News

MEDIA RELEASE 

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

                                                                                                               

Volunteers Ready to Roll Up Their Sleeves For Nonprofits During United Way Day of Action

(Joplin, MO/Pittsburg, KS) – With more than 100 area volunteers ready to lend a hand, United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas is hosting its annual Day of Action — the largest day of volunteer service in the region — on Friday, June 23.

Traditionally held in June on or around the longest day of the year, Day of Action is a coordinated event where United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas collaborates with employees of area businesses to pitch in and help local nonprofit organizations complete various projects.

“Day of Action really showcases the caring power of volunteers in our communities,” said Duane Dreiling, Executive Director of United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas. “By connecting our partner agencies and other area nonprofits to community and corporate volunteers, it helps them make improvements without having to use their own limited resources.”

Volunteers will take on projects at 12 area nonprofits such as landscaping, painting, cleaning, organizing, document scanning, hosting a donation drive for basic necessities or various other needs that often go unmet.

The volunteers will complete approximately 350 hours of service, which is a value to the community of about $11,130, based on the national value of a volunteer hour of $31.80.

Area businesses participating in this year’s United Way Day of Action include Arvest Bank in Joplin and Pittsburg, Blue Buffalo, Central Bank, Commerce Bank in Joplin and Pittsburg, GN Bank Pittsburg, Guaranty Bank, Jones Heritage Realtors, KOAM KFJX Television, Liberty Utilities, Mercy Hospital, Miller’s Professional Imaging, Modine Manufacturing, Pittsburg Chapter of the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors, Pittsburg State University, Southwest Missouri Bank, and Watco.

Many of the volunteers will be out in the community wearing United Way’s Day of Action 2023 t-shirt. The shirts were provided thanks to the generous support of Southwest Missouri Bank and the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors.

To learn more about United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas or Day of Action, call 417-624-0153 in Joplin, 620-231-8140 in Pittsburg or visit www.unitedwaymokan.org/dayofaction.

 

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About United Way of Southwest Missouri & Southeast Kansas
United Way brings people together to build strong communities where everyone thrives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. United Way of Southwest Missouri & Southeast Kansas tackles issues based on local needs. Common focus areas include helping children and youth succeed, improving access to health care, promoting financial stability, and strengthening families. For more information about United Way of Southwest Missouri & Southeast Kansas, visit unitedwaymokan.org.

 

Project Locations for Possible Visual Opportunities
If you would like to visit any of the project locations, contact our offices in Joplin or Pittsburg

SW Missouri Project Locations (Volunteers)

Project

Project Time (approx.)

Boys and Girls Club (Liberty/Guaranty Bank)

Various Landscaping

9:00 am - Noon

CSS Early Learning Center 9 (Mercy/Arvest)

Furniture Assembly

9:00 am - Noon

Children’s Center (Blue Buffalo)

Children’s Haven (Blue Buffalo)

Move Medical Equipment

Yard Work and Clean Vans

9:00 am - Noon

9:00 am - Noon

Lafayette House (Modine/SMB)

Yard Work and Steam Clothes at Second Chances

9:00 am - Noon

Regional Health and Welfare (Central Bank)

Scan and Save Historical Documents

9:00 am - Noon

Ronald McDonald House (Commerce Bank)

Yard and interior work

9:00 am - Noon

 

 

SE Kansas Project Locations (Volunteers)

Project

Project Time (approx.)

Pittsburg Comm. Child Care (KCRAR Pitt Chapter)

Various landscape and beautification work

8:30 am — 10:30 am

Pittsburg Family YMCA (KOAM, Miller’s Professional Imaging, Arvest Bank Pittsburg)

Painting upstairs hallway and cleaning co-ed fitness center

9:00 am – 12:00 pm (approx.)

Safehouse Crisis Center (Pittsburg State University)

Refresh outdoor courtyard and organize storage building

10:00 am – 1:00 pm

The Salvation Army in Pittsburg (Jones Heritage)

Sorting and organizing items in Thrift Store

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Wesley House (Watco)

Move picnic tables, remove fencing

9:00 am - ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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