

July 25, 2019
, , News, School Projects

Members of BNI Commonwealth in Louisa, KY teamed up with The Kentucky Credit Union League Ashland Chapter to build beds for those in need for their annual Build-a-Bed project.

The goal is to give beds to school aged children who are forced to sleep on floors, couches, or in beds with multiple other children or family members. This regional Build-a-Bed Project through Morehead State University has provided more than 1,000 beds to children in Eastern Kentucky since it began in 2010. This year the Ashland Build A Bed committee set a goal to build 100 beds, in addition to the 200-bed goal set by MSUCorps AmeriCorps Program.

The Ashland Build-a-Bed Project will serve as a branch of the Build-a-Bed Project through MSUCorps. Ashland Build-a-Bed will build and distribute beds for the FIVCO area that include: Boyd, Carter, Lawrence, Greenup, and Elliot. The Ashland Build-a-Bed is a service project put together by the Kentucky Credit Union League Ashland Chapters which include: Members Choice Credit Union and Ashland Credit Union.

See photos of the envent on our gallery page.

Nelson Mandela, Champion of Education

July 18, 2019
, , Blog

On July 18 – Nelson Mandela’s birthday – we recognize Nelson Mandela Day. It is a day to reflect on the accomplishments of one of the greatest philanthropists and human rights activists in modern history. Mandela is remembered for his nonviolent anti-apartheid activism (which led to his imprisonment for 27 years) and for becoming the first elected black president of South Africa. In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize – along with Frederik Willem de Klerk, the last president to serve under the apartheid system – for his work in ending apartheid.

Nelson Mandela was also a great champion of education, believing that it’s power could change the world. His passion for education was a result of his own experiences growing up, and later struggling against, the inequality faced by blacks in South Africa under apartheid. One of his legacies is the founding of the Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development. The institute was set up to help provide quality education for children in impoverished rural areas where infrastructure does not support it. The institute works with communities to refurbish schools and train teachers.

After his time as president – he stepped down in 1999 – Mandela founded the Nelson Mandela Foundation and partnered with UNICEF to create Schools for Africa, a campaign to support education initiatives in 13 African countries. The partnership builds schools, provides supplies to teachers and students, trains teachers, and facilitates access to schools to disadvantaged children. Since it started in 2005, Schools for Africa has helped over 30 million children receive a better education.

Nelson Mandela Day means many things to many people. At the BNI Foundation we honor his commitment and contributions which continue to strengthen the role of education in disadvantaged areas around the world. His work and life are an inspiration to our own mission.

Nelson Mandela on Education in His Own Words

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education. Those who do not believe this have small imaginations.

A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.

No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.

Networking Week

May 7, 2019
, , News

International Networking Week Fundraising at BNI Oregon & SW Washington

The Oregon & SW Washington BNI chapters used International Networking Week as an opportunity to bring members and local business leaders together to raise hundreds for local youth focused non-profits. The first event, a networking mixer in Vancouver, attracted 70 BNI members and local business professionals. All of the proceeds from the event were donated to Bridge the Gap, a nonprofit that provides resources to children in the foster care system.

Next in Portland, a networking mixer brought in over 100 BNI members and local business professionals. This event raised $500 in support of Young Entrepreneurs Business Week. This statewide, Oregon initiative helps to educate youth in business, leadership and teamwork while encouraging them to explore the business world through hands-on experiences.

“It was great to come together to network with local businesses and give back to the community at the same time! BNI Oregon & SW Washington is proud to support Bridge The Gap and Young Entrepreneurs Week,” said Mary Burleson, BNI Oregon & SW Washington’s Regional Communications Coordinator & Chapter Launch Coordinator. Congratulations to everyone involved for a successful couple of events.

National Teacher Appreciation Week

May 6, 2019
Blog

Gifts Ideas for Your Children’s Teachers

The history of National Teacher Appreciation Week starts in 1944 when a Wisconsin teacher named Ryan Krug lobbied political and educational leaders to designate a national day to honor teachers. March 7,1980 was designated the first National Teacher Day by the US Congress. However, they did not make it an annual event and instead set aside just that one day to honor teachers. The National Education Association (NEA) continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday of March.

In 1984, the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) designated the first full week in March each year as National Teacher Appreciation Week. The National PTA sponsors events on the national, state and local levels to recognize and celebrate all of the hard work teachers do.

Teachers play an important role in the lives and development of our children, often inspiring a love of learning and readying them for success. This is the time to think about ways to show our appreciation, and that is often expressed in the form of a gift. This year give some thought to what your children’s teachers would actually like and present them with a gift that communicates your appreciation. Here are a few ideas to help you think outside the box and go beyond the usual pencil holder or “World’s Best…” coffee mug.

A Letter of Gratitude

Take the time to write a letter about how much your child has learned and grown under their care. Use examples of the ways that your child has become more excited about learning, happier, more confident, etc. Hand write it for a bonus personal touch.

Classroom Supplies

It is no secret that teachers must often reach into their own pockets to make sure their students have the supplies they need to learn. Help ease some of the burden by gifting supplies for the classroom. It is probably a good idea to find out what the teacher needs most ahead of time. Your child may be able to help.

Coffee

Unlike the typical corporate office, not every school makes coffee available for their employees. Coffee shop gift cards are great. Also consider quality coffee beans or pods.

Contact Your Former Teacher

This one is not necessarily about your children’s teachers but is definitely in the spirit of appreciation that National Teacher Appreciation Week encourages. Most teachers would love to catch up with an old student and learn about how they may have influenced a life. You can encourage your kids to do the same. If a visit is impractical, write a note or an email.

These are just some general ideas. Use them as a starting point to come up with the perfect thank you gift for your kids’ teachers. Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week.

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