FAQs
For more information about PT Day of Service™, check out the frequently asked questions, below. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What is PT Day of Service?
PT Day of Service is exactly what it sounds- a day where members of the physical therapy profession come together to perform acts of service in their community. The inaugural day was held on October 17, 2015 and was a great success, with thousands of PTs, PTAs, students, and others who performed acts of service.
When is PT Day of Service 2016?
PT Day of Service 2016 will be held across the world on October 15, 2016.
What were the results of PT Day of Service in 2015?
Over 3,750 participants and ambassadors signed up and joined together in 2015 to perform community service activities. They ranged from 28 countries and all 50 states (as well as Washington, DC!). Many of the social media posts can be seen in our gallery and statistics from our ambassador survey can be viewed in our infographic.
What service activities do you count as participation? In other words, how do you define “service”?
We view service as any activity that contributes to the betterment of your community. Whether that means you choose to serve in a soup kitchen, clean up a community garden, or work in a pro bono physical therapy clinic, we are happy to include you as a participant.
Whose participation do you count in the grand total?
We encourage you to bring friends, family, and others to serve- the more the better! However, as the day is centered around a professional movement, we will only be counting the total number of participants that are within the physical therapy profession. This includes, but is not limited to, students, PTs, PTAs, teachers, executives, aides, and all who work for PT clinics or corporations.
I'm considering participating in 2016, but what if I have a conflict on the day of service?
That’s okay, we understand that one day does not work for everyone! If your act of service is within one week of the day of service, you can still sign up as a participant and we will count your service towards our grand total. If possible, we still encourage you to post your stories on the day of service.
Do you coordinate all of the service opportunities? Or do ambassadors/participants find one themselves?
While we coordinate the efforts around the day, we do not set up specific service opportunities for all involved. If you want to participate but cannot find a location to serve, contact us and we will do our best to put you in touch with an ambassador in your area and provide ideas for how to start.
Do volunteers need liability protection?
Unfortunately, there are no clear cut answers on whether volunteers need protection for certain types of service activities. If you have any concerns or questions regarding the legality or safety of your services, we encourage you to contact your insurance provider or the organization for which you plan to volunteer.
I would love to be an ambassador, but what exactly does that mean?
Ambassadors are our grassroots organizers - they are tasked with organizing the service activity within their community/organization. Each ambassador is provided with a toolkit of resources to get up and running, is asked to help promote the day, and must report the outcomes of their service after their activity is completed.
What does it mean to be a 2016 sponsor?
Sponsors were organizations (ie Universities, clinics, corporations, etc) that support PTDOS. Each sponsor fulfilled three main requirements:
- Promote and participate in PTDOS;
- Identify at least one ambassador within their organization
- Donate at a sponsorship tier of platinum, gold, silver, or bronze.
Where does the money donated go?
Donations for 2016 are being managed by Move Together, a 501(c)3 non-profit. The efforts of the team have been 100% volunteered. In 2016, we have chosen three sustainability focused initiatives that will receive the proceeds of PT Day of Service. To learn more about those initiatives, please stay tuned on our blog and social media.
From the beginning, it has been very important to our core team that PTDOS was run with a mindset of quality, effectiveness, and sustainability. We take every step to ensure that our contributors and participants have a safe and successful experience. 100% of the funds raised will go towards covering our costs and proceeds will be directly provided to the aforementioned initiatives. For more information on our current and prospective costs, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Are donations tax deductible?
As Move Together is a non-profit organization, all of your donations are tax deductible. All donations over $250 will receive a receipt from Move Together.
I see the symbol "TM" next to PT Day of Service on your website. What does that mean?
The PT Day of Service team has decided to trademark the day as a way of ensuring the day's original purpose remains intact- to promote servant leadership across the globe. If you would like to use the phrase "PT Day of Service" in a way that we have no already specified, please contact us.
Who is behind the day of service?
PT Day of Service is put together by a cohort of PT professionals who are passionate about service. Their time and efforts are 100% volunteered.