FINDLAY, OH (July 11, 2023) – Registration opens July 13 for United Way of Hancock County’s Fall Days of Caring. Volunteer teams as well as agencies looking to submit projects for help can register online for the event taking place Sept. 18-20.
During Days of Caring, employees of area corporations and small businesses lend a hand to local organizations. Nonprofits in need of help submit projects, volunteer teams register to help, and the United Way matches up the two groups. In four-hour shifts, the volunteers take on projects such as landscaping, organizing, painting, planning an event, cleaning or construction. Shifts run from 8am-12pm or 12-4pm for each day of the event.
Signup forms for volunteer teams and agencies can be accessed here.
“When volunteers lend a hand to an agency, it not only increases their capacity, but it provides mission support — a morale boost — as well,” said Angela DeBoskey, CEO of United Way of Hancock County. “You may be sprucing up landscaping, for example, and the physical work is so helpful, but by being there you’re also saying to that agency’s leaders, ‘I care about your mission. I care that you work hard each day to make people's lives better. I care about the people you are helping.’ That goes a long way.”
During the larger, weeklong Spring Days of Caring in May this year, about 900 volunteers tackled more than 100 projects, completing 3,600 service hours. This was a value to the community of about $114,500, based on Independent Sector’s national value of a volunteer hour of $31.80. The fall event lasts three days.
Corporate groups are the most common team makeup for Days of Caring, but any group can volunteer, whether it be a classroom of students, a church group or a group of friends. Schools can sign up a teacher-led group of students to reap the benefits of group volunteering or fulfill graduation seal requirements.
There will also be the opportunity to sign up for a Days of Caring team through the United Way, led by a Volunteer Ambassador through our Volunteer Connections program. The mission of Volunteer Connections is "Making a difference by building friendships and serving others." Look for announcements on social media and our website on how to sign up for the team.
“The Volunteer Connections team is a great way to get involved if you’re an individual who may not have a whole team but would like to see what Days of Caring is all about,” said Sarah Mayle, UWHC volunteer director. “Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet people.”
Last year’s Fall Days of Caring volunteer teams represented: Marathon Petroleum Corp., Blanchard Valley Health System, Whirlpool Corp., First National Bank of Pandora, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, City Apparel, the McComb Future Farmers of America Club, Edward Jones, UIS Insurance & Investments, the Hancock County Democrats, and Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD.