Happy International Volunteer Day

by Emilie Davis

Volunteer Coordinator

The International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (IVD) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution A/RES/40/212 on 17 December, 1985. Since then, governments, the UN system and civil society organizations have successfully joined volunteers around the world to celebrate the Day on 5 December.

IVD offers an opportunity for volunteer organizations and individual volunteers to make visible their contributions – at local, national and international levels – to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

(http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/intl-vol-day/background.html)

On a local level, here in and around Salt Lake City individual volunteers are reaching out.  A youth group of more than 35 people served a local humanitarian medical resource organization November 29^th, one experienced volunteer is helping at a free health clinic with ongoing service, and many corporations are sponsoring local families for the holidays.

Thank you to all the people who serve in various ways every day in your community.  We need more people like you.  Contact the United Way 2-1-1 Volunteer Center to find out how you can get engaged.