It’s no surprise that the United Way of Union County relies on a host of volunteers to accomplish their many goals. And this week the organization is recognizing those many individuals who assist the non-profit, with a celebration of National Volunteer Week. National Volunteer Week, held April 23-29, 2017, is an annual celebration observed in many countries, to promote and show appreciation for volunteerism and volunteering.
United Way of Union County is saluting their 20 Board Members, more than 100 dedicated Committee Members, and hundreds of other United Way event volunteers. With just four paid staff members, United Way relies on the service of others to accomplish its mission to bring neighbors and resources together to improve lives. In fact, United Way estimates that 855 volunteers logged over 6,700 volunteer hours, accounting for over $161,000 in free labor last year.
That calculation is figured from the Independent Sector’s latest value of a volunteer hour, currently now at $24.14 – a 2.5 percent increase from last year's value. The figure, estimated from data collected in 2016, shows the incredible contributions volunteers make to communities across the country. The release of this important figure comes as part of the National Volunteer Week.
Currently, 63 million Americans volunteer about 8 billion hours of their time, talent, and effort to improve people's lives and the natural world. With the new value of volunteer time, these Americans are contributing approximately $193 billion to the nation.
United Way of Union County is currently recruiting for a host of volunteer opportunities within the organization.
United Way has four committees on which volunteers serve on a regular basis.
Campaign Committee members ask for monetary gifts, coordinate workplace giving, speak about United Way at
presentations, make phone calls, write letters, prepare mailings, and help with fundraising events.
The Community Investment Committee figures out how to spend donor dollars once they are r
aised. They analyze the needs of the community, review funding requests from our Partner Agencies, tour and interview funded partners, and
make recommendations on how to allocate donor dollars.
The YEAR (Youth, Education, Arts & Recreation) Committee raises and administers funds for the
organization’s unique grant fund that provides financial assistance for youth-focused recreational activities throughout Union County. The group also focuses on
United Way’s early childhood literacy program, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
The Publicity Committee works on grassroots efforts to keep United Way front and center in
the consciousness of Union County, ranging from social media to marketing to community events.
If a particular committee interests you, please contact United Way at (937) 644-8381 and the staff will guide you to the best possible opportunity, based on your interests, abilities, and schedule. If you are looking to get involved at some of the annual events, United Way lists those volunteer opportunities on its website at www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org.
