FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    CONTACT: Jessica Dorsey

July 10, 2024                                                                   (785) 296-3163 | jdorsey@ksde.org

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Kansas Volunteer Commission shouldn’t be shortened to KVC. It should be written out as Kansas Volunteer Commission.
 

Give Back Kansas Challenge winners announced
Prize money to be given to the nonprofits of their choice

TOPEKA – Three standout employers in Kansas have emerged victorious in the fourth annual Give Back Kansas Challenge, an initiative designed to promote employee-supported volunteerism across the state.

Sixteen businesses participated in this year’s challenge, categorized by their size: small, medium, and large. The winners for 2024 are:

• Small Organization: Flint Hills Volunteer Center, Manhattan
• Medium Organization: Bethel Life Center, Wichita
• Large Organization: Cloud County Government, Concordia

Hosted by Volunteer Kansas and the Kansas Volunteer Commission, the challenge took place from April 1 to May 31, 2024. Its primary goal was to engage Kansans in community service through their workplace.

During the challenge period, 3,117 employees collectively contributed 6,232 volunteer hours across various organizations statewide.  According to The Independent Sector, a national membership organization that brings together a diverse community of changemakers, each volunteer hour in Kansas is valued at $29.69, which makes the total contribution of this year’s Give Back Kansas Challenge $185,028.

Nola Brown, Executive Director of Volunteer Kansas, emphasized the multifaceted benefits of the challenge: “The Give Back Kansas Challenge is a win-win-win-win. Participating employees experience personal fulfillment, businesses strengthen their community presence, organizations receive vital volunteer support, and nonprofits receive much-needed monetary support through grants to advance their missions.”

Each of the winning employers designated a nonprofit to receive a $1,000 grant from Volunteer Kansas.

• Flint Hills Volunteer Center, with four employees, will apply the grant to enhance its volunteer program, benefiting more than 50 nonprofits served by more than 700 committed volunteers.
• Bethel Life Center, with 12 employees, selected Hope Wichita, an organization providing groceries, backpacks, and school supplies to around 14,000 families in need each year.
• Cloud County Government, with 115 employees, chose to support the Concordia Lions Club for the second consecutive year. The grant will bolster their Cloud County Community Suppers program, which provides free meals on the first two Wednesdays of each month.

“Although the Challenge has concluded, the Commission urges participating employers to maintain their strong dedication to volunteerism,” said Dr. Jessica Dorsey, executive director of the Kansas Volunteer Commission. “Studies on employer volunteer programs indicate they significantly enhance employee engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and retention.”

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The Kansas Volunteer Commission is a program of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). The vision of the Kansas Volunteer Commission is to empower all Kansans to meet community needs through service. The Commission's primary role is to provide resources and leadership to support local initiatives that tackle community needs. As the state service commission, the Kansas Volunteer Commission promotes AmeriCorps national service, volunteer engagement, youth mentoring and civic engagement. For more information, visit www.kanserve.org.

Volunteer Kansas, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) charity based in Wichita, Kan. Volunteerkansas.org is the organization’s website devoted to increasing volunteerism in the state of Kansas and providing a hub for Kansans to find organizations that may need volunteers. The website is a free service to individuals and organizations.