FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2025

CONTACT: Jessica Dorsey

785-296-3163 | jessica.dorsey@ksde.gov

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

Kansas Employers Invited to Participate in Fifth Annual Give Back Kansas Challenge
Challenge promotes employer-supported volunteering across the state

WICHITA/TOPEKA – Kansas employers are encouraged to register for the fifth annual Give Back Kansas Challenge, a statewide initiative that motivates employees to volunteer in their communities.

The eight-week challenge will run from March 31 through May 23, 2025. Employers interested in participating must register by March 17 at www.bit.ly/Givebackks.

The Give Back Kansas Challenge allows employees to track and report their volunteer hours, with recognition given to those who volunteer regularly. For employees who are new to volunteering, the Challenge encourages them to explore new opportunities to enhance their skills and engage more deeply with their communities.

“This is a great way for employees to discover the impactful work of local nonprofits while giving back through their time and talents,” said Nola Brown, executive director of Volunteer Kansas. Volunteer Kansas, in collaboration with the Kansas Volunteer Commission, promotes the event each year to foster volunteerism across the state.

The Challenge is free to join and open to all employers in Kansas, including businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, and government agencies. Employers must register in advance, and an employer-designated point of contact will report volunteer hours through an online portal.

Participating employers will be divided into three categories based on size—large, medium, and small—with winners selected based on the highest average number of volunteer hours logged per employer during the Challenge. The winning employers in each category will receive a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit of their choice from Volunteer Kansas. These organizations will also be honored at a check presentation ceremony.

“Employer-supported volunteering not only benefits the community but also strengthens employee engagement, job satisfaction, and retention,” said Dr. Jessica Dorsey, executive director of the Kansas Volunteer Commission. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact that participating companies will experience throughout the Challenge.”

For more information on how to get involved and resources for finding volunteer opportunities, visit http://bit.ly/Givebackks or contact Dr. Jessica Dorsey at jessica.dorsey@ksde.gov or 785-296-3163.

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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) organization based in Wichita, Kansas. www.Volunteerkansas.org is a website devoted to increasing volunteerism in the state of Kansas, providing a hub for Kansans to find nonprofits that need volunteers. The website is a free service to individuals and nonprofits. Volunteer Kansas’ vision is to become number one in the U.S. for volunteerism.