Center Stage: UPS Volunteer Programs

In terms of volunteerism, UPS is most proud of supporting organizations to which their own people give of their time and talent. UPS gives their people the opportunity and the avenue through which to give back to their community.

A challenge UPS faces in terms of volunteerism is expanding the pool of volunteers. To address this issue they directly solicited work groups highlighting the positive impact volunteering as a group creates regarding team work in other non-volunteer initiatives. They also have non-profit agency representatives come and speak to their employees.

UPS's top two volunteer activities/projects it is involved with are Adopt-a-Family and Heart Walk. For its Adopt-a-Family activity they purchase and deliver gifts and food during the holidays to families of its partnership school, Lincoln Elementary in North Minneapolis . UPSers pledge and walk in the American Heart Association's (AHA) annual fundraiser.

Its key nonprofit partners include Greater Twin Cities United Way, Lincoln School, Special Olympics, AHA, American Cancer Society (Daffodil Days), No Place Like Home, Junior Achievement. All receive funding via The UPS Foundation, local volunteer support and in-kind gifts.

The UPS Foundation (its charitable arm) focuses its financial and non-monetary contributions to organizations that address hunger, literacy and volunteerism . The UPS Foundation employs four strategies that we believe are most effective in tackling community problems: effective volunteerism, leadership, operations and sustainability .

At the heart of UPS's philanthropic outreach is the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program. This program is part of an ongoing company-wide effort to heighten awareness for community needs, promote the importance of volunteerism and mobilize UPS employees and their families to serve as volunteers in their communities.

Non-profits that receive a specified number of UPSer volunteer hours qualify for larger gifts via The UPS Foundation.

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