Caring for Our Community
Caring for Our Community
Y-Town’s area teenagers plan to make a difference this April 25, 2009, known as Global Youth Service Day.
The United Way has partnered with Hands On Volunteer Network of the Valley this year to provide an opportunity for area youth groups to put their communities first.
The United Way Youth Service Day of Caring sponsored by Farmers National Bank is an annual community service project where groups of area high school students, scout troops, church youth groups and the like take on tasks, odd jobs and anything else that might need taken care of to help area nonprofit agencies.
If it needs done, these kids are willing to take on the task be it cleaning, painting, weeding, and everything in between including stuffing envelopes in an office setting to making and serving meals to the needy at area shelters.
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The registration form is written so groups can volunteer for areas they feel most comfortable with including – Fix-Up (indoor or outdoor cleaning or painting, landscaping, moving and window washing); Administrative (bulk mailings, computer help or assembly of printed material); Food/Clothing (meal prep and serving, food packaging and storing or clothing sorting and organizing) and Person-to-Person (arts and crafts or activities for children, teens or the elderly).
The non-profit agencies these groups help get their services from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. meaning much can be accomplished.
The United Way established this program in an effort to expose the youth of the Mahoning Valley to the importance of volunteering.
In doing so, these teens help the area United Way agencies complete needed projects.
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In the process, not only do the students gain a respect for what the United Way tries to accomplish, but by working within their own groups and with others, the children get to experience the fact that working together they indeed can make a difference in their community.
And though the tasks taken on can be labor-intensive, the students also realize hard work can be satisfying, especially when one steps back and sees what’s been accomplished.
Though the deadline to register your group in order to participate this year was April 1, visit the Youth Day of Caring website at www.ymvunitedway.org and find out how your group can participate next year.
And come Saturday, April 25, if you happen to see a group of kids doing some good, give a shout-out and let them know it’s appreciated!
Contact information:
Debbie Oliver
United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley
255 Watt Street
Youngstown, OH 44505
Phone: 330-746-8494 Fax: 330-746-4525
E-mail: doliver@ymvunitedway.org
Website: www.ymvunitedway.org