United Way of Dane County will kick off its 2017 Seasons of Caring at the Madison Mallards Duck Pond tomorrow, announcing a new and innovative approach to its traditional fundraising campaign.
“As the board, volunteers, staff and I did engagement all across the community and tied together community aspirations, data, and plans, we came to understand that if there could be more understanding around the change we’re trying to make together, and clearer ways for people to engage that make a difference, then hopefully we will be able to accelerate change,” United Way CEO Renee Moe tells Madison365. “That’s why we’re evolving our days of caring model to a seasons of caring – that means more education around what people want to see changed all year, with proof of what’s working and what isn’t, with different ways to plug in and give, advocate and volunteer all year. United Way exists as a way for the community to come together and focus on – and make progress on – our most challenging issues. Right now, that means poverty and racial equity.”
Moe says that over the coming months and years, she hopes there’ll be a more cohesive community narrative about what we want to get done together, and that there will be more efficient and effective ways for people from all across the county to be able to collectively engage to make change.
“That means year-round, helping youth, faith communities, business, retirees and others who want to be informed, get engaged and take action,” Moe says. “It also means continued and stronger partnering with community and neighborhood groups, grassroots and grassroots problem solvers, government and non-profits to be able to help effect change.
“Through philanthropy, volunteers, capacity building, and advocacy, we aim to strengthen the nonprofit sector, invest directly in communities where leaders are making change happen every day, and help the larger community understand that it takes each and every one of us together to make our community a place where all can succeed in school, work and life,” Moe adds.
This will all kick off with Tuesday’s Seasons of Caring: Community Kickoff event at Warner Park. For years, the event was called United Way “Days of Caring,” but this year it has been renamed “Seasons of Caring.”
“We’re really trying to engage the community year-round. It’s not just three days anymore. We have projects that are cropping up throughout the entire calendar year,” Molly Meister, director of Media & Community Engagement United Way of Dane County, tells Madison365. “Instead of having volunteer projects happening on the side that day and showing up for the party, we will actually be having volunteer projects on site at the Duck Pond. We had 500 volunteer slots and they filled up immediately, so we have people on the wait list right now to be part of those volunteer projects.”
Those various volunteer projects include:
– labeling canned food for Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin
– labeling bags for Second Harvest Foodbank
– labeling medication disposal bags
– decorating Meals on Wheels bags
United Way’s goal is for the event is to be the largest-ever volunteer project in Dane County, bringing together more than 500 people to volunteer in one place, at one time. At the kickoff event, Moe and the 2017 Campaign Chair Bob Trunzo, CUNA Mutual Group’s president and CEO, will announce a commitment to change more lives in 2017 and beyond in the areas of education, income and health.
“There will be lawn games, hula hoops, thousands of temporary tattoos printed, coloring. This will be a very kid-friendly event. Food will be served the whole time,” Meister says. “We have a new time this year and we think it will be more family-friendly and people will be able to come after work and bring their kids rather than trying to get away at lunch.”
Beyond Tuesday’s big kick off event, the United Way is very excited about upcoming events including the Seasons of Caring: Job Readiness Fair on Thursday, August 24 at the Village on Park.
“It’s something we’ve done for the past few years where we have interview experts, people giving financial advice, and people who will be able to help those who are trying to get into the workforce and a leg up,” Meister says. “We still have a lot of volunteer spots available for that event if people are interested.”
This week, The United Way will also be hosting “Seasons of Caring: Middleton Mentoring Picnic” on Friday, August 25 at Lakeview Park, 6300 Mendota Ave., where about 80 local kids will be spending the day with a mentor from the Middleton area. “A bunch of Middleton-area companies and employees will be matched with youth from the Middleton community,” Meister says. “Kids will be spending the day with those mentors and hanging out with them and going fishing, playing basketball, doing arts and crafts. It’s a really cool way for a kid to meet somebody new and talk with a mentor.”
The United Way will also be hosting 11th Annual Back to School Hair Cutz on Sunday, August 27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Barbers from several local barbershops are coming together to provide school-age children with free hair cuts before they go back to school.
“This is an event to really get people pumped up about this year’s campaign and talk about our call to action which is really to give, advocate, or volunteer,” Meister says. “We’re really not focused on a dollar amount as much as we are getting people engaged. Even if people don’t have the money to donate, there are other ways you can help out. Volunteering a couple hours a week can make a huge, huge difference.”
It will all kick off with the 2017 Seasons of Caring at the Madison Mallards Duck Pond tomorrow. Moe says that she is excited about the more than 900 people coming to help the community launch seasons of caring.
“In the next couple of months we want to engage even more businesses and individuals, and engage anyone who wants to help so we can invest in more grassroots leaders and organizations and non-profits and others who are rolling up their sleeves to create change across the whole community,” she says. “This fall’s fundraising campaign is an investment in next year’s non-profit and community change budgets, and we not only need people’s dollars, but just as important, their hearts and minds and hands.”
