Living United

Interning for the United Way a Valuable, Wide-Ranging Experience

In my third year at the University of Virginia I decided to enroll in the internship program (UIP) for the entirety of my fourth year. I had extra space in my schedule and thought it would be fun to get out of the classroom for ten hours a week and do something a little more practical.

My first day at the United Way was both wonderful and overwhelming. Jessica, my sponsor, showed me my desk and then introduced me to everybody in the office. They were all incredibly nice and excited to meet me and they all wanted to tell me all about what they did. I of course promptly forgot everything that they said and spend the next few months learning everything I could about the office and remembering what they had told me earlier.

At my internship seminar I heard horror stories of other interns’ experiences; they would vacuum for ten hours a week, didn’t have a desk to sit at, or would have to deal with highly erratic sponsors and schedules. At the United Way, however, everybody went out of their way to accommodate my schedule and they did their best to involve me with everything that went on in the office. As the intern I expected to do a lot of the busy work in the office, but people would hesitate to ask me to do certain things; everybody really wanted me to have a valuable experience and not just envelope-stuffing experience. I helped organized a School Supply Drive, participated in the Day of Caring (I have never blown up that many balloons), went to a Board Meeting, did research for Impact Area meetings, worked on the Better Business Challenge to make the office more sustainable, and accompanied people to the radio station.

From January until April, I devoted most of my time to doing taxes through the EITC tax coalition. While taxes might not sound very exciting, I really enjoyed this portion of the internship! It meant I got to interact with clients, problem solve if a return got rejected, and really feel like I was making a difference in the community.

By interning at the United Way, I now have a much better understanding of how organizations, and particularly non-profits, function. I feel a lot more confident that I will be capable of holding an actual job. I gained great work experience and also started really connecting to Charlottesville (the University tends to be a little bit of a bubble at times). It felt great to be a part of an organization that works so hard to improve the community. I know that when I visit Charlottesville in the future, I will definitely drop by the office and say hi to everyone!

Posted by: Ellen Janssen, University of Virginia Class of 2012

A Caring Commitment

Its official: our United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring season has come to a close. On Friday, October 21, more than forty of our neighbors at Hantzmon Wiebel set out to complete five of the projects that were either not completed in September or hadn’t been finished that day.

The folks at the venerable accounting firm are in the middle of a busy season in September and can’t participate during our United Way Day of Caring, so we always appreciate their commitment to participate in October.

Their day kicked off with a few quick speakers and a delicious barbecue lunch in their parking lot. Afterwards, the teams headed out to their project sites and some of the United Way staff ventured out to visit the sites.

 

Kim Connolly and I had the pleasure of visiting the teams at the Ronald McDonald House, Ivy Creek Foundation and Woodbrook Elementary School. The teams were accomplishing huge projects for these nonprofits and schools including demolishing old wells, removing invasive plants, installing patios, and painting furniture. Most importantly, each group of volunteers was smiling and talking about the connections that had been made with the nonprofit or school they were volunteering with.

As we wrap up the United Way Day of Caring season, I can’t help but to reflect on my first year working with this event and the results that I hope came from the projects.

• I hope that at least one of the volunteers will go back to the agency that they worked with on the United Way Day of Caring and volunteer again.
• I hope that all of the volunteers will make a commitment to find ways to volunteer throughout the year by visiting www.BeAVolunteer.info.
• I hope that the nonprofits and schools made some great connections with the volunteers and will invite them back for events, volunteer opportunities or even board membership.
• I hope that other members in the community saw the United Way Day of Caring on the news, read about it on Twitter, saw pictures of it on Facebook and will get involved next year.

I am left feeling so optimistic about the community and the possibilities of the impact this event has and will continue to have on all of us. Now that we’ve wrapped up the projects, I am eager to get to work on next year’s event to make sure that it is more successful, more impactful and more meaningful than ever!

 

Posted by Jessica Snyder, United Way Volunteer Center Director

UVA Employees Can Have a Powerful Local Impact

Starting today, October 3, employees of the University of Virginia, our area’s largest employer, can support their favorite charities through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign.

