Employees challenged to get involved in communities through Give Back Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas employers have been challenged to get their employees involved in their communities through the Give Back Kansas Challenge.

The Kansas Volunteer Commission announced on Monday, Feb. 6, that employers have been invited to register for the third annual Give Back Kansas Challenge and encourage employees to participate by volunteering and giving back to the community.

KVC noted that the Give Back Kansas Challenge is a chance for employees who regularly volunteer to be recognized with reports that track their hours. Employees who are new to volunteering will be encouraged to try something new that could help them develop more skills or enthusiasm for their work in the community.

“The Challenge will be a fun and exciting way for participants to learn more about charities in their communities and help them out by giving of their time and abilities,” said Nola Brown, executive director of Volunteer Kansas, which is partnering with the Kansas Volunteer Commission to promote the Challenge to Kansans.

The organization indicated that the challenge is free to participate in and open to any employer in Kansas - for-profit, nonprofit, education systems and government agencies. Employers will need to register in advance and volunteer hours will be reported through an online portal.

Based on the number of entries received and company size, KVC said employers will be divided into three categories - large, medium and small. Winners of the Challenge will be chosen to decide the average number of volunteer hours per employer completed during the period. Those who achieve the highest average in each category will have a $1,000 donation made on their behalf to the charity of their choice.

“Research shows that employer-supported volunteering can result in improved employee engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and retention,” said Dr. Jessica Dorsey, executive director of the Kansas Volunteer Commission. “We look forward to seeing the many positive ways that participating organizations are affected during the Give Back Kansas Challenge.”

KVC indicated that the 8-week challenge runs from April 17 through June 9 and employers who would like to participate should do so HERE by April 1.

Complete information and resources on how to volunteer, as well as volunteer opportunities, can be found HERE.