More than 500 Employees Volunteer over 2,200 Hours of Service
United Way of Northwest Louisiana hosted the annual Day of Caring March 18, 2016. This one-day, community-wide volunteer event offers an opportunity to what local nonprofit organizations do every day.
More than 500 volunteers from 47 area businesses and 33 nonprofit organizations participated. More than 2,200 hours of volunteer service were completed by the end of the day at local nonprofits.
“This event connects people through their employers with nonprofit agencies in need of assistance,” said Dr. Bruce Willson, CEO of United Way of Northwest Louisiana. “The event has more than doubled in size from last year, meaning we can help more local nonprofits.”
Projects offered volunteers a first-hand opportunity to learn about the needs in our community. Worksite projects included painting, landscaping, yard clean up, clerical work, sorting food and clothing, and cleaning.
Margaritaville Resort Casino hosted the Kickoff Breakfast for the entire group of volunteers. “Margaritaville is proud to have the opportunity to once again partner with United Way to present Day of Caring. This event exemplifies the commitment that our team has to supporting our community through sharing our talents and service, and it provides us with a chance to connect with other organizations in our area who share our passion for helping the people of Shreveport/Bossier,” said Barry Regula, General Manager of Margaritaville Resort Casino.
Additional Visionary Sponsors were Cintas and Raising Cane’s. Legacy Sponsors included Cross Keys Bank and Community Bank of Louisiana. In-kind-sponsors were Music Mountain Water and Paragon Press.
Willson said it is especially crucial right now to have these volunteers due to the disaster. “It is amazing to see so many individuals willing to help their neighbor and do the necessary tasks to make sure this area and the people who call it home are safe and strong,” said Willson.
Northwest Louisiana is a combination of committed companies, compassionate people and quality health and human services. These programs ensure that people are cared for; children have a safe place to go after school; and quality services are available for the disabled and seniors, and job training and placement is available to those who truly want to work.
“It’s not about the program, or the nonprofit, it is about the people,” said Willson.
Day of Caring 2016
Participating Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations
Nonprofit Organizations
- American Red Cross (2 projects)
- Bossier Council on Aging
- Norwella Council Boy Scouts of America
- Catholic Charities of North Louisiana
- Chimp Haven
- Christian Service Program
- Common Ground Community, Inc. (5 projects)
- Community Renewal International (2 projects)
- Dress for Success (2 projects)
- Evergreen Life Services
- Faith Works in Caddo-Bossier
- Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana
- The Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana
- Geaux Bags
- Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana (2 projects)
- Heart of Hope Ministries
- Holy Angels Residential Facility
- Literacy Volunteers of Centenary College
- Marlene Yu Museum
- Martin Luther King Health Center & Pharmacy
- Plant a Seed in our Youth Foundation
- Project Celebration
- The Providence House
- Renesting Project (2 projects)
- Robinson’s Rescue Spay and Neuter Clinic
- Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission
- Shriners Hospital for Children (3 projects)
- St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry
- The HUB: Urban Ministries
- The Philadelphia Center
- The Salvation Army
- Volunteers of America
- Youth Outreach Services – Jewell House
Businesses & Organizations
- AEP Swepco (3 teams)
- Allegra Printing
- Alpha Media
- Barksdale Federal Credit Union
- BHP Billiton
- Boomtown Casino
- Brookshire’s Food Stores
- Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office (4 teams)
- Church of Latter-Day Saints
- Cintas
- City of Shreveport, Dept. of Community Development
- Coldwell Banker Gosslee (2 teams)
- Comcast Universal
- Community Bank of Louisiana
- Cross Keys Bank
- Edge Office Products
- Enable Midstream Partners
- Enterprise Holdings
- Fort Sill National Bank
- Glazer’s Team (2 teams)
- Hunt, Guillot, & Associates
- IQ Business
- James R. Martin Building and Remodeling
- Kelly Services
- Libbey Glass
- LSU Health
- Margaritaville Resort Casino (2 teams)
- Miner’s Chem Dry
- MobilEyezVision
- Origin Bank
- Querbes and Nelson
- Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers (Youree and Kings Hwy Stores)
- Red River Bank
- Regional Hospice Care
- Regions Bank
- Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino
- Scuba Ventures
- Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau
- SOBO Promotions
- Stirling Properties
- Target Bossier
- Target Shreveport
- The Times
- Velocity Care
- Virginia College (2 teams)
- Vitreo-Retinal