This workplace giving campaign allows employees to designate a gift to a specific nonprofit organization or several organizations. With more than 12,000 employees, just imagine the impact if each gave $1 a week to an organization! Not all employees do participate, but many of those who do, designate $5, $10, $20 or more per pay period.

The United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area was formed in 1943 by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, and has from our beginning been known for our workplace giving campaigns. This is not a surprise since we were formed by a business owners organization. However, we are just one of 1,300 nonprofit organizations that UVA employees have to choose from in their state-run campaign.

It is our hope that our friends and neighbors at UVA have heard and read about the many ways we have an impact on our local community, and that they realize that every dollar contributed to the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area not only stays here in our local community, but because of our strength, stability and thoughtful leadership, we bring $4 of services to the community for each dollar donated.

We focus on school readiness, self-sufficiency and community health.

In the past year:

• 2,100 volunteered for the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring, providing $280,000 worth of labor to local nonprofits and schools.
• 2,416 children received shoes, clothing, medication and eyeglasses through the Santa Fund.
• 1,500 low-income individuals received free tax help creating $2.6 million in saved fees, tax credits and refunds, to be saved and spent in our local community through our local Earned Income Tax Credit coalition.
• 575 uninsured adults received $2.24 million in needed medications through our prescription assistance program.
• 100 United Way child care scholarships were provided and 96% of those parents maintained their employment.
• Volunteers collected, sorted and distributed over 50,000 lbs of food for local food banks through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, for which we recruit volunteers and provide local marketing.

In short, we hope that University of Virginia employees will scroll down that long list of national, international, regional and local organizations to get to the end of the alphabet at the “U” and use code #3627 to designate the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area to receive their support through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. We promise to use their gifts in a thoughtful, impactful and powerful way to change lives right here in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson Counties.

 

Posted by Caroline Emerson

Reflections on My First United Way Day of Caring

 On January 11, I walked into the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area as the new Volunteer Center Director. In less than ten months, I would have to pull off the 20^th anniversary of the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring. I had big shoes to fill and I was nervous about whether or not I’d be able to meet the expectations.

Planning for the event started early in the spring, but no amount of planning could have prepared me as much as living through the experience. I knew that as much as I prepared and planned, I’d have to see, hear and feel the United Way Day of Caring to really understand it. The experience of that day is something that I will never forget.

I woke up at 2:15am on September 21^st to the sound of my alarm and I got ready for the day, leaving my house at 3:30am to start my hour commute to Charlottesville. Our staff started right away to prep the parking lot for the 500 people we expected that morning.

Hundreds of balloons, two television interviews and one radio interview later, it was time to kick-off the breakfast. The rally flew by with performances by State Farm’s Choir, speakers and great food provided by State Farm.

From the breakfast, we all headed out to visit as many project sites as possible to thank the volunteers. The rest of the day felt like a flash and before I knew it, we were back at the office putting all of our banners and signs back in the basement… and the day was over.

Now, just 256 days after I started and two days after the United Way Day of Caring, I can’t help but reflect on the experience:

This community is amazing! I was really touched by seeing the joy of both the volunteers and the people they worked with.

• The United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area staff members were huge supporters of me in this event and I was floored by how happy they were to wake up so early to make the day a success.
•  I was thrilled by how many United Way board members volunteered their time on projects that day or traveled around to help us thank the volunteers.
• Being overly organized and making tons of to-do lists (yes, I’m an old fashioned pen and paper kind of girl) isn’t always a bad thing! Without my to-do lists, I don’t know if I would have made it through.
• As stressful as the planning process could be at times, I am 100% confident that I have the best job in the entire world.  To be able to plan an event that brings so much value to the nonprofit and public school community and bring so much joy to the volunteers is both humbling and rewarding.

I owe a HUGE thank you to all of our sponsors, my colleagues, our United Way Board members, all of the nonprofits, schools, volunteers, the media and the local community for making the 20^th United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day such a success story and for helping to make my job so rewarding!

 

Posted by Jessica Snyder

United Way Volunteer Center Director

All Hands on Deck for the Day of Caring!

Next Wednesday, September 21, 2011 is the 20th annual United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring. What does that mean?

