United Way of Henderson County’s Annual Day of Caring impacts the community

Press release from United Way of Henderson County:

On Friday, September 30th almost 300 community volunteers spent their day working on 39 projects at 31 Henderson County nonprofit agencies and schools as part of United Way of Henderson County’s (UWHC) annual Day of Caring. Projects included cleanup at the Boys and Girls Club, tidying up the grounds at Council on Aging, mulching at Fletcher Park, supporting an apple orchard field trip for children at Helping Hand Development Center, landscaping at the Hendersonville YMCA, sewing for hospice patients at Four Seasons CFL, and many more.

“Henderson County is an incredibly caring community,” said Denise Cumbee Long, Executive Director of United Way of Henderson County. “It is wonderful to see people roll up their sleeves and go to work with a smile to benefit their neighbors. Day of Caring is a great symbol of how United Way impacts our community. Together, we can make a real difference!”

This day would not have been possible without the help of 293 volunteers who donated 1,180 hours to make their local community a better place. Their time and effort equates to a contribution of $27,222.60 and makes a significant impact each year. “I enjoy helping those in my community who are needing a hand, and it is how I can share of my time and talents to help them better their lives,” says Jonathan Temple, Day of Caring annual volunteer. “We learn from each other how to solve and evolve, locally,” he said.

Leaders of local nonprofits praised the event as a time when they are able to stretch resources and benefit from the goodwill of generous volunteers. Elisha Freeman, Executive Director of Children & Family Resource Center, noted, “Day of Caring is a special day in our nonprofit community. Volunteers have helped us with a wide variety of projects ranging from preparing materials we use when working with children to preparations for fundraising events and even some building and grounds projects. The Children & Family Resource Center is thankful for the volunteers who have given their time to serve.”

David White, Executive Director of Western Carolina Community Action agreed. “United Way’s Day of Caring is a great event for building understanding in the community. This year, volunteers from Pardee Hospital cleaned our playground equipment and were also able to learn about the great services happening for at risk children and their families at our early childhood education center.”

Many organizations and individuals benefitted from the work that local volunteers accomplished on Friday. “We want to thank everyone who came out and worked today,” said Long. “I hope our volunteers went home with a good feeling because they have truly made a difference to our community.”