Just over a week ago, United Way celebrated its day of action. While reports are still coming in, we want to share some highlights from our Day of Action that took place in more than 250 communities across each of the 50 states.
Target sponsored a United Way event in Washington, DC – to raise awareness about United Way’s goal to recruit one million volunteer readers, tutors and mentors. The event took place on the National Mall where roughly 1,000 people volunteered. They started arriving at 5:30AM and stayed until 2:30PM helping to assemble 50,000 summer reading backpacks for 50,000 young people who might otherwise not have a book to call their own. To catch a glimpse of the National Mall Day of Action check out these links:
Video
More From the Day of Action
Day of Action Photo Album
National Mall Live Blog
Partnerships
Unique partnerships and an E-Day of Action were launched to help raise awareness and recruit volunteer readers, tutors and mentors leading up to and on United Way Day of Action. While many were volunteering on the ground, 500+ individuals pledged online to become readers, tutors or mentors, bringing our total number of pledges to 10,458.
- Department of Education’s ten regional offices in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Kansas City, MO; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; and Washington, DC encouraged employee volunteering on June 21. Department of Education also hosted an E-Day of Action to encourage employees to pledge to become volunteer readers, tutors and mentors.
- Dispatch, the indie-rock band invited fans to pledge to volunteer as a reader, tutor or mentor with United Way throughout the month of June. Fans could join the movement by texting the word READ to UNITED (864833) or online through their website – accessing free music downloads to those who signed-up. As of today, 588 individuals have pledged to become a volunteer.
- In addition to the National Mall event, United Ways in San Francisco, the Twin Cities, New York, Philadelphia, and Nashville hosted Day of Action activities building summer reading backpacks. These United Ways worked with partners to assemble 100-200 backpacks for kids. As an example, you can see pictures from United Way of the Bay Area’s event here: http://www.facebook.com/unitedwaybayarea.
Best of all United Ways around the country rolled up their sleeves and got to work mobilizing their communities to volunteer and make a difference in education, income and heath in their towns. Keep checking back as we’ll share some of their stories in the days to come.