On May 15, 2003 more than 200 Atlanta business leaders helped launch Business Strengthening Atlanta (BSA-Atlanta), a multi-year campaign to encourage businesses to increase civic engagement and employee volunteer service in metro Atlanta.

Companies participating in the launch were encouraged to meet a “90-Day Service Challenge,” by engaging their employees in volunteer service between now and August 15. Based on the number of individuals employed, each company is challenged to encourage and assist those employees to volunteer in their community in the quantity of hours that begins with the number nine. For example, larger companies may commit to stimulating 9,000 hours of volunteer service in 90 days, while smaller companies will commit to stimulating 90 hours. The purpose of the challenge is to motivate area businesses to engage their employees more actively in volunteer service, and to maintain momentum between the launch of BSA-Atlanta and the first BSA-Atlanta sponsored volunteer service project service event scheduled to take place in August.

At that event, business volunteers will partner with Hands On Atlanta, community residents, students and parents to transform a 75-year old school building into a safe and inspiring place for children to learn, play and connect with others. The school is the KIPP West Atlanta Young Scholars Academy, an Atlanta Public Schools charter school in the West End neighborhood. BSA-Atlanta volunteers will build reading lofts, an outdoor amphitheater, basketball courts and game area, a computer lab and garden, among other projects during a day-long service event. Companies that meet the 90-Day Service Challenge will be recognized for their accomplishments at the service event in August.

The launch of BSA-Atlanta is the third in a series of regional community service initiatives around the country. BSA-Atlanta is a part of Business Strengthening America, a peer-to-peer campaign led by chief executives and business leaders to mobilize the business community to support effective volunteer service and civic engagement by every American. Launched in response to President Bush’s call to volunteer service, Business Strengthening America now includes more than 385 member companies and business organizations, representing more than three million employees.

Similar launch and service events took place earlier this year in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY and more events will take place in Cleveland, OH, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, CA in upcoming months.

Click here to learn more about how your business can get involved in encouraging volunteer service by employees, customers and business partners. Click here to learn more about how your organization can join Business Strengthening America through a simple registration form.

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