• 2,100 local volunteers registered to participate
• 242 projects have been registered from 100 agencies and schools in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson counties.
• 152 teams of employees and people from more than 60 local businesses, churches and civic organizations will invest more than 12,600 man-hours in helping our community.
• The investment in the community from this one-day event is approximately $278,000 in addition to hundreds of dollars in donated materials and supplies.
• Nonprofits and schools will have needed projects completed and will be introduced to new people ready to be inspired to become year-round volunteers and supporters of their organizations.

This amazing day starts of with a breakfast rally with about 500 volunteer attending, and then everyone heads out to their respective project sites. As you can imagine, Jessica Snyder, our Volunteer Center director, has been organizing this events for nearly 6 months. Other staff members have helped her here and there, but next week, all of our attention is fully diverted for a couple of days to this massive undertaking.

This year, to celebrate the 20th anniversary, we have added special school supply drive for the materials that local teachers have told us they need n their classrooms. Certain teams have taken this on as their projects, and you are welcome to stop by the volunteers' breakfast rally at Albemarle Square from 7:30 - 8:30 am on the 21st to drop off your donation of any of the items on this list.

Here is the Charlottesville Newsplex story on it

 

The school supply drive projects were already assigned when the earthquake struck Louisa. Teachers in Thomas Jefferson Elementary School have been unable to return to their classrooms to retrieve their supplies - many bought with their own money. So we are making an effort to direct all extra supplies from the drive to them.

If you missed the registration dates for the United Way Day of Caring, email Jessica Snyder at jsnyder@unitedwaytja.org and ask her to get on the contact list for next year. Project and team registrations start in June.

We are looking forward to a great day!

 

Posted by Kim Connolly

When is a Deadline a Deadline?

Nonprofit project and volunteer team registration for the September 21^st United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring opened on June 1^st and a month before that for schools.

Since the first of June, we have had news stories and interviews on TV and radio and have run public services announcements on all three Charlottesville Newsplex stations and on nearly every radio station in Charlottesville encouraging nonprofits to register their projects and for volunteer teams to sign up. Several Constant Contact emails have been sent to everyone who has participated in the past.

Our intern called all the agencies who had not submitted projects a week before the deadline. CVille Calendar sent out a blast to their 7,000 subscribers. SuzySaidCville has posted about project registrations. Announcements have been made at meetings of local nonprofits and on the Chamber of Commerce weekly e-newsletter. And of course, we have done several blog posts about the Day of Caring, as well as had a prominent widget on our United Way home page and on the sidebar of this blog.

Volunteer Center director Jessica Snyder released the project list to all registered teams on Monday, and will be releasing the list of lottery numbers by which teams get to choose their projects next week.

And still…

Her phone is ringing and emails are pouring in from Proscrastinating Pollies (and Pauls) -  nonprofits who had not registered projects by the July 29 deadline and folks wanting to register their volunteer teams. One nonprofit even got phone calls from past volunteers who did not see the organization listed on the released project list asking why they did not have a project listed. What a missed opportunity for that nonprofit!

 The Proscrastinating Pollies say they had not heard anything about it… TV, print, radio, email, phone calls, Twitter, Facebook, website and postings on this blog since the beginning of June – are we missing something?

 

Posted by Kim Connolly

Preparing for Two Fine Days!

We have been in full preparation mode this week getting ready for One Fine Day for the United Way on Monday, July 25 - a Day at Keswick Hall, Club and Estate. Golfers are looking forward to the Keswick-United Way Golf Classic, which includes specialty beer tasting at four of the holes this year, and non-golfers will be enjoying resort activities normally only available to guests of Keswick Hall or members of Keswick Club.

We have been creating signs for our holes sponsors and posters thanking our sponsors and raffle donors, doing last minute team registrations, and so on to make sure the days runs smoothly. We are relieved that the weather report for Monday does not include such oppressive heat as we have today.

In the meantime, our staff continues to help the people walking in the door or calling on the phone seeking help or referrals to local agencies. They will be glad when the boxes, posters, coolers and cases of water and soda are out of the way after the golf tournament.

We will have photographers roaming around on Monday, so we'll be posting photos to make you wish you were there - and to make plans to join us next year. Our friends and event sponsor at NewsRadio 1070 AM WINA, will be broadcasting live from the patios at Keswick Club on Monday morning, so tune in between 6 am to 10am and listen to Morning News with Rick & Jane.

