Day of Caring Volunteers Paint for a Cause

Day-of-Caring-1The University of Phoenix volunteer team helped PCACS get ready for a new tenant as part of the 2012 United Way Day of Caring.

The group painted the area, formerly occupied by the Head Start program, in anticipation of Dayspring Center moving into the building. Dayspring aims to help women facing challenges through a life skill-building program.

The new paint laid the groundwork for additional improvements that will be done in order for the space to best fit the organization’s needs.

“They will be adding a kitchenette and shower. The improvements are a benefit to us as well,” said Bruce Lindner, executive director of PCACS.

“The Day of Caring work helped us prepare the space for Dayspring and provide as smooth a transition as possible as we welcome this new initiative and its staff to our building.”

University of Phoenix Indiana Campuses Director Jennifer Khadivar said this is the team’s second Day of Caring experience.

“University of Phoenix is dedicated to being a positive force providing educational opportunities and giving to the community here in Northwest Indiana,” she said.

“Our students and employees are members of this community, and we are proud to join with the United Way through projects like the Day of Caring. By strengthening the community through service and the educational opportunities that the university can provide, I believe that we can build a stronger Northwest Indiana that will benefit everyone who lives here.”

Khadivar understands how the projects completed during the Day of Caring events help region not-for-profits that may not have the resources to do the work themselves.

“We are fortunate to live in such a volunteer-centric community and that fact is proven at the annual Day of Caring,” Bruce said.

“We are consistently able to mark items off our to-do list that may have remained undone without the generosity of our Day of Caring volunteers.”

Besides Khadivar, the University of Phoenix volunteers included: Darrell Lashley, Jason Taylor, Amanda Sloas, Greg Prohl, Melissa Pallott, Nikki Messer, Jared Moss, Patillia Sawyer, Angie Dellumo and Rich Sapper.