United Way Northwest Indiana hosts 900+ volunteers for Day of Caring 2026

On the cool morning of Friday, September 18, United Way Northwest Indiana welcomed annual Day of Caring volunteers to the Operating Engineers Local 150 Union Hall. Kicking off the volunteer event with a breakfast spread and visiting sports mascots dropping in to pump up the energy, everyone was eager to get out into the community and do some good.

With breakfast enjoyed and the energy building, Northwest Indiana’s favorite mascots,  Tommy Hawk of the Chicago Blackhawks, Clark the Cub of the Chicago Cubs, and Southpaw of the Chicago White Sox, made their grand entrance, bringing plenty of smiles and excitement to the kickoff. Opening remarks followed from United Way Northwest Indiana President and CEO Chris White, Vice President of Development Kristina Fry, Event Chair Ashley Stephan, and Community Relations Supervisor at Centier Bank, and Mark Lopez, who spoke on behalf of Congressman Mrvan.

In his opening statements, White thanked the Operating Engineers Local 150 for opening the hall to United Way Northwest Indiana and the 300 volunteers who attended to enjoy breakfast, mingle with one another, and pick up their volunteer shirts. While there were 300 in attendance, there were more than 900 volunteers out in the community performing acts of service for organizations, schools, municipalities, and nonprofits, all eager to make the Region a better place through their efforts.

“When the Region needs us, we show up. That is the United way. That is the Region way, and we thank you so much for being here and proving that,” White said.

White then urged the community to continue their efforts, as United Way Northwest Indiana connects those that want to serve with agencies and organizations that have a need, 365 days a year. 

Stephan then took the stage following a warm welcome from White, where she shared her pride in being part of the Day of Caring and touched on the recent severe storms that swept through Indiana.

“We all know the devastation that the recent storms brought to our region. We saw the damage, the disrupted lives, and the sudden hardships,” Stephan said. “But alongside that, we saw something else. We saw neighbors helping neighbors, and we saw a community refusing to be broken.”

An important asset in Day of Caring is leading with what Stephan calls a “servant heart,” a quality valued at Centier Bank and shared with United Way Northwest Indiana. A servant heart is an important quality within volunteers, something each volunteer embodied as they set off to paint, read to community youth, take part in projects, and go where they were called.

Lopez followed Stephan, speaking on behalf of Congressman Mrvan and thanking the crowd for attending and offering their time for noble causes. Lopez stressed the need for neighbors to help neighbors, to lend a hand to nonprofits and organizations seeking to better their communities.

“You help the people who work every day to help others, and ultimately you make it possible for good people to help good people,” Lopez said. “That’s what today is about. It’s about neighbors helping neighbors. It’s about giving your time because you believe your community matters.”

White returned to the stage to close out the program, encouraging volunteers to make memories, and to know that each time they pass the site they work on today in the future, they will know they played a role in bringing that work, or that change, to fruition.

The union hall emptied as everyone split into different directions throughout Northwest Indiana for their respective volunteer sites, each dressed in T-shirts signifying their role as a volunteer. Some of the attendees made their way to the Centier Centre, where they would be packing hygiene kits for A Lovely Start, or handwriting thank-you notes for the American Heart Association.

Stephan was happy to greet volunteers at the Centier Centre, as Centier and United Way Northwest Indiana have been partners for many years. She expressed that with the recent devastations that the storms brought to the community, bringing people together for a greater cause will serve to strengthen connections and a sense of community.

Volunteers mingled and enjoyed snacks provided by Centier as they worked. One group, working with A Lovely Start, aimed to pack at least 100 hygiene bags for students facing instability. The other, handwriting notes for the American Heart Association’s upcoming annual Heart Walk, hoped their efforts would welcome volunteers of all capabilities and bring more back for 2027.

More community members traveled to Crown Point to clear and rebuild an area damaged by the severe weather in August. Volunteers worked side-by-side, tearing down a collapsed yurt, pulling weeds, building a shed for ziplines, and more.

Other groups dispersed to fulfill additional needs in the Region such as continuing to clean up derecho damages, working on non-sew flannel blankets for the Blankets of Hope project, and otherwise attending to the 150+ projects in need of helping hands.

Erika Dahl, Director of Communications for United Way Northwest Indiana, alongside the rest of the team at United Way Northwest Indiana, was incredibly grateful for the turnout. She also echoed CEO Chris White’s hope that more Hoosiers would continue turning out for the annual Day of Caring. A united community is a strong community, and when the Region is in need, the Region responds.

It’s a great day to step away from your normal routine, take the day off, get a group of coworkers or friends together, and give back to the community. If you haven’t been part of it yet, we hope you’ll join us next year,” Dahl said.

To learn more about United Way Northwest Indiana and get involved, visit unitedwaynwi.org.