Adult Volunteers at the United Way of Bay County

Volunteer Resource Center

Community Volunteering

The Volunteer Resource Center (VRC) provides a free service 1-800-volunteer.org, an electronic center for volunteerism throughout Bay County. We help volunteers find opportunities, connect nonprofit organizations with resources and assist businesses with their community involvement efforts.

Thank You!

United Way of Bay County would like to thank the volunteers and on-site coordinators for their help on Saturday, September 12 for Day of Caring. Over 200 volunteers participated on this day by painting, planting and building. Because of their efforts disabled individuals in Bay County gained independence, school children will have an outdoor reading center, and schools have been beautified.

Projects on this day included building ramps and beautifying and building outdoor reading centers at five local elementary schools.

How to use 1-800-volunteer.org for individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations:

For individual volunteers: Use the find a volunteer opportunity search engine to view all volunteer listings.
For businesses: Contact Cindy Miller for more information.
For non profits organization: Click on create an account and follow instructions if your agency is not already listed. When an agency posts their volunteer opportunities on the 1800volunteer.org website, their opportunity will be sent to the Bay City Times for promotion as well.

*If you have any questions, please contact Cindy Miller or 989.893.7508 ext. 19.

Question: What Benefits does 1-800-volunteer.org provide to volunteers?
Answer: 1-800-volunteer.org provides volunteers with a simple yet powerful way to manage their volunteer activities. It provides automated search and e-mail tools (VolunterAlert) to notify volunteers when opportunities and events become available that matches their interests. Using this site, they can express their interest in specific opportunities and maintain their personal calendar for their past and future volunteer activities. Volunteers can also maintain their own Record of Service hours and all that are validated by a participating volunteer.org agency.

FREE Income Tax Preparation

Times are tough for many but United Way of Bay County is here to help. Our trained volunteers can e-file your taxes for free for any low-income, disabled or senior individual with an income level of $43,000 or less household income. Call 893-7508 ext. 17 to volunteer as a tax preparer and help local families. Last year United Way efforts returned over $1 in tax credits & refunds to Bay County.

This program runs February 8-April 15. Call 893-7508 ext. 17 to make your appointment.

Site Locations:
Financial Edge Credit Union – Monday-Thursday from 9:00-3:30pm
Pinconning Library - Tuesdays from 10-2pm
Wirt Library - Mondays 10-3pm and Wednesdays 2-8pm
Bay Valley Christian Church – Mondays and Thursdays from 5-9pm

Volunteer Resource Center Events

November 21 - Family Volunteer Day- United Way Volunteers celebrated National Family Volunteer, on November 21. Over 100 volunteers joined United Way of Bay County from 10 am to noon at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Bay City. The Club is a Partner Agency of United Way and our volunteers worked with youth members and play educational games, read to children, provided school supplies, decorated for the holidays and clean. Volunteers enjoyed pizza, cake and Disney give-aways during this event sponsored by a grant through the Hands On Network.

On September 12, over 200 United Way of Bay County volunteers participated in our Day of Caring. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves to help build ramps for the disabled, built benches for outdoor reading centers, landscaping, and painted.

The wood benches were made for Outdoor Reading Centers and sponsored by Rotary Club of Bay City and the Noon Optimist Club. Schools participating included: Bush Elementary. Auburn Elementary, Cramer Junior High, McAlear-Sawden Elementary, and Bangor Lincoln Elementary.

Back to School Clothing Drive-
An amazing 19.5% of Bay County families with minor children live in poverty and cannot even afford back to school supplies. United Way helped children with brand new back to school clothing and shoes through our Back to School Clothing Drive. Each year, businesses, organizations, and families donate time and money to purchase, package, and deliver the clothing to respond to this need. There were 200 youth served last year through the program. This year, 459 students were helped. Your United Way served 100% of the children who enrolled in the program!

Corporate Volunteering

Corporate Volunteers from Chemical Bank help during United Way's annual Day of Caring.

Do You Have a Corporate Volunteer Program Where You Work?

Facts:

53% of companies agree that employee volunteering provides a way to implement corporate business goals.
85% of companies agree that employee volunteering help create healthier communities.
74% of companies agree that employee volunteering means to improve a companies image
56% of companies strongly agree employee volunteering is a way to help employee morale.

Corporate volunteering provides increased visibility and networking for the companies and its employees. It lays a foundation for stronger more effective marketing and public relations and volunteering can build relationships with customers, elected officials your clients. To learn more about creating a corporate volunteer program in your company, please call United Way’s Volunteer Resource Center, 893.7508.

Related Web Sites:

Points of Light Foundation