Which organizations sponsor national “Take to Work” days?

Daughters and sons. Perhaps the most well-known program was the Ms. Foundation for Women's Take Our Daughters to Work® Day, which ran from 1993 until 2002. After almost a decade of success, the Ms. Foundation evolved the program in 2003 by launching Take Our Daughters sand Sons to Work® Day.

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work® Day is an opportunity to broaden the conversation about the competing challenges of work and family, and help create a future in which girls and boys can participate fully in family, work and community. As workplaces across the country gear up for the event each April, they turn to the program's official website, www.DaughtersandSonstoWork.org , for easy-to-follow educational activities, merchandise and tips on how to plan the day.

For specific questions about how to organize a program at your workplace, contact the Ms Foundation at: 1-800-676-7780 or via e-mail at tods@ms.foundation.org.

Dogs. Pet Sitters International (PSI) has sponsored Take Your Dog to Work Day (TYDTWD) each June since 1999. In addition to calling attention to the fact that dogs make wonderful pets, the organization hopes the day shows employers how important pets can be to employees and provides the impetus for them to consider enhancing employee benefits to include some degree of pet care. In addition, it may inspire dog-less coworkers to adopt a pet of their own from local shelters, rescue groups and humane organizations.

PSI helps with planning an event by making materials and instructional guidelines available to employers. For example, employers can go to www.petsit.com to order action packets, which include:

• Frequently asked questions and tips;

• Sample news releases to help spread the word about your company's involvement in the event;

• Employee participation forms;

• Creative ways to celebrate the day;

• Poster dog entry forms; and

• TYDTW Day gifts, such as photo frames, magnets and coasters for employees' desks.

PSI can be contacted at 418 East King Street, King NC 27021; telephone: 336-983-9222.