Make A Difference Day

Make A Difference Day is one of the most widely observed national days of helping – a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors in which everyone can participate.

Created by USA Weekend Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event observed on the fourth Saturday of October.

The goal of Make A Difference Day is to inspire and encourage local residents to participate in community service projects. Large or small, as individuals or in groups, one-day or ongoing – the nature of the service isn’t as important as simply giving your time, effort, resources, skills or support to make a difference in the lives of people in your community.

To find a project in your area or to register your project, visit the USA WEEKEND's Make A Difference Day website. The site has tons of helpful information, including an Idea Generator to help you find a project idea to use in your community. After Make A Difference Day, you can enter your community project to be considered for an award.

The KCCVS officers, staff and program members encourage you to be a part of Make A Difference Day, whether on your own, through a local community service agency or project or with us.

Everyone can Make A Difference!

Saturday, Oct. 22

Once again, in honor of Make A Difference Day, the KCCVS sponsored one food drive competition involving our Kentucky AmeriCorps programs and another among Cabinet for Health and Family Services' community based service regions. Collected food was donated to food pantries and emergency feeding centers in the communities where the food was collected.

For the Kentucky AmeriCorps program competition, congratulations goes to the MSUCorps, who collected 23,080 ounces per member! An honorable mention goes to the ATEAM, who collected an impressive 38.97 tons of food, averaging 21,876 ounces per member!

For the DCBS regional competition, congratulations once again goes to The Lakes Service Region, who collected 65.48 ounces per employee. This was their third consecutive year winning the traveling award, meaning they get to keep it!

Congratulations to all who participated and we appreciate all the people that will be fed because of your efforts.

Want to see the breakdowns between programs and regions? Check out the 2011 Final Totals Report.

See pictures on the KCCVS Flickr website.

Food Drive Collection Resources

Food Drive Tips

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Large Poster - A

Large Poster - B

Receptacle Label

Other Groups' Participation is Encouraged

Groups can collect and donate nonperishable food in their community and report the collected amount to KCCVS for recognition. Your group’s name, mailing address and total number of ounces need to be reported to Shannon Ramsey by Oct. 26. Reporting the total ounces helps us determine how many people your efforts actually feed. We would appreciate if you would send pictures of the collected food in as well.

The KCCVS traditionally sponsors a campaign to collect as much non-perishable food as possible as part of its Make A Difference Day observance. Collected food is donated to food pantries and emergency feeding centers in the communities where the food is collected.

KCCVS hosts one food drive competition involving our Kentucky AmeriCorps programs and another among Cabinet for Health and Family Services's community-based service regions.

Not only will the winning* program and region earn bragging rights for a year, but they will receive the special Make A Difference Day Traveling Award, which remains with the winner for one year and travels to reside with each consecutive winner. If a program or region wins the award three consecutive years, it is theirs to keep. The award is presented in the spring at the annual Governor’s Awards for Volunteerism and Service.

*Due to the varying sizes of the programs and regions, the winners are determined by the highest number of ounces of food collected per employee or member. THIS IS A NAMED ANCHOR

2011

MSUCorps, honorable mention to the ATEAM
The Lakes Service Region (third consecutive year!)

2010

ATEAM
The Lakes Service Region

2009

SERV Corps
The Lakes Service Region
Cabinet for Economic Development

2008

MSU Corps (first year of award) and The Learning Corps (retiring an award)
Eastern Mountain Service Region

2007

The Learning Corps
Two Rivers Service Region

2006

The Learning Corps
Two Rivers Service Region

2005

Kentucky River Service Region

Yearly Food Drive Totals

Yearly Food Drive Details

Make A Difference Day 2010 Results

Make A Difference Day 2009 Results

Make A Difference Day 2008 Results

Make A Difference Day 2008 Visual

Make A Difference Day 2008 MSU Corps Projects

Make A Difference Day 2007 Results

Make A Difference Day 2006 Results

*In 2009, there was an additional special competition between the state government cabinets. Governor Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear encouraged all state employees to participate.