|
By John J. Monahan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
jmonahan@telegram.com
BOSTON— Gov. Deval L. Patrick yesterday urged as many as 45,000 state employees in executive branch departments to take a day off with pay each month to volunteer at local nonprofit organizations.
The program, which allows those state employees to volunteer one day per month at approved community agencies, tutoring students, helping at parks, working at shelters and food banks or assisting the elderly, is not new.
Last year about 550 state workers took advantage to volunteer. Mr. Patrick expanded the program by executive order in January, and 700 employees have signed up this year.
Mr. Patrick told a group of employees at a volunteer “expo” at the Statehouse yesterday he wants them to get out into the communities and help with real community needs and that they will get paid for their effort. He is planning similar volunteer expos for state workers around the state later this year.
“Looking around, I think you can see quite plainly all the needs. You can see how many of our students need more attention inside and outside classrooms. You can see our shelters and food banks wanting for resources and staff members just to keep up with the needs of people they are trying to help,” the governor said.
“No list of programs or policies we devise on Beacon Hill will succeed the way they should, if we don’t first begin by seeing our shared responsibility in our shared prosperity” by volunteering, Mr. Patrick said.
He assured them their bosses would let them go to work with community programs. “I know some of you may be concerned about getting that time away from work. I want you to know you have my express permission,” the governor told the employees at the expo.
The governor said he will also be taking one day each month to volunteer at Horizons for Homeless Children, an agency where his youngest daughter worked last summer.
“It’s an organization that serves children of homeless families. They make play spaces available to them, preschool, and in some cases they provide routine health care. They have a variety of centers around the commonwealth so it’s an opportunity to do my volunteering in more than just my own backyard,” the governor said. As to what work he will be assigned, Mr. Patrick said, “That’s up to them.”
|
