At Communities Foundation of Texas, volunteerism is at the heart of our work with businesses — bringing together individuals and teams across every sector who share a commitment to serving their communities and enriching the lives of others. While we have the joy of mobilizing volunteers year-round through CFT for Business, there is a certain kind of magic in the air during the month of April, also known as National Volunteer Month (NVM).
Our National Volunteer Month 2024 initiative was made possible by 435 uni9ue volunteers who served more than 1,700 hours across 39 different project shifts at 15 nonprofit organizations. The numbers provide just a glimpse into the overall impact. Through every experience, CFT for Business volunteers often form long-lasting relationships with our nonprofit partners and continue to uplift their missions through additional volunteerism, grants, in-kind donations, and educational events.
CFT for Business Cornerstone Sponsors showed up in full force to #DotheGood together. Bioworld Merchandising donated 500 t-shirts for our National Volunteer Month participants again this year and ended our final NVM project with 26 employees serving at Equest. Hunt hosted its fifth annual Hunt Helpers Day, where more than 180 Hunt employees volunteered with eight different nonprofit organizations. Shields Legal Group packed meals at Hunger Busters, worked in the new Liberty Street Garden at New Friends New Life and TXU Energy Urban Tree Farm with Texas Trees Foundation, and distributed thousands of grocery bags to neighbors at The Storehouse Community Center.
Our largest project, hosted by the Dallas Zoo, saw teams from Catalyst Health Group, Communities Foundation of Texas, D Magazine, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Lennox International, RHSB, Texas Health Resources, and Texas Instruments collaborating to clear brush and bamboo from the elephant, gorilla, and tiger habitats – in high humidity, no less!
CFT staff volunteered across a variety of custom projects, including gardening and sprucing up the Vogel Alcove campus, preparing grocery bags for Miles of Freedom‘s weekly food pantry, packing meals at Hunger Busters, and making stationery paper to support survivors of human trafficking at POETIC.
The goodness didn’t stop there. Volunteers donated blood through Carter BloodCare, organized food pallets for The Stewpot‘s grocery distribution, packed thousands of diapers at Hope Supply Co., and played bingo with seniors and painted interior walls at Arapaho Rehab & Care Center in partnership with The Senior Source. They also led a campus beautification project at Jonathan’s Place, did improv comedy with Ability Connection‘s members, and served as guest judges at Youth Revive‘s annual C.A.P. Day, where high school students presented on a wide range of civic issues affecting their generation.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our CFT for Business members, fund holders, and colleagues who rolled up their sleeves and made a difference for thousands of our neighbors in April. Although National Volunteer Month is just one month, we celebrate these volunteers all year long because we know that they are the catalysts for change.
Inspired by our volunteers’ stories? Join us in making a difference. Learn more about how you can get involved with CFT for Business and contribute to our ongoing efforts to support our community. Visit our website: cftexas.orglbusiness.