But there is another day that we are preparing for - one that takes about nine months to organize - the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring on September 21. Our Volunteer Center director, Jessica Snyder, disappears into her office each morning to field phone calls and emails from nonprofits and schools with questions about registering their projects, or from businesses wanting to register volunteer teams. We have a new and improved system for registrations this year, but like anything unfamiliar, some folks need some help with the process.

We are in the final push for project registration for nonprofits and school - every year they seem to wait until the last minute to register, causing Jessica to lose a lot of sleep wondering if there will be enough projects for the 2,500 expected volunteers. Last week, we recorded a PSA with our friend Joe Thomas, host of The Joe Thomas in the Morning show on WCHV, 1260 AM and 107.5 FM, where we have a weekly 8:30 Thursday morning guest spot.

 

United way doc psa

 There is still time to sign up for the United Way Day of Caring - just check the link in our sidebar.

 

Posted by Kim connolly

 

A quiet work week…or is it?

It seems that many folks have taken advantage of a Monday holiday to take this week off. Our phone is pretty quiet, and our staff has far less than the usual number of meetings scheduled.

 However…

 Our staff is simply digging in to prepare for:

• Our annual financial audit with the good folks at the Hantzmon Wiebel accounting firm
• One Fine Day for the United Way on July 25th
• The creation of our annual report, and
• The 20^th anniversary of United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring on September 21^st. Jessica Snyder’s phone is the busiest as she fields several phone inquiries a day from nonprofits wanting to register a Day of Caring project or businesses wanting to register a team.

 A summer slowdown? Only on the surface.

 

Posted by Kim Connolly

Calling all Local Nonprofits!

It’s that time of year again!

Although the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring is on September 21, 2011, project registration for nonprofits and schools begins NOW! As of June 13, nonprofits can register their projects online. Registration will remain open until July 29th, but DON'T WAIT! Every year we run in to the same issue - because the event is in September, organizations think they have lots of time before they have to submit a project.

But...with 2,500 volunteers, we need the month of August and most of September to match those volunteers with projects. If the projects are not in our system, they won't be available for  volunteer teams to view. If you have any connection to a local nonprofit or school, please urge them to register their projects as soon as possible.

The United Way Day of Caring is a gift to local nonprofits. They get the opportunity to provide meaningful introductions to their organizations and missions to a group of ready, willing and able volunteers who are eager to help. It is our hope that nonprofits will then follow up with those volunteers after the Day of Caring through thank you notes, newsletters and ongoing volunteer opportunities.

Need a room painted or have some gardening that needs to be done? If you work at a nonprofit or area school, start to brainstorm meaningful projects for volunteers now. Use our Project Development Toolkit to think of needed supplies, number of volunteers needed, etc. Check out our list of ideas for projects if you need help brainstorming.

This is your chance to have volunteers help you complete projects and learn more about your organization - maybe even become longer-term volunteers or advocates for your agency!

Once you’ve planned out your project(s), check out this step-by-step guide on how to register your project using our Volunteer Center website.

  If you have questions or need assistance with the new registration process, email United Way Volunteer Center director Jessica Snyder at jsnyder@unitedwaytja.org or call (434) 972-1705.       

Does your school need volunteers?

Does your school need a playground repainted?  Would you like an athletic field or garden cleaned up?  Do you need volunteers to read to students or help with a large mailing? Does your school need volunteers to paint a mural or design a new newsletter?

 

Here’s your chance to make those ideas a reality! On September 21, over 2,500 volunteers will gather together to make an impact on our community by participating in the 20^th anniversary of the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring. It’s the perfect opportunity to get community members involved in your school!

To help celebrate the 20^th anniversary, we’re asking parents, teachers and school administrators to work together to think of meaningful projects to involve United Way Day of Caring volunteers at your school! Our goal is to reach 100% participation from local schools, meaning each school would submit at least one project.

