Little Flower April E-Newsletter

Dear Friend:

This past week President Obama declared April 15th – April 21st National Volunteer Week. Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week has grown exponentially in scope each year since, drawing the support and endorsement of all U.S. presidents, governors, mayors and other respected elected officials.

This week, we celebrate the profound impact of volunteerism and encourage everyone to discover their own power to make a difference. National Volunteer Week is about taking action, encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change – discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation. Every one of us has the opportunity to play a role in making our community stronger.

Transform caring into action – volunteer today.

Get Involved!There are many opportunities to make a difference; all it takes is your commitment to donate your time and talent and a willingness to give: One-on-One Mentor: Spend quality one-on-one time with a child in Foster Care or one of our adult residents. Recreation: Assist the child care staff with the recreation programs for the children and adults in our care. Photographer: Help us update our media catalog by taking photos of our many activities and events and help record our history and show others all that we do. Art & Music Therapist: Use your talents to help our children heal by giving them the opportunity to express themselves creatively while dealing with their emotions. Web & Social Media: Lend your technical expertise and bring Little Flower up to speed and more accessible to a broader community. Do you have a skill not mentioned above that you would like to share? Contact us and we can help you make a difference in the lives of children and developmentally disabled adults in your area. Getting Others Involved Many Hands Make Light Work! Get together with your friends and co-workers and volunteer for a group project. There are endless possibilities for your group to support Little Flower. For example co-workers from Home Depot joined us during the holiday season to spread cheer and decorate the Wading River Campus and the NYC based company Instinet held a blue jeans Friday fundraiser at their offices and donated the proceeds to us.Call today to discuss how your business or group can create your own volunteer experience. Making a Difference Every Day Helping Others and OurselvesFor the past 80 years volunteers have always been an essential part of Little Flower. Countless individuals and businesses have been involved in all phases of our programs. Whether it’s a young girl in high school who raises money to buy Christmas gifts for our kids, or a young man who is mentoring a boy and takes him to his first professional baseball game; the role of the volunteer is a meaningful one. In all of these efforts, we are reminded how volunteer work can expand opportunity not only for those in need, but also for those who give. Service can teach valuable skills that pave the way to long-term employment and stay with volunteers throughout their careers and lives.

National Volunteer Stats In 2011 63 million Americans volunteered their skills and talents Collectively donating over 8.1 billion hours These volunteers provided services valued at $173 billion 26% of all Americans donate 52 hours per year – an hour a week Since 1989, the number of people who volunteer increased by 60%