This week, RBC Royal Bank and RBC FINCO are celebrating Volunteer Week around the globe from April 21-27, 2013.

In honour of this event, RBC has launched the 2013 RBC Day of Service Grant programme, which offers a $1,000 donation to charitable organizations where RBC employees plan and execute volunteer projects April 21-June 14, 2013.

“RBC employees are passionate volunteers,” says Nathaniel Beneby Jr, market head of personal banking in The Bahamas, Cayman and Turks & Caicos.

“Our staff lends their energy and expertise to organizations and initiatives that affect virtually every aspect of our communities. The RBC Day of Service Grant programme gives us the opportunity to further encourage volunteering, while extending financial support to local charities in our communities who desperately need it.”

RBC employees are already signing up to plan projects that span many areas of need. For example, a team of employees from the RBC Bahamas Service Center is volunteering at the Bahamas Infant Stimulation Programme on April 23.

Each Tuesday the home hosts a playtime for children ages 2-5 with Down’s syndrome and autism. RBC volunteers will assist in this activity.

“The organization has very little volunteer support, so our involvement will allow for more personal interaction with each child,” says Kirkwood Pinder, manager, Securities & Lending Compliance Centre, who is coordinating the project.

“RBC volunteers will also be raising funds to donate toys for the children.”

Another team of employees is volunteering at a fundraising event for the Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel, a residential care facility that provides shelter and care for abused children.

The Hostel has their Annual Steak Out and Open House on April 27, and the team of RBC employees will work shifts on that day to ensure the fundraiser is a success.

Another employee group is teaming up with the Disabled Persons’ Organization (DPO) to purchase T-shirts for their members, which will help the DPO leaders more easily identify their members when they participate in group functions.

The RBC employees are presenting the T-shirts to DPO at a luncheon on May 4.

Planning for many other initiatives is also underway with such organizations as Hands For Hunger, REACH (Autism Awareness) and the Bahamas Red Cross.

“We celebrate and thank our employees for all they do to build strong, healthy communities,” says Beneby.

“This is just one of the ways that RBC is giving back.”

In 2012, RBC made community investments of close to $1 million in The Bahamas. Contributions support a range of causes, from health, education and the environment to human services, youth and arts and culture.

Last year, RBC contributed more than $95 million in donations and sponsorships to community events and organizations worldwide.