Power of the Hour

Written by Administrator Wednesday, 13 January 2010 19:46

22 CANADIAN CORPORATE GIANTS UNITE TO PLEDGE OVER
800,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME IN 2010

Call on Canadians Coast to Coast to Get Involved

TORONTO, Ontario – January 13, 2010 - Today, Power of the Hour is thrilled to announce that the Corporate Council on Volunteering (CCOV) has pledged an astounding 814,900 hours of employee volunteer time for 2010.  Power of the Hour is a national integrated campaign challenging Canadians to commit 2,000,000 volunteer hours in 2010.

“It’s about leadership… it’s about supporting and investing in the community that has invested in you,” said Mike Tierney, President, UPS Canada and Chair, the Corporate Council on Volunteering. 

“Whether we’re talking about a neighbourhood, a city or a larger global community, it’s about giving back… about forging relationships and getting involved. It’s about doing the right thing,” he concluded.

The Corporate Council on Volunteering is comprised of 22 major Canadian companies including Home Depot, UPS, Microsoft Canada, Direct Energy and Manulife. Founded in 2005, the CCOV is arguably the single most influential corporate volunteer initiative in the country.

“We partnered with the Corporate Council because we believe that being a good citizen, being engaged in our neighbourhoods and communities is critical to building a stronger Canada,” said Dorothy Engelman, Founder and Executive Producer, Get Involved and Power of the Hour.

“To give you an idea of what 814,900 volunteer hours means in real terms, it translates into one hundred people working full-time for 4.7 years; just imagine what they could accomplish,” said Ruth MacKenzie, President, Volunteer Canada.

Power of the Hour, an online tool through which individuals and groups can pledge and track volunteer hours, will be supported by a national television advertising campaign featuring everyday Canadians as well as many of Canada’s highest profile CEOs.  Power of the Hour was developed by Getinvolved.ca in partnership with TVO, Volunteer Canada and its Corporate Council on Volunteering. Getinvolved.ca is a national social networking community matching thousands of members to over 500 national not-for-profit organizations.

“While fundraising will always play a critical role in the health of all of our not-for-profits, when you spend your time volunteering you experience firsthand the challenges they face, you meet the people they serve and you connect in a way you can’t when you write a cheque,” continued Engelman.

“If all of us can commit our time, we can create a powerful, unstoppable force for change.”

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For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:


Patrick McCaully
Pointman Public Relations
416-855-9427
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it



About Power of the Hour

Our Goal
Power of the Hour has a goal of reaching 2,000,000 pledged volunteer hours in 2010.

Partnership
Power of the Hour was developed by Getinvolved.ca in partnership with TVO, Volunteer Canada and its Corporate Council on Volunteering. The Council includes 22 powerhouse companies including: Microsoft Canada, Direct Energy, UPS, and The Home Depot.

The Website
Power of the Hour is a free online tool that allows companies, not-for-profits, groups, families and individuals the opportunity to set goals and track their volunteer hours.

You can
•    Set A Goal – declare to your staff and the public the number of volunteer hours you want to reach.
•    Track the number of hours completed, as well as the number of people engaged in various volunteer activities.
•    Challenge and recruit your staff, volunteers or friends to join a specific activity and track the results of each volunteer initiative.
•    AND Power Tools – the best practices in volunteering all under one roof for businesses, not-for-profits, students and individuals.

About the Corporate Council on Volunteering
The Corporate Council on Volunteering (CCOV) is a Volunteer Canada program and one of the largest corporate volunteerism initiatives in the country.  With a membership comprised of 22 of the most influential companies in the business sector, the CCOV supports and celebrates the importance of volunteerism in the community and fosters that understanding and appreciation amongst their employees.  Mike Tierney, President of UPS Canada, and Ruth MacKenzie, President of Volunteer Canada, are both co-chairs of the CCOV.  Members include: AON Reed Stenhouse, Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Bell, Ernst & Young LLP, Future Shop, IBM Canada Ltd., Investors Group, KPMG, Manulife Financial, Microsoft Canada, Molson Coors Canada, TVO, Power Corporation of Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada, RBC, SAP Canada, The Home Depot Canada, TransAlta, UPS Canada, Wal-Mart Canada Corp., Deloitte & Touche LLP, and Direct Energy.