United Way of Northwest Indiana's Day of Caring is the single largest day of volunteerism in the Region. This year will be the 19th annual event and bring together businesses, civic organizations, and residents to serve in their community. The big day will be on Friday, August 5 and incorporate nonprofit projects throughout Northwest Indiana. Volunteers can choose from over 90 projects serving over 50 nonprofits. It is a great way to get things done to make a large impact on our community.
“One of the major benefits is that it helps nonprofits serve more effectively,” said United Way Volunteer & Event Manager Anne-Marie Williams. “They have more projects than they can do, and having volunteers help clean up, fix, and make things aesthetically pleasing, helps them know we care about them and the work they are doing. “
Volunteers are needed throughout the Region to make a difference on August 5. There are projects in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Newton, and Jasper counties. Some of the projects include cleaning up empty lots and mulching playgrounds, which in turn makes the community a better place to live. For the people that volunteer, it's an opportunity to give back in the places where they live, do something selfless, and connect with nonprofits they didn't even know existed.
If you’re looking for a way to give back, it's very easy to sign up. Registration is now open at nwivolunteer.org. Right on the front page, there's a yellow bar to click, and you can scroll through all the projects. You can filter them with any criteria such as what county you want to serve in or what type of nonprofit you want to serve at.
You can put together a team or you can serve as an individual. If you are someone with a specialized skill set, there are even opportunities available to you.
“One project is an interior design of a new office space," said Williams. "Others are looking for people to help with marketing and building projects. There's a lot of variety and need to fulfill.”
If you can’t get out and about on August 5, there are also donation drives available as well as volunteer projects throughout the month of August and rest of the year. For more information about how to start volunteering in your community, start here.
