Make A Difference Day unites volunteers from across the country with a common mission: to improve the lives of others through a wide range of community-driven service projects. Employees from WKYC and their families will make a difference by volunteering at five local nonprofits, all of which were hand-picked by station employees themselves.
At Ronald McDonald House, WKYC staffers including anchor Sara Shookman will prepare boxed lunches and bake treats for residents, and assemble “boredom bags” for children. Other projects include sorting and shelving merchandise at Kids in Need Resource Center, gardening and raking at Fieldstone Farm therapeutic riding center, and doing outdoor clean-up at American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge.
And for the second year in a row, employees are spearheading a project to benefit residents at the men’s shelter operated by Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry at 2100 Lakeside Ave. Staffers including anchor Russ Mitchell and reporter Matt Granite will be among the volunteers painting the shelter and grilling burgers and hot dogs during a midday cookout.
“This shelter project is becoming an annual tradition. We are located just a few blocks from the men’s shelter and we’re really proud of the fact that our employees want to reach out and be good neighbors,” said Margaret Bernstein, WKYC Director of Advocacy & Community Initiatives.
WKYC partners with BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence to coordinate and promote Make A Difference Day projects across Northeast Ohio.
The TEGNA Foundation, supported by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), will contribute $185,000 in community grants for Make A Difference Day projects across the country. Make A Difference Day is made possible by the employees of TEGNA with support from the Arby’s Foundation and longtime partner Points of Light. Make A Difference Day began in 1992 and has since helped millions of Americans.
Organizers of Make A Difference Day projects are encouraged to register at makeadifferenceday.com. By registering, projects become eligible to win a $10,000 grant to donate to a charity of their choice.
Additional information can be found at www.makeadifferenceday.com.
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