“Race to 153k” challenges nation to engage in volunteerism; hosts
activities in 38 cities across 25 states
New data shows a decline in volunteerism
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
U.S. Bank (NYSE: USB), the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United
States, today announced the official launch of the Community
Possible Relay, a nationwide initiative aimed to inspire 153,000+
volunteers across the country to take part in rebuilding and
revitalizing their communities. The three-month, 12,000 mile relay will
include volunteer activities centered around work, home and play, the
three focus areas of the bank’s new corporate giving and volunteer
program, Community Possible. The relay will visit 38 communities across
25 states.
“We’re challenging all Americans and businesses to join us in this
massive collective effort to revitalize the spirit of community in our
Race to 153k – representing 1,000 volunteers for every year U.S. Bank
has been in business,” said Richard Davis, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of U.S. Bank. “We invite everyone to help build and support
vibrant communities by volunteering and giving back. This relay
symbolizes our dedication to bringing back community volunteerism in
America. By working together, we can and will make a difference.”
The relay is an unprecedented community revitalization program. It
represents U.S. Bank’s dedication, in part, to addressing the reported
25 to 50 percent decline in volunteerism that has taken place over the
last four decades1. The bank hopes to inspire a wave of
volunteerism and community engagement with a “mobile baton” that will
drive across the country making stops throughout the summer, issuing a
call-to-action for people to join U.S. Bank volunteers and help give
back to their communities.
Meet the Relay Team
The relay will be complete with a coach
bus wrapped with Community Possible branding. Two U.S. Bank team
captains and philanthropic enthusiasts, Dixcy
Sulistyo and Jibreel
Black, will join their dedicated driver, John Matthews, for this
cross-country road trip. Dixcy, Jibreel and local U.S. Bank teams will
issue volunteer challenges in each community, including participating in
workplace education and skills training, teaching financial education,
refurbishing homes and cleaning up parks and recreational spaces. People
across the country are encouraged to join the movement by volunteering
in their community, challenging others to do the same and sharing
volunteer stories with the hashtag #CommunityPossible.
The relay started at the U.S. Bank OC Marathon, April 29-May 1 and the
last stop will be at the end of July in Minneapolis. The “mobile baton”
will make stops in Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland, St.
Louis, Nashville, Chicago, Cincinnati and many others throughout the
tour. To track the relay and learn how to get involved, follow U.S.
Bank’s social media channels – Facebook,
Instagram
and Twitter
with the hashtag #CommunityPossible.
Data Shows Decline in Volunteerism
As part of the relay
development, U.S. Bank conducted a survey of American citizens to
identify the immediate challenges and areas of need. The results
revealed declining levels of community involvement. According to the
data, a mere 31 percent of Americans have been involved in local
volunteer efforts since the start of 2016. The data also showed that
most people don’t volunteer because they don’t want to do it alone (42
percent) or they don’t know how to get involved (39 percent). As an
alternative, 29 percent are simply donating money instead of time.
U.S. Bank conducted the Community Possible Survey to learn more about
the types of efforts they should support by asking Americans what
volunteer efforts would most benefit their local community. More than
half (52 percent) chose “home” volunteer efforts, such as building or
refurbishing homes; 50 percent chose “work” volunteer efforts, such as
providing residents with skills for the modern workplace; and 41 percent
chose “play” volunteer efforts, such as building or cleaning up
playgrounds.
“Community is built through the hundreds of little and big actions we
take every day, but civic and social involvement across the United
States continues to decline1,” said Reba Dominski, Senior
Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. “That’s why we’re
providing a platform for Americans to start reversing the trend by
bringing people together and building relationships between local
organizations and their volunteers. Through Community Possible, we are
bringing our commitment to community and service to life, and paying it
forward. We pledge to invest our time, resources and passion to building
and supporting communities that allow every person to work toward their
possible.”
About U.S. Bank
Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp (“USB”),
with $429 billion in assets as of March 31, 2016, is the parent company
of U.S. Bank National Association, the fifth largest commercial bank
in the United States. The Company operates 3,129 banking offices in 25
states and 4,954 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking,
investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers,
businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.
About Community Possible & The Race to 153k
Community
Possible is the corporate giving and volunteer program at U.S. Bank,
focused on the areas of work, home and play. The company invests in
programs that provide stable employment, a safe place to call home and a
community connected through culture, recreation and play. Philanthropic
support through the U.S. Bank Foundation and corporate giving program
reached $53 million in 2015. Visit www.usbank.com/community.
About The Community Possible Survey
The U.S. Bancorp survey
was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,005 nationally
representative U.S. adults ages 18+, between April 14 and April 18,
2016, using an email invitation and online survey. Quotas have been set
to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult
population ages 18+. Results of any sample are subject to sampling
variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected
by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing
the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the
chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus,
by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be
obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the
universe represented by the sample.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160502005656/en/
Source: U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank Corporate Communications
Susan Beatty, 612-303-9229
susan.beatty@usbank.com