Day of Caring:

Fostering group volunteerism and learning within our community

Day of Caring is about making a difference with more than just dollars. It's about reminding people of the importance of volunteerism and the need to give back to their community. Through many caring acts of volunteerism, local businesses and social service agencies are encouraged to work together for the betterment of our community.

2nd Annual Day of Caring:

September 21, 2011, in Downtown Kitchener

Day of Caring 2011 has come and gone, but its impact won't soon be forgotten. Our sponsor, Manulife Financial, pulled out all the stops to spread the message about volunteerism by involving over 100 employees in a "Flash Philanthropy" mob that gave away commemorative keychains while marching to the Shriners Oriental Marching Band and dressed in very cool t-shirts that are sure to become a collector's item.

We shared King Street with the Downtown Kitchener BIA and their employee appreciation day, which included local restaurants offering food samples and great music by the Hot Karls band.

Our CEO, Jan Varner, spoke to the crowd of several hundred about the importance of supporting social service needs over the long term, and our 2011 Campaign Chair, James Chmiel, President of Erb and Erb Insurance, encouraged the community to rally together and reach this year's goal of $6 million.

Elsewhere in the community, more than 200 volunteers worked on projects for over 30 different social service organizations that provide much-needed support in our community. Several volunteers were so touched by their Day of Caring experiences that they've decided to make more permanent volunteering arrangements with the agencies they helped.

Don't forget to share your stories and photos from the day! Send them to our Comunications Officer, Meg Lagrotta, at mlagrotta@uwaykw.org, so we can post them here and on our blogs. You can also post your efforts on Facebook or tweet them on Twitter, using hashtag: #dayofcaringkw.

Images of Caring in Action from our 2nd Annual Day of Caring!

Photos by Laurie Lau, Matthew Wong and Teledyne Dalsa

Our first annual Day of Caring:

September 15, 2010, in Downtown Waterloo

After an early morning rally at Waterloo Public Square, 21 teams set off to work on 21 social service agency projects ranging from yard work and deep cleaning to think tank participation and large scale mural painting. All projects made a lasting impression on those involved and some will undoubtedly be admired and enjoyed for years to come.

Day of Caring also played out on the social media stage, as participants tweeted and posted Facebook updates throughout the day. It was amazing to see what people learned about and felt by donating their time and skills to community projects.