 There are a few simple ways that you can take to help us reach our goal and to ensure that your school is benefitting from participating in the United Way Day of Caring. If you’re a parent, talk to someone at your child’s school to share project ideas. If you’re a teacher or school administrator, talk to colleagues to brainstorm ideas and select one representative from your school as the contact person for the Day of Caring. If you’re the contact person for your school, fill out the Project Proposal document to submit projects.

Don’t miss out on the chance to have your school participate in the United Way Day of Caring! If you need help thinking of projects, check out the Project Development Toolkit or visit our online gallery of school projects completed in previous years for more ideas.

Project Registration is now open to schools in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Green, Louisa, Nelson and Fluvanna! Registering a project at your school is simple and easy! To learn more, contact Jessica Snyder at (434) 972-1705.

Posted by Jessica Snyder

Welcome New United Way Staff Members in Charlottesville

We have been very fortunate to welcome some new staff members in the past few months, and would like to introduce them to the public.

Melissa Beth Behl joined us in the fall as our Insurance for Children Outreach Worker. Her job is to make parents and referring nonprofit agencies aware of the availability of the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) program for uninsured children. She walks families through the application process. They really appreciate having the personal touch of someone they can meet face to face and call when they have questions.

Melissa has never done press interviews, but when she sat down with NBC29 recently, she was confident and passionate about helping families.

   

Leigha Rae also joined us in the fall as our data assistant.

We have to keep a lot of data here – much of it required by our auditors and the IRS for our many programs. We also need to stay on top of keeping track of our donors so that we can thank them promptly for their support and keep them informed of how their gifts are working to make a positive difference in our community. Leigha has quickly become someone we depend on for her attention to detail and her ability to pitch in where needed.

And finally, Jessica Snyder joined us two weeks ago as our new Volunteer Center director.  Her head must be spinning from all of the meetings various staff members have brought her to as we try to introduce her to the many people and organizations she will be working with in the community. We have also brought her along to sit in on radio and TV interviews and PSA tapings as she will be doing many interviews in her high profile position.

She keeps showing up each day, so we have not scared her off yet! She has already begun work on and promotion of the nominations for the United Way Student Service Awards. After that, she will dive right in to planning the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring.

We are thrilled to have Melissa, Leigha and Jessica as part of our United Way family. If you see them out and about, please introduce yourself and encourage them in the work they do for our community.

 

Posted by Kim Connolly

A Charlottesville Nonprofit's New Years Eve Reflections

It is December 31 and United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area seems to be one of the few local nonprofits that is open this week. We have had people walk in looking for a source of food and many callers needing help with utility bills, health issues, and more.

We have also had people walk in to give us donations, both for the Santa Fund and for the United Way. The staff members who are in this week are using the time to get caught up, clean up and prepare for January initiatives.

January is National Mentoring Month, and we are once again partnering with MichieHamlett Attorneys at Law, NBC29, Monticello Media radio stations, The Daily Progress and the Omni Hotel  for a month-long awareness campaign of the need for mentors and tutors for our at-risk kids. On January 27 we are holding our third annual Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on! volunteer recruitment fair, with 14 local nonprofits that work with kids participating.

January is also the month when people receive their W-2 forms from their employers and start filing their taxes. That means that the Thomas Jefferson Area Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition has been gearing up all month to begin offering free tax preparation services beginning January 12. Beginning next week we are offering employer workshops through the Fluvanna, Greene and Louisa County Chambers of Commerce. We have also been preparing awareness campaigns to alert people about the free tax preparation services.

Although the Santa Fund, our partnership with The Daily Progress and WINA, is associated with Christmas, the funds raised actually help local school kids all year long, AND the fundraising campaign runs through mid-January. All the school systems report increased numbers of kids needing assistance this year.

We are looking forward to a 2011 in which donors continue to be generous so that we are able to provide services that are so demonstrably needed, and also to be able to meet the grant requests from local nonprofit programs that are proven, well-run and effective at meeting health and human service needs.

The new year will still require local nonprofits to run lean budgets and critically assess their programs in terms of effectiveness and local need. Collaborations and partnerships  should be encouraged and boards should be fully engaged in providing expertise and guidance.

Who will receive our United Way Student Service Awards in 2011? What do we have up our sleeve for our fifth annual United Way Nonprofit Awards of Excellence, and who will be recognized for outstanding leadership and business acumen in the nonprofit sector?

