Volunteer Week: Honor those who help or share your own time and talent

National Volunteer Week recognizes the hard work of those people who give their time and talents to improve their communities and the entire nation. This year’s celebration, which seeks to encourage more people to engage in their communities, is April 10-16.

Make the commitment to recognize the volunteers that help your agency run smoothly and those employees who give of themselves to make your community a better place. It’s an incredible civic marketing opportunity.

• Visit the Points of Light Corporate Institute webpage to get great information about beginning a company volunteer program. The Points of Light website also has a wealth of ideas about how to organize activities for your agency.
• Take the time to participate in the local branch of Meals on Wheels or your community food bank. These programs play an important role in reducing hunger among seniors and are a remarkable way to allow your agency to directly improve the lives of your community’s seniors. Not only should employees be encouraged to participate, but you should seek to sponsor one of the organization’s fundraisers (don’t forget your agency’s branding when you participate).
• Contact your local Senior Corps office to find seniors who are volunteers and advocates for your community, or those residents who are passionate about helping seniors. Take out an ad in your local newspaper to recognize these awesome volunteers. Find Senior Corps contacts here.
• Find out which employees at your agency take the time and initiative to volunteer in the community on their own. Highlight their efforts with special recognition. Don’t forget to laud them in your agency newsletter and on your website. Contact TAG Partners at 866-232-6477 to learn about branded promotional items you can use to express your thanks.
• Contact your local community leaders and let them know your agency wants to do its part to improve the community you share. Agencies that are associated with well-respected local leaders can attract interest from other leaders and from potential partners.

March 2014: Get ready to shine a spotlight on volunteers

Volunteers provide essential services to hospice and home care companies across the nation. We couldn’t do it without them – and I’m sure all of us try to make it a point to let them know that we appreciate them. A great opportunity to do that is coming up next month. National Volunteer Week is April 6-April 13. It’s also a great time to recognize the efforts of staff members who take the time to volunteer elsewhere in the community.

• Start off the week by distributing appreciative cards personalized with your agency’s logo. Include a small token to help make their day, such as a piece of candy to correspond to the card’s message. Get them at www.tagwebstore.com/giveaway.php.
• Host a volunteer appreciation luncheon. Recognize your top volunteers with gifts of appreciation personalized with your agency’s logo. Get them at http://theadamgrp.espwebsite.com/.
• Make sure all your volunteers know how much you value their health. Hand out bottles of personalized, pocket-size bottles Mist-a-Germ hand sanitizing spray.Get them at www.tagwebstore.com/mistagerm.php.

This April is National Minority Health Month. It’s time to step up your efforts to reach out to your community’s aging minority populations. In addition to different minority groups having an increased risk of developing certain diseases, other factors also contribute to minority health disparities, including language barriers and income levels.  

• Visit a senior center or adult day care center in a predominantly Hispanic community. Talk with the visitors there about the importance of good health habits. Leave behind English and Spanish educational brochures personalized to your agency. Get them at www.tagwebstore.com/disease-information-brochures.php.
• Host a nutrition class for seniors at a local church that has a large minority population. Find a ready-made class at www.tagwebstore.com/healthmatters-education-series.php.
• African-Americans are at greater risk of developing heart disease or a stroke. Arrange to conduct an educational class on heart health at a church or community organization in your area with a large African-American population. Find a ready-made class at www.tagwebstore.com/healthmatters-education-series.php. Leave behind informative flyers about heart disease and stroke. Get them at www.tagwebstore.com/health-care-flyers.php.

National Public Health Week is April 4-April 13. It’s a great time to promote your agency while also working to improve the overall health of your community.

• Participate in community health fairs this month. Be sure to have stacks of disease-specific flyers on hand to distribute to attendees. Get them at www.tagwebstore.com/health-care-flyers.php.
• Make sure the physicians in your service area know the rules when it comes to referring to home care by giving them a handy pocket guide to Medicare. Help them learn what’s appropriate and improve your community’s overall health in the process. Get it at www.tagwebstore.com/pocket-guide-to-medicare.php.
• Give patients and potential patients a powerful tool to help track and improve their personal health. Health log books and patient scorecard logs personalized to your agency not only empower them to take better care of themselves, but they help physicians get the information they need, and also serve as a constant reminder of your agency and its services. Get them at www.tagwebstore.com/healthlog.php and www.tagwebstore.com/patient-scorecard-logs.php.