ATLANTA, Oct. 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPS® (NYSE: UPS) today commenced its 13th annual Global Volunteer Month, an October tradition which invites employees to give back to the communities in which they live and work. This year, UPS is working with its global volunteer partners The International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) and Points of Light to rally its volunteer programs around the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
UPS recently became a founding member of IMPACT 2030, a business-led global collaboration of the United Nations, the private sector and civil society organizations whose mission is to encourage employee volunteering around the world to advance the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
Nearly 15,000 volunteers from UPS's global offices and business units are expected to contribute 315,000 volunteer hours this month, furthering the company's service commitment legacy.
Spearheaded by The UPS Foundation, the global philanthropic and corporate citizenship arm of UPS, Global Volunteer Month mobilizes employees from every region to engage in a variety of service activities. During October, UPS team members will assist with a range of projects including tree planting and landscaping, food and supplies collection, packaging and distribution, participation in community fundraising events and administrative support for organizations focused on driving social change.
UPS employees' efforts during Global Volunteer Month support the company's pledge to complete 20 million hours of global volunteerism by the end of 2020. Since 2011, UPS has contributed more than 7 million service hours toward this goal.
"I am excited to unite our UPS '20 million by 2020' volunteerism goal with the goals of IMPACT 2030 and marshal UPS employees to contribute to a larger global movement," said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. "We are proud to support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and address critical needs around the world."
Each year, UPS concludes Global Volunteer Month with a $10,000 grant to a non-profit organization in each U.S. region and business unit.
Featured Global Volunteer Month projects include:
United States
- Leading tree planting events with Keep America Beautiful
- Hosting career days with high school students in partnership with Junior Achievement
- Assisting with food packaging and distribution for homeless and malnourished individuals in partnership with multiple organizations, including Northwest Harvest, Chosen 300 Ministries and Share Food
- Supporting breast cancer awareness and research by participating in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure charity walks
Canada
- Facilitating tree planting projects in partnership with Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA)
Latin America
- Execution and participation in the UPS Golf Classic Tournament, a fundraiser for The United Way
Europe
- Conducting fundraisers for several organizations supporting individuals with muscular dystrophy, Down Syndrome, AIDS and multiple sclerosis, including Fundación Rosella in Spain, SOS Children's Village in Hungary, and Biobrotboxaktion and Aidshilfe Köln in Germany
Asia-Pacific
- Participating in a home build for Habitat Indonesia
- Cleaning beaches in Shenzhen Bay and Mangrove with the Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation
- Accompanying underprivileged children to the Octoburst! festival in partnership with Esplanade
ISMEA
- Knitting scarves, blankets and gloves ahead of South Africa's 2016 winter season with Knit-a-Square
- Hosting a camp for underprivileged girls in support of Project Hope
UPS Global Headquarters
- Assembling food packages for children in support of Feed my Starving Children
UPS Freight
- Participating in Hands On Day Richmond, where UPS employees will support more than 11 volunteer initiatives within the greater Richmond, Va., area
UPS Airlines
- Raising funds and taking part in the American Heart Association's Kentuckiana Heart Walk
For more information about UPS's philanthropic and volunteerism efforts, please visit www.UPS.com/Foundation.
About The UPS Foundation
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2014, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $104 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/Foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.