Volunteer Appreciation Week 2021

We’ve spent this week celebrating and appreciating our fantastic volunteers!

Volunteers have long been the ‘secret sauce’ for JA. As an organization that has been impacting students for more than a century, we’ve had our share of challenges and successes. Regardless of the economic or social climate, volunteers have remained integral to our mission.

When we think about being able to change the way a student thinks about their future, a central element to that are the adults that are able to connect with them and share their own life experience to help guide them.

To all who have volunteered with us through the years: thank you! We couldn’t deliver on our mission without your passion.

As we look to a more ‘normal’ future: we need you more than ever! Your time with our students makes a difference, and we depend on you to help the learning come to life. The world has undergone incredible shifts in the past year, and who there’s no one better to help our students navigate a changing society than passionate adults who have been through it before them.

GE, Truist Financial Corporation and UPS Honored by Junior Achievement with a U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award

Volunteers provided students with critical mentoring and positive role models

Atlanta, GA – Junior Achievement USA® (JA) today announced that it will honor GE, Truist Financial Corporation and UPS as 2019-2020 U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award recipients in appreciation of their valued partnership and support despite the limitations on volunteerism due to the pandemic. Truist Financial Corporation will receive a Gold award, and GE and UPS will receive Bronze awards. The U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award will be presented to 50 organizations at a virtual awards ceremony and celebration presented by American Express on February 3rd at 2 pm ET.

In 2003, President George W. Bush established the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make in communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor individuals who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. In 2006, Junior Achievement became an official certifying organization for this award, which recognizes corporations with a U.S. presence that provide volunteers to teach JA programs anywhere in the world.

"Junior Achievement volunteers are important mentors for young people, bringing our programs to life. Our volunteers share their experiences and skills with students while at our JA Discovery Centers and with our 3DE students, providing an example of what their future success could look like. Our partnerships with GE, Truist Financial Corporation and UPS are integral to our organization’s success and are a vital part of our mission," said John Hancock, President and CEO, JA of Georgia.

“Junior Achievement volunteers help build communities by empowering the next generation’s success,” said Allison Dukes, Chair, JA of Georgia Board of Directors, and CFO & Senior Managing Director, Invesco Ltd. "JA could not exist without the dedication of its volunteers. We are grateful for this opportunity to recognize their invaluable support."

Junior Achievement’s kindergarten through high school programs are delivered across the country by a network of nearly 152,000 volunteers, including 14,000 in Georgia. JA programs provide innovative, hands-on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy education to more than 170,000 students in the state each year.

The complete list of recipients can be found here.