Friday is deadline to submit project proposals for Day of Caring

United Way volunteers Steve Kelly, John Rutter and Curtis Crawford, from left, paint a Y-CAP transitional home on Sept. 11, 2014, in Chattanooga, during United Way's Day of Caring.
United Way volunteers Steve Kelly, John Rutter and Curtis Crawford, from left, paint a Y-CAP transitional home on Sept. 11, 2014, in Chattanooga, during United Way's Day of Caring.

Area nonprofit organizations have until Friday to submit proposals to benefit from the United Way's 26th annual Day of Caring.

Organizations selected will be assigned volunteers to help clean, landscape or renovate an area.

The annual Day of Caring is Sept. 10.

All area nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations are invited to submit project needs to United Way's Volunteer Center. More than one project proposal can be submitted and may be accepted, but each request must be submitted separately. Churches, schools, hospitals, government agencies and private 501(c)3 organizations in Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties in Georgia and Hamilton and Marion counties in Tennessee are eligible to apply.

Last year, more than 500 volunteers worked on more than 30 different projects, ranging from improvement projects at area nonprofits to installing playgrounds at low-income day care centers and rebuilding public park spaces. That's more than $100,000 in donated labor in one day.

Agencies with selected projects must agree to a few ground rules:

* Agencies must provide proper tools and materials for projects. These possibly can be borrowed from United Way's Tool Bank.

* The project should be able to be completed in one day: from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.

* The project must have an agency representative assigned to supervise and work with volunteers.

* The project must not involve hazardous materials.

* The project should benefit the community as a whole.

* The agency must agree to provide lunch, drinks and snacks for the volunteers.

The Volunteer Center draws its volunteers from area corporations and organizations that submit teams to work on the projects of their choice, but individual volunteers also are recruited for these activities. Volunteers may register at iHelpChattanooga.org or by calling United Way's Volunteer Center at 423-752-0316.

Get more information about submitting a proposal by emailing Anna Baker at annabaker@uwchatt.org or calling the center at 423-752-0316.

The Day of Caring is sponsored by ACE Hardware and the IBEW.

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