In Columbus, Ohio today Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, and JPMorgan Chase are teaming up to commence a year-long, nationwide service tour called One America. The campaign will bring together rivals in politics, entertainment, and sports with the goal of inspiring Americans to unite in service for their communities throughout the year. At the end of the campaign, Points of Light will have built an online and on-the-ground community of Americans—hundreds of thousands strong—who have united to volunteer their time, voices, or money in support of community action. “From city to city and neighborhood to neighborhood, this campaign will demonstrate that—even in divisive times—service and volunteerism have the power to bring the country together as One America,” said Tracy Hoover, President, Points of Light. "At JPMorgan Chase, we use our strength and global reach to support our clients and communities in every city where we work. In just the last three years, our employees provided more than 1 million hours of service to their communities around the world," said Peter L. Scher, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, JPMorgan Chase. "By joining forces with Points of Light for One America, we are endeavoring to do even more as a firm, and to inspire people everywhere, from all walks of life, to come together to serve and build stronger communities." In each tour city, the One America campaign will unite hundreds at a service event and also issue a call to action for tens of thousands to make a tacit commitment to service. Today’s One America kick off in Columbus also marks the official opening of registration for the 2 nd annual Columbus Volunteer Challenge. At the event, 200 business and community leaders, students, and local nonprofit staffers will make vegetable seed balls to promote community gardening and nutrition. The beneficiary organization is the Franklin Park Conservatory’s ‘Growing to Green’ program, Columbus's largest organized effort to promote and provide free resources for community gardening. Eight tour stops are planned in addition to Columbus. Tour details currently include*:
- Chicago, IL August 2013The tour will stop in Chicago as the nation celebrates and reflects on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Iconic sports rivals and civil rights leaders will spark a dialogue to help the next generation think about new ways to promote civil rights and build the future of Chicago. Volunteers will pack school supply kits for underserved children in the Chicago public school system.
- New York, NY September 2013JPMorgan Chase will host a dialogue that reflects on the events of 9/11, commemorates the tremendous outpouring of service and unity in response to the attacks, and focuses on current and future service challenges. In a tribute to emergency and disaster relief workers in New York City, the campaign will also honor those who led recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy. Participants will pack Disaster “Go Kits” that will be distributed through the NYC Office of Emergency Management. Following the event, 100 JPMorgan Chase employee volunteers will participate in a Hurricane Sandy recovery project.
- Miami, FL October 2013In Miami, the campaign will rally volunteers to help 500,000 local students succeed in school and life. With a grant from JPMorgan Chase, students at Northwestern High School in Liberty City, Florida will open an aquaponics lab that will teach students about economic development and microfinance. During the tour stop, students, educators, and celebrities will engage in a service challenge that inspires attendees to think creatively about student success and learning.
- Houston, TX November 2013The Houston tour stop will correspond with Points of Light’s Veteran’s Day-related service initiatives and help female veterans and their families overcome challenges they're facing as they transition to civilian life, such as unemployment and safe and affordable housing.
- Atlanta, GA January 2014This tour stop is part of Points of Light’s goal to host thousands of Sunday Suppers across the nation on MLK Day. This event will convene renowned civil rights leaders, community volunteers, and business leaders to break bread, have a meal, and discuss how Atlanta–and the country–can unite through service.
- Phoenix, AZ February 2014According to the USDA, almost 14 percent of Arizona residents live in food deserts and lack access to fresh, healthy, affordable food. The Phoenix tour stop will aim to help residents living in these food deserts obtain food security.
- California March 2014The California tour stop (city pending) will aim to unite Californians to help preserve and protect the environment. Dialogue and service activities will focus on what local residents can do to “green” their surroundings.
- Washington, D.C. April 2014The One America Tour will conclude with a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill featuring selected tour participants and community volunteers. The briefing will include a recap of Americans’ engagement in the campaign, and emphasize the importance of increased support for service initiatives to federal policymakers.
