Thank you for hosting a Project Site for the annual Day of Caring! Below is a checklist to ensure your team and volunteers have a meaningful and fun day!
AFTER REGISTRATION
☐ Optional: Order Day of Caring Project Site yard sign
☐ If ordered, pick up Day of Caring Project Site yard sign
☐ Ask your agency’s leadership to stop by and say hello to volunteers!
☐ Notify your agency staff and / or Board of Directors about Day of Caring
☐ Inventory project supplies and order what will be needed
☐ Plan your volunteer gratitude (thank you email, giveaways, etc.)
☐ If providing lunch, begin coordinating
WEEK BEFORE EVENT
☐ United Way staff email introduces individual volunteers and / or volunteer team captain(s)
☐ Contact volunteers with any day-of logistics
they will need to know such as parking, lunch (if
applicable), what to wear, items to
bring, etc.
☐ Follow up with agency’s leadership to stop by and say hello to volunteers!
☐ Prepare opening remarks about your agency for volunteer orientation
☐ In providing lunch, finalize plans and relay information to volunteers
WEEK OF EVENT
☐ Send reminder to your agency staff and / or Board of Directors about the Day of Caring
☐ Check in with volunteers
☐ Stage project tools and resources for Day of Caring use
☐ Have volunteer gratitude email and / or items staged and ready for distribution
☐ Hang any necessary signage
DAY OF EVENT
☐ If able, join a United Way Volunteer Breakfast Rally
☐ Set up your volunteer check-in area and ensure
that a waiver has been completed by every
volunteer—print extra waivers to
have available
☐ Set up water and, if provided, snacks for volunteers
☐ Greet volunteers warmly! Have agency staff or
Board of Directors greet each volunteer as they
arrive—a warm welcome helps set a
positive tone for the day
☐ Host a project orientation, including items such as…
o Your organization’s gratitude for the time and skills volunteers are providing
o Description of the work your organization does and the impact the volunteers are helping foster during the Day of Caring
o The community-wide effort they are a part of in partnership with the United Way
o A run-down of what to expect that day in terms of timeline and projects
o Group stretches to get everyone limber
o Identify the ‘point-people’ that volunteers can go to for questions throughout the day
o Point out amenities such as restrooms and a run-down of what to expect in terms of timeline and projects and assign project tasks
☐ Take photos! Take lots of photos! Email high
quality photos to Development & Engagement
Manager, Julisa Stone-Szpaicher at jstone@unitedwayofcayugacounty.org
☐ Respect Volunteer Time: It’s important to
respect the commitment that volunteers have made—do
not ask them to stay late or return
on another day to finish tasks
AFTER THE EVENT
☐ United Way will send all volunteers a thank
you email with a survey—we recommend sending the
team your own thank you note too!
☐ Share your Day of Caring impact with your
Board of Directors and staff as well as on your social
media channels and website
☐ Send volunteer data to your media team for Annual Report, data summaries, etc.
☐ Save your volunteer list, project
description, process and Volunteer Cayuga login credentials for
next year— Volunteer Cayuga will
save this information as well
Thank you for joining United Way of Cayuga County for the annual Day of Caring! This program grows each year thanks to incredible community partners like you!
Print Checklist: (Add PDF)
NEED MORE SUPPORT?
Visit our FAQs on Volunteer Cayuga Day of Caring page: Click Here
Visit United Way of Cayuga County Day of Caring page: Click Here
Connect with United Way of Cayuga County Staff:
Day of Caring Contact
Julisa Stone-Szpaicher
Development & Engagement Manager
jstone@unitedwayofcayugacounty.org
315.253.9741 x114
Volunteer Cayuga Technical Support
Sarah Sayles
Programs Coordinator
ssayles@unitedwayofcayugacounty.org
315.253.9741 x119