And finally, 2011 is the 20^th anniversary of the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring. We’ll have a new leader of our Volunteer Center who we will support, encourage and nurture in this important role, in which the Day of Caring is merely the most visible responsibility.

We look forward to the challenges and anticipate the successes of 2011. With your help, we can continue to strengthen our community.

Wishing all a healthy, stable and encouraging 2011.

 

Posted by Kim Connolly

Shaele Wood, United Way Volunteer Center Director

 Today is a melancholy day for United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area. After nearly 12 years as part of our family, Shaele Wood is moving on to a new professional challenge with the Darden Foundation. While we are happy for Shaele, she has been an integral part of our team for so long, we are having a hard time imagining her not being here.
 


Shaele had two wonderful daughters during her time here. Each spent her first year coming to work with her every day. They are part of our family, too.

Shaele knows that we have her on speed dial for the inevitable questions that will come up. She has spent the last couple of weeks trying to impart 12 years of knowledge onto the various staff members who will carry on her many duties until a new Volunteer Center director is hired and brought up to speed.

We are hoping to find that special person who can singlehandedly run the entire Day of Caring, with 2,500 volunteers from 70 businesses and organizations, plus coordinate with more than 100 nonprofits and schools to offer more than 200 meaningful projects in one day.

Without a hitch on the actual day.

And that is just one facet of the job, albeit the most visible one.

Although I’m normally not at a loss for words, I’m finding it very hard to put into words all Shaele has meant to us AND the entire community. Were we to list Shaele’s many attributes, this post would go on forever, so if you’d like, leave a comment for or about her.

Shaele, we love you and wish you all the best.

 

Posted by: Kim Connolly

Nonprofit Collaboration in Charlottesville

At the recent Center for Nonprofit Excellence National Philanthropy Day luncheon, the keynote speaker, Dr. Paul C. Light, gave a talk entitled “Driving Social Change in a Time of Urgent Threats.” He emphasized the need for nonprofits to collaborate.

Those of us from the United Way were nodding our heads in agreement. "Collaborate” could be our middle name. We have collaborated with our local school systems for years to create awareness of our project to sign up all eligible area children for free FAMIS health insurance.

Our Child Care Scholarship Program collaborates with the social service departments of the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

In the spring, we collaborate with the local letter carrier’s union and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to promote the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive. Because of our strong media partnerships, in 2008 the number of pounds of food collected nearly doubled, and this year we increased collections by thousands of pounds again. Our Volunteer Center made the connection with the Civil Air Patrol which has adopted the food drive as an annual volunteer activity.

We have applied for and received grants on behalf of two local coalitions, enabling us to hire new staff members to coordinate the work of coalition members so that considerable strides have been made for both groups: the Smart Beginnings initiative and the Thomas Jefferson Area EITC Coalition.

The Initiative for Effective Nonprofits is a collaboration of the Wardle Family Foundation and the United Way, working together to provide capacity building grants to local nonprofits so that they can strengthen their business practices.

Our Prescription Assistance program provides a Medication Assistance Worker who works at the Charlottesville Free Clinic and Region Ten Community Services Board every day, signing up individuals without health insurance for free prescriptions from more than 200 pharmaceutical companies.

About to kick off for this year is The Santa Fund, a collaboration between The Daily Progress,  NewsRadio1070 WINA and the United Way. We collect and distribute the funds by working with the school systems in several counties to identify kids with everyday needs like a pair of winter boots, eyeglasses, school supplies and so on.

Women United In Philanthropy was formed in 2004 by the United Way as a way of informing and empowering women to address the needs in our community. Since then, it has taken off, and has awarded nearly $120,000 in grants to local organizations. As a matter of fact, the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation based its Future Fund giving circle on the Women United in Philanthropy's model.

Of course, the Big Kahuna of collaborations is the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring, coordinating 2,500 volunteers from 70+ businesses and organizations with more than 100 nonprofits and schools.

Those are just the formal collaborations we have here at the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area. We have dozens of other everyday collaborations with local nonprofits, businesses and media outlets. It is because of these partnerships, big and small, that we are able to leverage our staff, volunteers and donations to have the biggest impact possible in order to change people’s lives for the better.


