VolunteerMatch Makes it Easy for Individuals, Organizations, Campuses and Businesses to Get Involved During National Volunteer Week

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 12, 2012

In advance of National Volunteer Week, VolunteerMatch, the web’s largest volunteer engagement network, is offering the nation’s volunteers, businesses, campuses and government agencies more than 74,000 ways to make a difference at nonprofit organizations.

National Volunteer Week recognizes and celebrates the efforts of volunteers nationwide from April 15 to April 21. For volunteers, it’s an opportunity to engage again with the organizations at which they serve or find new ways to give back. For organizations, National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize the tremendous impact of volunteers who collectively contributed more than 8 billion hours in the U.S. last year.

Since 1998, VolunteerMatch has made it easy for volunteers to find a great place to volunteer and for organizations to find the volunteers they need. VolunteerMatch also supports the volunteer engagement initiatives of a growing network of corporate, campus and government partners who are deploying their programs on the VolunteerMatch platform.

Some National Volunteer Week highlights from the VolunteerMatch network this year include:

•     In advance of Arbor Day on April 27, the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with Toyota, has launched its Arbordaynow.org Volunteer Center online to connect volunteers with ways to help at tree and conservation-related organizations in the VolunteerMatch network. Visit http://www.arbordaynow.org/volunteer to learn more.
•     April 18 is Volunteer Action Day at People Saving Pets™, a program of PetSmart Charities. The focus will be on educating the public about the need for volunteers and mobilizing pet lovers to lend a hand at local animal welfare organizations. Volunteers are encouraged to visit http://www.PeopleSavingPets.org to find opportunities from the VolunteerMatch network;
•     Nearly 49 million Americans are facing hunger insecurity. With support from the Walmart Foundation, VolunteerMatch has launched an innovative map of U.S. hunger needs and related volunteer opportunities. Visitors during National Volunteer Week can express interest in more than 3,400 opportunities at http://www.volunteermatch.org/fighthunger.
•     Exelon Corporation observes National Volunteer Week with a series of employee-led service projects in the communities Exelon serves, focusing mainly on environmental improvement, diversity, and betterment of the community. Last year, nearly 1,800 employee volunteers participated in 99 projects, contributing the equivalent of $135,000 in time and skills. Exelon is a three-time winner of VolunteerMatch’s Corporate Volunteer Program of the Year.

These are just a few of the ways that VolunteerMatch’s network partners will be connecting volunteers in their communities with local needs during National Volunteer Week. To find a volunteer opportunity, check out the resources above or visit http://www.volunteermatch.org.

Nonprofits can participate by registering for a free VolunteerMatch account at http://www.volunteermatch.org/post.

About VolunteerMatch

VolunteerMatch is the Web's largest volunteer engagement network, with more than 80,000 participating nonprofits, 150 network partners and 8 million visitors each year. Founded in 1998, VolunteerMatch offers solutions to make it easier for individuals, nonprofits and companies to make a difference. Since its launch, VolunteerMatch has helped nonprofits attract more than $2 billion worth of volunteer services. VolunteerMatch is a two-time Webby Award winner, a Smithsonian inductee, and has been recognized for its work by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Time, Oprah Winfrey and Presidents Clinton and Bush. To learn more, visit http://www.volunteermatch.org.