Forty Years, Forty Acts of Giving Back to Local Communities
In honor of the 40th anniversary of UScellular, I’m proud to share that our associates hosted more than 40 Acts of Service throughout National Volunteer Month to give back and make meaningful connections with our local communities. Associates’ volunteer acts included participating in a nonprofit skills-based pitch competition, assembling dental hygiene kits, preparing thousands of meals at food banks and shelters and so much more.
I enjoy giving my time by helping keep my neighborhood clean. This isn’t part of an organized community effort. Instead, it’s a really informal way that I like to make a difference. Here’s what I do: When my wife and I take our dogs out for a walk, I bring along a trash bag. When we see trash, we pick it up. That’s all there is to it. I’ve struggled a bit in the past with finding time in a pretty busy schedule for giving back to my community. But by combining dog-walking with trash pickup, I’m able to make a difference and get some exercise while I’m doing it.
Throughout April, associates volunteered nearly 2,000 hours across our communities with an equivalent estimated value of nearly $59,000. A few ways our impact has shown up in local communities, include:
- Prepared and delivered more than 2,000 meals for those affected by food insecurity in Manchester, New Hampshire; Bangor, Maine; and Sterling, Illinois.
- Planted vegetable gardens with kids at Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Plain in Winterville, North Carolina and Brigade Boys & Girls Club in Wilmington, North Carolina.
- Assembled 144 dental hygiene kits for Boys & Girls Club Chicago for their Club members.
- Filled 150 backpacks with food and supplies to ensure Quincy, Illinois area kids and families had nutritious meals during spring break.
UScellular is committed to supporting our associates connecting with the communities and causes they care about most. We recognize this commitment and the impact they are making during National Volunteer Month and throughout the year by offering programs like personal donation matching, dollars for doers, in-person volunteering and skills-based volunteerism. To learn more about UScellular’s Social Impact, go to newsroom.uscellular.com/social-impact/.