United Way of Chatham County’s ‘Day of Service’ deemed a success

165 volunteers gather across the county to give back to community

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The United Way of Chatham County hosted its second-ever Day of Service on Wednesday, Sept. 15. The event officially kicked off United Way’s annual fall fundraising season and connected 165 volunteers to community service opportunities in Chatham County.

The Day of Service supported 11 in-person volunteer opportunities, and two donation drop-off sites.

“Thank you to everyone who made the Day of Service a success this year!” said Katie Child’s, the local United Way’s executive director. “This year’s event saw more projects, 50% more volunteers than last year and deeper financial support from wonderful sponsors. Members of this community are continually pouring themselves into Chatham making it such a special place to live and work. It is such a gift to see it all unfold.”

Community service projects for the day included:

• Boys & Girls Club Wren Family Center – facility beautification and playground updates

• Chatham CARES Pharmacy, Smith and Buckner Funeral Home and Siler City Police Department – food drive to benefit West Chatham Food Pantry and drug take back event

• Chatham Education Foundation – book sort and distribution

• CORA Food Pantry – raised bed planting, fruit tree planting and landscaping

• Chatham Habitat for Humanity – community build

• Salvation Army and Galloway Ridge – Angel Tree preparation

• Primrose School of Chapel Hill at Briar Chapel and Communities in Schools – school supply drive for students of Chatham County Schools

• Love Chatham – weekly food distribution preparation and clothing closet organization

• Carolina Meadows and United Way – fall campaign mailing preparation

• Chatham School of Science and Engineering and United Way – assembly of hygiene kits and fall campaign mailing preparation

• Chatham 4-H, which will hold a Saturday project with its student members building garden beds at Union Taylors Community Action Center.

United Way also held an online fundraiser during the Day of Service, encouraging those unable to attend to make a donation with a goal of $1,500. If you’d like to help United Way reach the Day of Service goal, make a donation at www.UnitedWayOfChathamCounty.org/DayOfService.

“It seemed as though this year’s underlying lesson was evolution,” Childs said. “And what an important lesson to learn and apply right now. There were some things we knew would evolve in our second year of this event, like the addition of the digital fundraiser to officially mark the beginning of our fall campaign. However, there was so much that was still changing right up until the day of the event. I am so grateful to our partners and volunteers for being flexible and gracious as we all continue trying to navigate life during a pandemic.”

United Way of Chatham County Day of Service sponsors included Carolina Civilworks, Axis Utility, Sanctuary at Powell Place Apartment Homes, Triangle Community Foundation, Realty World Carolina Properties – Eric Andrews, and Marley’s Hair Design. The Day of Service media sponsor was the Chatham News + Record. A special thank you to North Carolina Ice Cream Catering – Ben & Jerry’s for providing the students and staff at Chatham School of Science and Engineering with ice cream after their entire school participated in the Day of Service.

With a 50% increase in volunteers over last year’s Day of Service, United Way sends many thanks to the following volunteer teams: Triangle Community Foundation; Duke Energy; NC DPS; Diprofio Homes; Edward Jones – Office of Eric Williams; Chatham County Sheriff’s Office; Siler City Police Department; Chatham School of Science and Engineering; Sanctuary at Powell Place Apartment Homes; Chatham County Government; Carolina Meadows and Galloway Ridge.

To view photos from the Day of Service, follow United Way of Chatham County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UnitedWayofChatham. You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter to keep up with what we’re doing in the community at www.UnitedWayOfChathamCounty.org/newsletter.

The United Way of Chatham County funds 23 programs managed by its 16 nonprofit agencies that specialize in the education, financial stability and health of Chatham County residents. For more information on the agencies and programs funded by United Way, volunteer opportunities, or to make a donation, visit www.UnitedWayOfChathamCounty.org.