Known as the "national day of doing good,"
Make a Difference Day is a national effort designed to mobilize citizens in communities across the country in volunteer service. Make a Difference Day is cosponsored by
USA Weekend Magazine and the Points of Light Foundation with the support of Paul Newman and Newman's Own, in collaboration with celebrities, government, nonprofits and businesses.
For Make a Difference Day 2008 Serve DC awarded three grants to support projects that engaged persons with disabilities. During the day 370 individuals volunteered over 1,900 hours to “make a difference” in the District of Columbia.
Heads Up engaged 59 volunteers at James G. Birney Elementary School in a campus beautification project that included painting the hallways, cleaning and organizing a storage room, painting murals in the cafeteria and planting flowers. The
DC Department on Disability Services engaged 33 volunteers at Christian Communities Group Homes in painting rooms, landscaping and decorating flower pots for residents.
City Year Washington, DC engaged 278 volunteers in beautification projects at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD). Volunteers participated in painting and landscaping projects in addition to a several other campus improvement projects.
