Visit our Day of Caring Page -- United Way of Southwest Michigan kicked off its 2008 Annual Campaign by announcing a $3 million goal and sending over 500 volunteers into the community as part of the annual Day of Caring.

The United Way event, held on September 11, was a day of action, anticipation and reflection. The action came as volunteers worked together to complete 78 volunteer projects in Berrien and Cass counties. There was anticipation of the 2008 United Way campaign that will hopefully raise $3 million to impact the community through non-profit agency programs throughout Southwest Michigan. And, there was reflection, as the group of Day of Caring volunteers and other community members joined together to honor those who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The day was a powerful example of United Way’s efforts to encourage the community to LIVE UNITED. “Our efforts today are an important reminder that we must ALWAYS stand together and take care of each other,” said United Way President Anna Murphy. “No matter what our differences, no matter what adversity we face, we are all people and we must learn to LIVE UNITED.”

The 2008 Campaign

Support of the United Way Campaign is critical this year as tough economic times can pose difficulties for raising money while also increasing the need for services, said 2008 Campaign Chairman Mary Jo Tomasini.

“There is no doubt that the needs in our community are great, and more people than ever before are reaching out for help – many of them for the very first time,” Tomasini said. “And in order for United Way and it’s partners to be there for each one of those people, we must AT THE VERY LEAST maintain our current level of funding.”

Tomasini announced the $3 million fundraising goal discussing both the need in the community and the difficult economic times.

“As you are all painfully aware every time you visit the gas pump or the grocery store, these are not easy times,” Tomasini said. “We’ve been feeling it for awhile now. The economy is one of those ‘circumstances’ I mentioned earlier that affects us all – without discrimination.”

Tomasini said the United Way Campaign Cabinet knows raising $3 million in this year’s campaign could be challenging but the cabinet members are joining together to build and strengthen relationships with businesses throughout the community. The effort has resulted in over 200 businesses and organizations planning on running campaigns or giving a corporate gift this year. Of those businesses, 27 of them are new donors, running first-time campaigns, or returning to run corporate campaigns after years without one.

The 2008 campaign has also gotten an early boost from the commitment by a few companies that started their campaigns early. These early starters have already raised $653,205 which represents 21.8% of the total goal, Tomasini said.

“The efforts of these early starters combined with your volunteer efforts today truly are a great start – not only to another campaign season, but more importantly they signal the beginning of a renewed movement toward positive change that will affect and benefit our entire region,” Tomasini said.

However, the campaign is not limited to companies, said United Way Development Director Sharon Polfus. “Whether you are an individual giver, retired, work for a home-based operation or an area company – this campaign is a community wide effort and we need everyone to participate to be able to meet our goal.”

Day of Caring

On the Day of Caring, companies throughout Berrien County let their employees leave the office and complete projects for non-profit organizations in the community. During the 2008 event 505 community volunteers worked together to complete 77 projects at not-for-profit organizations in Berrien and Cass Counties. This massive volunteer effort had a total of 4,040 hours of free labor valued at $78,820.

“This is a huge undertaking in our community,” said United Way Community Impact Director Joann Schma. “Non-profit organizations are so busy serving their clients that sometimes they simply can’t complete all the projects that need to be done. This day takes a burden from their shoulders and lets them focus on their mission. It also gives volunteers a taste of working with in the non-profit world. They will leave this day knowing that they made a difference in the lives of others.”

This year, non-profit organization made a list of projects they needed to have done and volunteer teams got to pick what they would like to do for the day. Some examples of the projects being tackled by the Day of Caring volunteers are:

• Reading to the YWCA's Preschool children, and helping them with their daily craft(s). The volunteers may also help prepare materials for future craft projects.

• Cleaning up and enhancing a Benton Harbor neighborhood's Community Garden by building raised gardens, planting perennials and grape vines, and general garden clean-up.

• Separating into seven groups and delivering meals to homebound seniors for Senior Nutrition Services.

• Working on the Fort St. Joseph Museum's one-room schoolhouse by cleaning windows, performing general yard work, and completing some painting.

• Helping in the restoration of the 19th century Pears Mill building in Buchanan by disassembling the grain chutes from the former mill for future grain bin construction, and painting and repairing the mill windows.

The companies that participated in this year’s event include: Abonmarche, American Electric Power, Andrews University, Anthony Wayne Scott Services, Berrien County Health Dept., Berrien Teachers Credit Union, Best Buy Store #376, Brand Source, a division of GE Capital Solutions, Chase, Chemical Bank, Competitive Edge, Edgewater Bank, Express-1, First Church of God, Fifth Third Bank, Flagstar Bank, Gast/JUN-AIR - IDEX Health & Science Group, GE Capital Solutions, Greater Niles Community Federal Credit Union, Horizon Bank, Indiana Michigan Power, IPC Print Service, K&M Machine-Fabricating, Inc., Lake Michigan College, Lakeland Health Systems, Michigan Works!, Midwest Energy Cooperative, MSU Extension, Riverwood, Shepherd Caster Corporation, Target 1127, United Federal Credit Union, Vail Rubber Works, and Whirlpool Corporation.

Sponsors for the Day of Caring were AEP, Cook Nuclear Plant, Berrien Community Foundation, Chemical Bank, Consortium for Community Development, Fifth Third Bank, Mid-West Family Broadcasting, Monte Package Company, Schaffer & Layher, Twixwood Nursery, and United Federal Credit Union