Live United on Day of Caring
Help Still Needed for Volunteer Projects

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United Way Asks Community to Live United On 19^th Annual Day of Caring

United Way is inviting the community to Live United as a brigade of volunteers hits the streets on Thursday, September 11 for what will be one of the largest, single-day volunteer events in our community this year – the 19^th Annual Day of Caring on Thursday, September 11.

This year, the United Way’s Volunteer Center, the Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) and ACE Hardware had almost 50 projects to choose from. Last year, more than 250 volunteers took a day off from work to help area agencies complete approximately 24 different projects. This year, with the community’s help, more than 350 volunteers may work on almost twice as many projects.

“We want to do them all,” said Dr. John Hayes, director of United Way’s 2-1-1 call center and Building Stable Lives initiative, “but at this time we only have enough volunteers for 37 of the projects. We’re still looking for volunteers for the remaining 12 projects. However,” he added, “we’re still doing more projects and providing more volunteers this year than we have in several years, which is really exciting.”

This year’s projects range from mulching wine berries at Crabtree Farms to painting at Orange Grove Center. Every year the Volunteer Center selects one project to highlight. This year’s project will be working on the Building Stable Lives’ East Lake Center and installing a new Wonder Walk at the park near the center. The members of the Corporate Volunteer Council help fill many of the volunteer positions on these projects. Just a few of the many companies that will let their staff step away from their desks to volunteer are: ACE Hardware, First Tennessee Bank, Cigna, Tennessee Horizon, CBL & Associates, TVA, T-Mobile, Chattanooga Gas Co., AT&T, UPS Freight, McKee Foods and Azkon Noble Chemicals.

“Tennessee is the Volunteer State, but Chattanooga is its heart. That is shown by the willingness of the community volunteers to come out on our Day of Caring and show a wonderful spirit of giving to help others,” said Anne Holt, CVC Chairwoman. “Whether it’s painting, gardening, weeding, cleaning, building, whatever the need, they are there, and this year is no exception. With the strong turnout this year, we shall have completed another successful day. Day of Caring just gets better and better.”

ACE Hardware, the Day of Caring Sponsor, not only helps by volunteering, but also by donating five cents of every dollar collected during their Labor Day weekend sale. The money goes to help cover the costs of supplies needed for these projects.

According to Dr. Hayes, eight of the projects that remain unfilled need volunteers with construction, repair and remodeling experience. There are also still a few projects that need volunteers like the rest of us – just your average weekend warriors willing to help out. Everyone who volunteers on the day of caring will receive a new “Live United” t-shirt to wear. Volunteers can enroll through Wednesday, September 10 – just call Dr. John Hayes at 423-752-0356 for more information.

One hundred percent (100%) of contributions to United Way of Greater Chattanooga helps make a real difference in our community – Chattanooga, Marion County, North Georgia and Northeast Alabama – by creating lasting change and producing results. Whether it’s advancing the common good through education, economic stability or supporting the most vulnerable, United Way works to make this community the best at helping everyone achieve their potential.

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