by Chelsea Nelson
Interactive Communications Director
Each year, United Way of Salt Lake’s Day of Caring gets bigger and better, and 2013 was no exception. Last Thursday, the 21st Annual Day of Caring started off with a bang, despite the risk of rain and storm clouds. Volunteers turned out in large numbers to enjoy a kick-off breakfast and entertainment, and get excited for a day of volunteer work in our community.
This year, United Way of Salt Lake had over 4,200 volunteers participate in 115 service projects all over the Wasatch Front. From reading with kids, to beautification projects, to school clean up, volunteers worked hard (some in pouring rain) to help save our community over $770,000 in labor costs alone. In total, Day of Caring volunteers put in over 20,000 hours of service in one spectacular day!
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Not only did volunteers go out into the community to serve, they also showed up to help with the public project, Stuff the Bus. With hundreds of helping hands, volunteers stuffed 5,000 backpacks with 78,500 different schools supplies, which had been donated over the course of the summer! Backpacks were then distributed to United Way of Salt Lake’s Neighborhood Centers and Community Schools. Because of these backpacks, many kids will now be able to enter the classroom prepared to learn.
United Way of Salt Lake would like to thank all of our companies, partners, and volunteers who made this day of giving back so incredibly successful. It is amazing to see such commitment in our community to volunteer work and to changing the odds for kids and families!
Thank you for LIVING UNITED!
Also, thank you to our staff and Day of Caring committee who worked so hard to make this day a success! All of your hard work is appreciated!
