On Tuesday, September 11, volunteers from area businesses and
other organizations will work on Day of Caring projects at
local not-profit agencies, including both members and non-members
of United Way.
The
annual Day of Caring combines service, volunteerism, and community
spirit. It is held on or near the anniversary of the tragic events of
September 11, 2001. The focus is on serving others and building our
community, making it a better place for everyone to live. On this day
a child will be read to, a building will be painted, a cemetery will
be restored, a playground will be cleaned, and an elderly person will
have someone to talk to.
Since
there are organizations that are unable to release their employees to
be volunteers on the Day of Caring, some choose to do a drive instead,
collecting items such as food, baby products, items for nursing homes,
or school supplies which are then donated to the appropriate agencies
or organizations.
The
Day of Caring program includes GROW BROOME, an opportunity for volunteer participation in a project that
provides fresh food to the hungry in Broome
County.
Gold-level sponsors for this year’s Day of Caring are BAE Systems,
Columbian Financial
Group, Giant Food Markets, Endicott Interconnect
Technologies, HealthNow
New York, Lockheed Martin, Target, and Visions Federal Credit Union.
A Silver-level sponsor is IBM. Other organizations are planning to donate materials or professional services.
Day of Caring is a yearly, community-wide volunteer
event coordinated by
United Way
of
Broome
County
. It was first held as a single day on September 11, 2002. It was
planned to commemorate the volunteers and heroes who responded to the
horrific events of September 11, 2001, and to remember the victims who
lost their lives. More than 1,000 volunteers have participated in each
of the five years that it has been held to date.
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