Summer Deadlines Pass. Day of Caring Project Registration Extended

Summer's here.  Been here for awhile now, actually.  Some folks are lucky enough to be in and out of the office on vacation.  Others are trying to cram as much into their summer work loads as they can to finish up projects or get a head start on new ones.  With all the busy-ness that is summer…deadlines come and go.  After 11 years in this job, I’ve learned that the July 30 deadline for submitting Day of Caring projects is one that lots of people miss!

First, September 22 just seems so far away that agency staff  have a hard time thinking that far ahead.  Second, it takes time to consider potential projects that really enthusiastic groups of volunteers can tackle in a half-day or full-day.  And third, once you get all those ideas formed, it takes a few minutes to go online to www.dayofcaring.info to register them.

I’ll give you that.  I know it takes time, planning and resources to engage groups of volunteers.  But think of the return on your investment.  You have the opportunity to introduce your agency to a whole new group of people.  They get to meet your staff and your clients.  You get to tell them about your mission and why what you do every day for our community is so important.  You get to know more about your volunteers and their interests and passions and maybe, if you ask them, they’ll come back and volunteer again.  After the Day of Caring, you have a whole new set of ambassadors for your organization.  Not to mention the fact that your files are organized, your closets are cleaned out, your conference room is painted and the bushes are trimmed back.  That’s just an added bonus…getting the work done just tops off this ready-made marketing opportunity!

We appreciate our local media outlets continuing to help get the word out.  Check out my interview with Bo Sykes on Friday’s Community Counts on Newsplex WCAV 19.  And The Daily Progress’s Bryan McKenzie did a great job in The Daily Progress this morning, pointing out my “problem.”  Thanks, guys, for spreading the word.

Don’t delay anymore!  We are looking for approximately 150 MORE projects than we have right now. Get those projects in at www.dayofcaring.info.  Just click the “We Need Volunteers!” link on the homepage.  Volunteer teams will begin selecting projects in less than two weeks.  The sooner you submit your project, the more likely it will be chosen.  Call me at 434.972.1705 with your questions or email me at swood@unitedwaytja.org. 

Day of Caring Registration Deadline Two Weeks Away

In my office, spring comes and goes at a nice pace and then suddenly June hits and I blink and it’s July 16.  Eleven years into this job, I should know that’s bound to happen.  It happens every year.

The United Way Volunteer Center’s signature event, the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring is just shy of two months away.  Our 19th annual Day of Caring is set for Wednesday, September 22, 2010.  Volunteers are lining up, eager to pick their projects for that day. (Well, that’s really just metaphoric.  They’re not really lining up, but they are registering online.)  I receive registrations for more teams every day. To date, almost 100 volunteer TEAMS are registered.  Among others, large and small teams returning from Battelle, UVA, Colonial Auto Center, FEI and some brand new teams from Banana Republic at Barracks Road and Inova Solutions.

Pretty exciting to see so many of our local businesses blowing deadlines right out of the water…just to make sure they don’t miss this massive community event on September 22.  See, those who have participated in the past know that it is ready-made opportunity for their employees to give back through volunteering, be exposed to the needs of our community, build team morale and be a good corporate citizen, among other things.

With 2,500 volunteers ready to paint walls, plant bushes, read to children, play bingo with older adults, walk dogs, build decks, paint murals, address envelopes and clean up streams, WE NEED PROJECTS.  Nonprofit agencies and schools in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson are invited to submit their projects online at www.DayofCaring.info.  No project is too big or too small. Projects of all types are welcome.  Resources are available on our website to help agencies develop projects appropriate for our volunteers, and I am very available to meet with agency staff to do some brainstorming.  Agencies and schools should know that these volunteers are dependable and energetic and it provides an opportunity to showcase agency missions and needs to a new audience, all while getting some work done.

Register before July 30 to make sure that your projects are available to the volunteer team leaders during Project Selection period mid-August. Contact Shaele Wood for more information at 434.972.1705 or swood@unitedwaytja.org.

We greatly appreciate the Charlottesville Newsplex, WINA and Joe Thomas for helping us get the word out about project registration.  Click the links above to hear our radio plugs and view our Newsplex PSA below.

