United Way Northwest Indiana to host the annual Day of Caring service event on September 18

United Way Northwest Indiana is gearing up for the annual Day of Caring on Friday, September 18. The volunteer event attracts hundreds from throughout the Region to support local schools, parks, and nonprofit organizations with everything from skilled tasks making use of industry experts to community clean up that anyone can participate in.

“It’s a day of service where anyone who wants to give back to our community can team up with other volunteers to fill the gaps in our community’s needs,” said United Way NWI Communications Director Erika Dahl.

Last year, United Way NWI’s Day of Caring organized more than 800 volunteers to support 83 projects in Northwest Indiana. Dahl and the team are expecting even greater numbers of both volunteers and projects this year, a result of moving the Day of Caring to September as opposed to its traditional early August date.

“We have more than 100 agencies currently signed up, and we’re expecting at least 1,000 volunteers,” said Kristina Fry, vice president of development at United Way NWI. “This year, we have students from Purdue University Northwest, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and Valparaiso University, and that’s greatly increased our participation.”

Day of Caring began as a way to help people in the community looking to volunteer and connect with the organizations that need it most. In the years since its inception, it has continued to grow because of one simple fact: people want to support their communities.

“Everyone has something that they care about,” Fry said. “If you’re passionate about the work domestic violence shelters do, there’s something for you. If you’re looking for something more focused on the environment and preservation, there’s something for you. Everyone has a cause that’s meaningful to them, and tackling a variety of different projects touching on all of the different organizations in our area brings more of our community together for this special day.”

Projects can range from outdoor work supporting clean-up efforts following the derecho to meeting with school children to discuss career opportunities right here in the Region. Anyone who wants to give back to their community, regardless of ability or talent, can find a way to support the Region during Day of Caring.

“We’ve encouraged our agencies to offer some inside work like stuffing envelopes or reading to children for people who might not be able-bodied enough to do gardening or storm clean up,” Dahl said. “There’s a little bit of everything so that everybody can participate.”

In addition to the support the Day of Caring provides to organizations throughout the Region, it also serves as one of United Way NWI’s biggest fundraisers of the year and helps fill its volunteer database for future events. This means even folks who can’t participate on September 18 can still give back to their community.

Chris White, President and CEO of United Way Northwest Indiana states, “Day of Caring is more than completing a project. It gives businesses and individuals an opportunity to meet the people doing the work in our communities and build relationships that can grow well beyond one day. When you volunteer, you open the door to new connections with local organizations and with United Way Northwest Indiana. Those relationships help us better understand the needs in our region and, together, discover new ways to create stronger communities.”

Such a large event wouldn’t be possible without the people behind the scenes helping to plan projects, organize volunteers, and communicate effective instructions. United Way NWI Volunteer Resource Manager Shvonne Barber and the Day of Caring committee, led by Centier Bank’s Ashley Stephan, have worked tirelessly to ensure that this year’s event creates the largest impact it can.

“Our committee has put in hours of planning, organizing, and bringing people together, and that hard work is going to make a real difference across Northwest Indiana. I’m proud of the dedication this team has shown, and I know the impact of their efforts will be felt throughout the communities we serve.” Stephan said.

Volunteers will be able to participate in a welcoming breakfast before heading to their volunteer sites on September 18. They will also receive an event T-shirt to wear while volunteering. Those interested in volunteering their time, money, or talents or who have a project that could benefit from the help of United Way NWI’s volunteers, can share their interest online at www.unitedwaynwi.org/doc or by calling 219-464-3583. Any and all support is greatly appreciated.

“This is my favorite time of the year,” Fry said. “When we get to raise awareness for all of the programs, agencies and organizations in our community, it’s a good day.”

Learn more about United Way Northwest Indiana and the resources it provides at unitedwaynwi.org.