For years, United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Day of Caring has brought local businesses, volunteers, and nonprofits together for a day of hands-on service. It’s a longstanding United Way tradition that gives people the opportunity to step away from their desks, roll up their sleeves, and make a tangible difference in the community.
This year’s Day of Caring was especially meaningful as it was held on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and which is also the National Day of Service and Remembrance.
More than 100 volunteers from local companies and organizations came together to support nine local nonprofits, completing a variety of projects designed to help each organization continue serving our community. From landscaping, painting, and harvesting to organizing, cleaning, and tackling special projects, volunteers put their time and talents to work wherever they were needed most.
The connection between Day of Caring and September 11 made this year’s event an especially powerful opportunity to reflect on the importance of community and service.
Our Day of Caring was also registered with 9/11 Day, a national organization that works to transform September 11 into a day of unity and service. This year, 9/11 Day challenged people across the country to come together to complete 1 million good deeds on September 11. Our volunteers were proud to be part of that effort.
While the projects may have looked different from one nonprofit to the next, the purpose was the same: show up, lend a hand, and make our community a little stronger.
Day of Caring demonstrates what can happen when businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers come together around a shared purpose. A few hours of volunteer time can make a meaningful difference for a nonprofit, while giving employees an opportunity to connect with their colleagues, learn more about organizations in their community, and experience the impact of service firsthand.
A successful Day of Caring takes many hands, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s event possible.
Thank you to our generous sponsors: BayCoast Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank, and Morgan Advance Materials
Thank you to the companies and organizations whose employees volunteered their time: Acushnet Company, Alera Group, Alltrust Credit Union, BankFive, Bristol Country Savings Bank, Child & Family Services Aspire Program, Dartmouth Mall, LifeStream, Meeting Street, Morgan Advanced Materials, Premier Foods, re:fab, Rockland Trust, TFed, Why Not A Pear and a group of friends aptly named the Electric Women.
Check out the photos from Day of Caring on our Facebook.
And thank you to the nine nonprofit organizations that welcomed our volunteers and provided meaningful opportunities to serve:
Buttonwood Park Zoo, CEDC, LifeStream, Marion Institute, Operation Clean Sweep, Our Sisters' School. PACE, Sharing the Harvest/Dartmouth YMCA, Youth Opportunities Unlimited.
Your partnership and commitment to service are what make Day of Caring possible year after year.
We’re grateful to everyone who spent September 11 doing what our community does best - coming together to care, to serve, and to make a difference.
To find a volunteer opportunity for you, visit www.volunteersouthcoast.org.
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