UNITED WAY SEEKS PROJECTS & VOLUNTEERS FOR DAY OF CARING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Jocelyn Hauer

Director of Engagement

United Way of Washington County, MD

301.739.8200 x 103

jhauer@uwwcmd.org

UNITED WAY SEEKS PROJECTS & VOLUNTEERS FOR DAY OF CARING

Applications are available now through June 30^th

HAGERSTOWN, MD (April 2, 2022) — United Way of Washington County is looking for qualified homeowners and nonprofits that need assistance with basic interior and exterior projects for their 31st Annual Day of Caring to be held on Thursday, September 15^th. The application period to submit project requests as well as express interest in volunteering has begun. It ends by 3:00 pm on Thursday, June 30^th.

The Day of Caring is the single largest 1-day community service effort in Washington County, MD. With the help from local sponsors and businesses, as well as the mobilization of hundreds of local volunteers, our community rallies together to create positive change. United Way facilitates Day of Caring projects that are designed to serve our community's most vulnerable residents including the elderly, disabled, low-income, and military veterans at no cost to them. Many nonprofit organizations are also supported through this event which allows them to continue focusing on serving the needs of Washington County. Day of Caring projects aim to improve the safety, mobility, access, organization, cleanliness, maintenance, and beautification of residential and nonprofit properties. 

Despite modifications related to the pandemic, last year’s event was successful in rallying 817 volunteers to serve on 85 project sites. Though support had not completely rebounded to pre-pandemic numbers, 2021 efforts were substantially more robust than in 2020. Even more projects are expected to be completed this year as interior project requests for residential properties are accepted again (with precautions). With the quantity of requests anticipated to be on the rise, it is increasingly critical to have the right mix of volunteers up for the challenge.

Chris Howlett, the longtime lead volunteer contractor for the Day of Caring (and United Way Board Member) emphasizes the specific need for specialized volunteers this year: “United Way is looking for well-qualified contractors to come out and volunteer with the 2022 Day of Caring event. You or your company can assist in several different ways this year by either helping conduct site inspections or even joining many other volunteers to complete assigned projects. Either way, you will have the opportunity to touch the life of a local resident and/or nonprofit organization in Washington County. Additionally, assistance is needed to help remove project waste following completion. Volunteers for this task must have access to a truck to haul waste from project sites to the Washington County landfill. Passes will be given to helpers for free disposal.”

Eligible residents and nonprofit organizations interested in submitting a project request can do so by visiting: https://bit.ly/DOCProjectRequest. Volunteer team leaders or individual volunteers are invited to submit an application to serve by visiting: https://bit.ly/DOCVolunteerRequest. For assistance in the completion of either application, please email jhauer@uwwcmd.org or call 301-739-8200, extension 103.  More information about the event can be found on the United Way’s Day of Caring page: https://www.unitedwaywashcounty.org/day-caring-2022.

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