Most companies encourage their employees to do volunteer work, just not on company time. But as YNN's Erin Clarke tell us, nearly a dozen people who work for Xerox are being offered a unique volunteer opportunity, one that will help out a local organization and possibly hundreds of local students.

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CENTRAL NEW YORK --Debbie Rosenbaum is leaving her job at Xerox for six months to volunteer with Say Yes to Education Syracuse. She'll create a Corporate Compact, get local companies to agree to fund the organization's scholarship endowment and also provide mentors and internships for Say Yes.

"We're asking these corporations to help fund the tuition for the college kids. We'd like for them to come back to the Syracuse area after they complete their education," said Rosenbaum.

While she's doing that, Xerox is still paying her. She's taking part in the company's Social Service Leave program.

"What I think is very fortunate about Xerox's program is that they offer you the opportunity to take up to a year, but really, it's to work on any project," said Rosenbaum.

She and 10 other Xerox employees from across the country will lend their talents to non-profit organizations, doing things like simplifying business operations to working with at-risk teens. At Say Yes, Rosenbaum is bringing in a fresh perspective, business expertise and new contacts in the community.

"Having someone with the organizational skills and corporate background. A lot of people on the Say Yes to Education have worked primarily in education," said Say Yes to Education Syracuse Director of Development Lisa Moore.

On the other hand, Say Yes to Education employees believe through this partnership, they're raising awareness about the organization's goal.

"We give them a great insight into how these kinds of programs work at the ground level, what the needs are, the kind of work that we do and the infrastructure that needs to be built out to be successful," said Moore.

Debbie heads back to Xerox in December. She and others at Say Yes are hoping that her work will lead to the creation of a permanent scholarship fund that will provide money to Syracuse City School District students for years to come.

For more information about Say Yes to education or to learn how your company can get involved visit www.sayyessyracuse.org or call Lisa Moore at (315)883-5538 or Debbie Rosenbaum at (315) 382-6337.