From advancing education initiatives to addressing food insecurity to cleaning up the bay, United Way Suncoast’s 30th annual Week of Caring highlights the power of volunteering across the organization’s five-county footprint.
Staged in conjunction with Global Volunteer Month, Week of Caring officially runs from April 2-9. Nonprofit organizations, including many of United Way Suncoast’s strategic community partners, submit projects requiring hands-on, volunteer efforts. The requests yield thousands of individuals from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties who step up to provide critical support to those who need it most. It’s a need that remains even though the fog of the pandemic has started to the lift.
“The economic impact of the pandemic has not gone away,” said United Way Suncoast CEO Jessica Muroff. “Our data team has shown us on our comprehensive dashboard that 1 in 2 families are rent cost burdened. We’re in the middle of a crisis right now, and we’re working to support families along with our strategic community partners.”
The week kicks off with the return of the annual 5K On the Runway at Tampa International Airport on April 2, and then continues through April 9 with more than 300 volunteers dedicating time and talent to more than 50 projects across the area.
In terms of education, the projects include Jennifer Frances and her Bess the Book Bus continuing its Road to Reading program at Tampa’s Booker T. Washington Elementary on April 4, and Bausch & Lomb employees volunteering at the Alliance for Public Education’s Gradnation event at The Sheraton Brandon on April 8.
In terms of food insecurity, ITW GSE volunteers will work with Feeding Tampa Bay at its Manatee Mega Pantry in Bradenton at 4 p.m. on April 5, City of Clearwater employees will lend a hand at Hope Villages of America at 9 a.m. on April 6, and community volunteers – including United Way USA board member Jake Silvola-Finch – will join the Tampa Bay Rays for a food distribution at our Campbell Park Resource Center in St. Petersburg at 2 p.m. on April 7.
Also taking place on April 7, Carrollwood Day students partnering with Seniors in Service for a bay clean-up effort on the Courtney Campbell Causeway at 9 a.m.
These are just some of the multiple Week of Caring projects. Interested volunteers still have time to sign up for certain projects, but slots are closing fast. Visit volunteersuncoast.org/weekofcaring to learn more.
While United Way Suncoast stages volunteer efforts throughout the year, this week allows us to celebrate people who tackle society’s greatest challenges and build stronger, more vibrant communities through volunteerism and everyday actions. United We Rise, United We Win.