Corporate Social Responsibility

News

6.04.2008 - 02:19pm ET

CSR News from:	StrengthBank Inc.
News Categories:	Volunteerism
	Community Development

Baby Boomers Playing Big Part in CSR, Says StrengthBank Inc. President/CEO

(CSRwire) FORT WORTH, TX - June 4, 2008, - StrengthBank Inc., Sandra Shelton, President/CEO, announces that 12 businesses participated in the recent Hands UP/Hands Down High School Mentor recruiting events at Alpha Charter High School in Garland, Texas.

Participants from FedEx Kinkos, Texas Rangers Baseball Club, Chickfil, Cici's Pizza, Chili's, Edible Arrangements, Character Coalition Network, Starbucks, Standard Coffee Service, Arby's, Selmore Haines and Grandy's volunteered to be mentors, and/or donated food, supplies, and door prizes.

According to the Case Foundation, the concept of corporate citizenship - the belief that companies have an obligation to help maintain the health and well being of the communities in which they do business - has existed in the US for more than 50 years. However, over the past two decades, a growing number of business leaders have come to view corporate citizenship, including volunteerism, as not just 'the right thing to do,' but a key business imperative that can generate "value for the company, its employees, and the community."

Boomer Generation Volunteers

Notably, the majority of the volunteers for the StrengthBank Inc. event were Shelton's fellow baby boomers. They served at the event or became a mentor for the high school advisory period relationship skills initiative at Alpha Charter School.

"In the 1960's we boomers changed the world and I find many of us still unafraid to bring in change that lets us continue to grow in the process," says Shelton. "I believe we can effect new directions for high school education in America by reaching a 'hand down' to give a positive 'hand up.' A stronger America is a more connected America. It's time for boomers to get involved, to participate. Our kids are crying out for help (gangs, teen pregnancies, suicides, unfocused futures, virtual overwhelm, unconnected relationships, isolation) and it is time we participate to answer that cry."

A recent survey concludes that half of the boomers surveyed plan to volunteer after retirement because they have passion for a cause and want to help the community. Roughly 78 million Americans were born between 1946 and 1964, the bookends of the boomer generation.

"I think this is the generation that harnessed its own power early on, whether it was around civil rights, women's equality, the war or other issues," says Sheila Bugdanowitz, president and CEO of the Rose Foundation.

One of StrengthBank Inc.'s most popular programs is a unique high school curriculum that includes mentoring from business volunteers, many of whom are baby boomers.

"I take great joy in creating and implementing this unique curriculum for high schools as an elective class or in advisory periods. The mentoring from business volunteers used is particularly meaningful for a baby boomer demographic stereotyped often as hippies, war protesters, draft dodgers, rebels and flower children," says Shelton. "It is time to show a heart for making a constructive difference by mentoring-up tomorrow's workforce. We now know that daycare instead of momcare, latch key instead parental chat and two-career families have led to problems with the integrity of the family unit. It is time we helped our kids and grandkids become more relationally sound than we have been."

StrengthBank(R) mentors help each teen finds a positive focus for each one's 'bank of strengths.'

"When you see a young person's face change the first time you as a mentor states this truth, your heart will be changed forever," says Shelton.

Corporate wins are connected to the high school advisory period
As an international corporate speaker, Shelton continues to urge companies to join in and commit to mentoring high school kids.

Shelton explains: "The high school, group mentoring is not about how high is your score or class rank; it is about how clear is your hope for the future. When the present is connected to a focused future, test scores and high school engagement improve. Kids with hope don't shoot each other; they support each other in the small groups, are not in search of an identity like a gang, not susceptible to bullying, and are ready to work productively in workplace teams. I regularly get in front of community and business audiences to challenge my generation and the generations that now join us in the world of work to step up to the mentoring plate. Exciting and encouraging are not big enough words to describe the results of the effort."

Businesses participating in the most recent event:
FedEx Kinko's #0207 Scott - Skillman, Garland, Tx
Texas Rangers Baseball Club - Jenny Martin and Breon Dennis
Chickfil-a - #01474 Jim and Melody - North Garland Crossing, Garland, Tx
Cici's Pizza - Marvin - Lavon Dr.#300 - Garland, Tx
Chili's - Mike Ingle - Firewheel - Garland, Tx
Edible Arrangements - Judy Posner - Wylie, Tx
Character Coalition Network - Gloria Mansfield, Arlington, Texas
Starbucks - Kathy - 2645 Arapaho Rd # 125, Garland, Texas
Standard Coffee Service - Amy Leeds
Arby's - Shanda - 1902 Northwest Hwy, Garland, Tx
Selmore Haines - The Fellowship Church - Garland, Tx
Grandy's - 145 N Garland Ave - Dwight Owens - Garland, Tx

About StrengthBank, Inc.

Non-profit that offers a professional growth curriculum for business volunteers that effectively equips today's workforce to mentor tomorrow's, i.e., mentor teens to find the sure, positive focus for each one's bank of strengths. StrengthBank(R) Talk Groups during advisory periods twice a month follow the curriculum StrengthBank(R) for High Schools - A Relationship Skills Initiative.

StrengthBank(R) participants understand:
The CSR bone is connected to the community involvement bone.
The community involvement bone is connected to the CSR bone.
The CSR bone is connected to the bottomline bone.
Now hear the word from Hands UP/Hands DOWN StrengthBank(R) Mentoring.

We are ready to bring StrengthBank(R) to a community that wishes to support and participate with its local high school. Call 817 230 4523!

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