Corporate volunteers to give far-reaching support to local organizations on United Way’s Community Care Day

BOSTON – Today more than 1,600 employees from 55 companies are leaving their blackberries unanswered, their to-do lists in the office, and their suits hanging at home in order to participate in United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley’s (United Way) 17th Annual Community Care Day, an effort to educate volunteers about issues facing the community and foster long-term volunteer engagement. Volunteers have become increasingly important as human service organizations try to save money under rising costs of operating and a growing community need.

This year, Massachusetts has seen an increase in financial instability among its residents as costs of food, heating, and other basic needs have risen. The cost of heating oil is up 81 percent. Child poverty is also growing, according to new data from the US Census Bureau which show that 182,000 children in Massachusetts lived in poverty last year, 4,000 more than in 2006.

Volunteers from the 2008 Community Care Day will complete more than 100 projects at the nonprofit agencies that serve these increased needs. “What’s special about Community Care Day is the size and scope of the volunteer effort,” said Michael K. Durkin, president and chief executive officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. “On September 25th, 1,600 people will bring their energy and commitment to the agencies and programs of our region, providing a clear signal, especially in these challenging economic times, that we are all part of one community focused on advancing the common good.”

The projects are taking place in 33 communities throughout Greater Boston, Merrimack Valley, and the South and North Shores including:

• South Shore Day Care Services, where State Street employees will be raking and weather staining the playground area and cleaning the property. State Street will have more than 200 volunteers at 10 different sites for Community Care Day. (79 Coddington Street, Quincy)
• Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, where 50 volunteers from Ernst & Young will help build a “Gateway to Codman Square” in anticipation for the new Commuter Rail station. (240 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester)
• Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, where volunteers from Natixis Global Asset Management will be working on improving the organization’s facillities. Nuestra Communidad Development Corporation has the highest success rate of any mortgage foreclosure counseling program in the city of Boston. (214 Harvard St. Dorchester)
• Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation (ABCDC), where staff from Tufts Health Plan will be painting and landscaping. ABCDC is a leader in mixing housing programming with concepts of asset building. Tufts will have more than 100 volunteers at sites throughout the region on Thursday. (20 Linden Street, Allston)
• ROCA, where volunteers from the Federal Reserve Bank will work alongside Roca work crews. Roca Work Projects are part of a transitional employment program for very high-risk youth and young adults through which they learn the skills to succeed at and maintain work. (101 Park Street, Chelsea)
• Family & Children’s Service of Greater Lynn, where FedEx employees will host a field day on the Lynn Commons. This event is scheduled to run from approximately 2 to 7 pm and includes field games and activities for children of all ages. (111 North Common Street, Lynn)
• YMCA’s Training Inc., where United Way Board Members will be running mock-interviews and job skills activities for participants in YMCA’s Training Inc. program. The team of UW Board members volunteering will include Bob Mahoney, Myra Kraft, Grace Fey, Anna Coulton, Rabbi Bill Hamilton, and Jim Westra. (18 Tremont Street, Suite 400, Boston)
• Community Action, Inc., where Pentucket Bank employees will clear rocks and brush from a nearby forest area and prepare grounds & beds for small children's gardens, helping to link young city children with growing things and the earth. (75 Elm Street Haverhill, MA)
• Haverhill Day Care, where volunteers from Northeast Community Credit Union will help make the playground safe to play on and beautify the front gardens. (367 South Main Street Haverhill, MA.)
• Ruth’s House, where volunteers from Corporate Chefs, Inc. will be sorting and organizing clothing donations. (30 Lafayette Square Haverhill, MA)
• Creative Living, where staff from Citizens Bank will help clean up the area surrounding the Creative Living Home, a place of independent living for adults with severe disabilities. (368 So. Main Street Andover, MA)
• The Wish Project, where volunteers from the offices of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will help sort clothing and home goods and get them on the shelves so that they will be ready for clients to pick them up. The Wish Project provides new and used goods to 70+ social service agencies in the Merrimack Valley. (1A Foundry Street Lowell, MA)
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts; Volunteers from Citizen’s Bank will spend the day at Girl Scout Camp, helping to maintain and beautify the facilities. (265 Beaver St, Waltham)
• Watertown Boys and Girls Club; Tufts Health Plan employees will help spruce up the club. (25 Whites Ave, Watertown)
• Newton Community Service Center; Staff from Proctor & Gamble will help paint, sand and redecorate space for the center’s children. (492 Waltham St, Newton)