Thank you Day of Caring Volunteers!

With the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring nearly one month behind us, we continue to celebrate the amazing contributions of time and talent provided by volunteers from local businesses on September 23, 2009.

The Charlottesville Newsplex honored all of the Day of Caring teams in this Thank You ad that they ran following the event.

Additionally, this video was created from videos that a team of Day of Caring volunteers captured during the Day.  Enjoy!

Posted by Shaele Wood.

It's Day of Caring Time!

Our office is abuzz this morning as all hands are on deck to prepare for our United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring on Wednesday, when more than 2,300 volunteers will venture out to do good deeds at over 250 projects at nonprofit agencies and schools. 

Check out our new commercial, sponsored by Newsplex, and today's article in The Daily Progress.

Posted by Shaele Wood.

Call for Projects!

We're excited to share the new PSA  that Charlottesville Newsplex created for the 2009 United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring.  Anchor/News Director Jim Hanchett asks nonprofits and schools to contact the Volunteer Center for help in registering or developing projects.  Thank you, Newsplex!

You may have also heard my new PSA with Jay James playing on the Charlottesville Radio Group stations.  Listen here if you haven't heard it.  The message in both of these PSA's is the same: Day of Caring project registration is now open for nonprofits and schools.  It's not just about painting a wall or planting a bush on Wednesday, September 23, 2009.  Day of Caring is about promoting long-term volunteerism in your agency, building partnerships with local businesses and sharing your agency's mission with our community.

Consider the nonprofits where you work, volunteer or those you advocate for and encourage them to register one or more projects.  With nearly 3,000 volunteers expected to sign up, we're looking for approximately 300 projects of all sizes and types.  Go to the Day of Caring website to register your projects or your volunteer team.  Download the Project Development Toolkit if you need project ideas.  Additionally, United Way staff is eager to help you brainstorm.  Call 434.972.1705 or email swood@unitedwaytja.org. 

Posted by Shaele Wood.

United Way’s 2008 Day of Caring a Success for Two AHIP Clients

  On the 2008 United Way Day of Caring, Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP) partnered with volunteers from State Farm Insurance and the UVA School of Architecture to help make repairs at two homes in the City of Charlottesville.  The use of volunteers at AHIP jobs helps cut labor costs so that funds can be used to serve more people in the area.  Employees of State Farm Insurance were able to give a home a “face lift,” with a new roof and fresh coat of paint on the exterior.  Meanwhile, on the other side of town, employees of the UVA School of Architecture helped prep the interior of a home before AHIP would begin more extensive repairs at the residence.  At the end of the day, not only had crucial repairs been made, but the lives of many had been touched by the spirit of service.

Posted by Guest Blogger, Jenifer Klippel, Albemarle Housing Improvement Program

From the volunteer perspective:

A colleague at the U.Va. School of Architecture suggested that for our Day of Caring Project we consider helping a beloved member of the custodial staff who had inherited a house that needed both expensive cosmetic and structural repairs to become livable. I learned that in order to create an official Day of Caring Project we would need an organization to host and sponsor our efforts. All of us were thrilled when Shaele Wood at United Way facilitated AHIP’s partnering with us for this project. Though we were only able to spend half a day volunteering at the site due to our busy academic schedules, it was a fantastic morning in so many ways. AHIP provided the materials and know-how we needed to prep and paint the master bedroom and an upstairs hall closet, and one of our team members brought a lawn mower which he used to spruce up the yard. It was an opportunity for us to know one another as community members rather than simply co-workers, and it was a rare moment when we could give back to someone who is often invisible among us in our daily work. We were all so grateful for the experience and the extra effort put forward by The United Way, AHIP, and the University of Virginia School of Architecture to make our participation possible.

Posted by Guest Blogger, Derry Voysey Wade, U.Va. School of Architecture

With more than 3,000 volunteers expected to register this year, please consider all nonprofit agencies and schools (including child care centers) where you work, volunteer or support and encourage them to register projects.  A Project Development Toolkit is available to help organizations identify needed projects, and United Way staff is eager to help, as well.  Please visit our website or contact Shaele Wood for more information (434-972-1705).