PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Mayor's Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service have announced the creation of the Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council.  The Council is designed to increase the impact of employee volunteer engagement in the region through collaboration of businesses and non-profits. 

Business leaders in the region joined to launch the Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council at an event Wednesday evening at Lincoln Financial Field. The event, sponsored by ARAMARK, IBM, and hosted by the Philadelphia Eagles, featured remarks from Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council (GPCVC) Co-Chairs, Diane Melley, Director, IBM Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs and Fred Maahs, Senior Director, Community Investment, Comcast Corporation; a message from Mayor Michael A. Nutter; and a welcome from Joe Banner, President, Philadelphia Eagles. 

"At United Way, we know that lasting change happens through collective action," said Jill Michal, president and CEO, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. "The GPCVC is an embodiment of that belief, demonstrating the commitment of the corporate community to come together to improve the lives of people in our region."

The GPCVC is led by a steering committee, composed of business leaders with established volunteer engagement programs, as well as appointed members from federal, state and local agencies for service, volunteering, and civic engagement. Operational support is provided by United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Mayor's Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service.

"Mayor Michael A. Nutter has deemed Philadelphia the City of Service, and we're committed to making that proclamation a reality," said Catherine C. Wolfgang, Chief Service Officer, Mayor's Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service. "Engagement from the corporate community, through the Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council, is a crucial element of that vision."

During the next five months the GPCVC will be hosting a diverse series of events designed to help corporate representatives get a better sense of the purpose and value of becoming a member. For more detailed information, please visit www.liveunitedsepa.org/volunteer_gpcvc or contact gpcvc@uwsepa.org.

About United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measure the results. United Way is advancing the common good in southeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on education for children, income for families and health for seniors. For more information about United Way, please visit: www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org.

SOURCE United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

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