Calling All Schools: Jump On This Chance To Win A $1,000 Grant

Participate in the Prudential Global Volunteer Day and help your school win a $1,000 grant. Already, Bradford, Edgemont, Glenfield, Hillside, and Watchung schools all have signed up to perform a volunteer project so that they might each get $1,000.

"I've been doing this for years at my own kids' schools but budgets are tight this year so I've decided to encourage all schools to participate," said Jamil Davis, the project's coordinator in Montclair and also the manager of operations in community resources at Prudential.

The Prudential Global Volunteer Day (GVD) is a volunteer program that helps qualify a school to apply for a $1,000 grant. Last year, two Montclair schools, Hillside and Glenfield, both undertook gardening projects and each school received a $1,000 grant from Prudential.

The eligible dates for participation this year include September 25 and 26, October 2 (which is the actual Global Volunteer Day), October 3, as well as October 9 and 10.

This year, for example, Hillside and Watchung are launching school beautification projects on Oct. 2 while Bradford is doing a mosaic art project on Oct. 2.

Davis cautioned that there are certain criteria that a school must meet:

— The GVD event must be at least two hours long meaning that — although it's called a volunteer "day" — it really doesn't have to be an all-day event.

— At least 20 volunteers from the school must participate.

— At least three Prudential external clients — any non-Prudential employee who owns a Prudential project or who has bought or sold property through Prudential — must be on hand.

— At least two Prudential executives must be on hand too.

Davis said she can help schools meet the criteria, and that interested schools should contact her at mom2b0798@comcast.net.

Sally Coughlin, co-president of the PTA Council in Montclair, said that October 2 "is when Prudential officially tries to have as many Prudential associates, friends, and families volunteer, but we still qualify to apply for the grant by doing a project one weekend before or one weekend after the actual GVD weekend."

She said that kids, friends, and families all can attend. Just pick a project for your school. Coughlin said it might be sprucing up the grounds, getting something cleaned up, or getting something cleaned out. 

"There are many possibilities," she said.

Coughlin pointed out that if someone chooses to do an event inside the school they must check with the principal about the costs of opening the school on the weekend.

This is the 16th year Prudential has held its Global Volunteer Day. Generally, more than 30,000 volunteers in a dozen countries participate, launching numerous projects all around the world.

"I'm going to be riding schools like donkeys to participate in this project," Davis said. "I will try to help schools find the Prudential people so they can qualify."