Shreveport, LA – The spirit of philanthropy could be felt by hundreds through Shreveport, Bossier City on Friday. United Way of Northwest Louisiana’s annual Day of Caring provided hundreds of eager volunteers with projects throughout the area. This single-day, community-wide event involved nearly 600 volunteers that helped fulfill a need at 30 local nonprofits.
The event kicked off with a party atmosphere at the Horseshoe Bossier City Riverdome. Participants picked up their event t-shirts, got energized for the day ahead and danced to the beats of the C.E. Byrd Drumline. From there, volunteers were dismissed to their volunteer projects across the greater Shreveport Bossier City area. The rest of the morning would be spent completing projects like painting and building a basketball court at HOPE Connections to polishing age-old chandeliers at The Strand Theater and even rebuilding amphitheater style seating for the NORWELA Boyscouts council ring in Stonewall, LA.
United Way Day of Caring helps connect area businesses in teams of five to 20 with nonprofits in need of assistance. These are projects the nonprofit may not have the resources, manpower or time to complete while handling their daily operations.
“This has been our largest Day of Caring to date,” said Volunteer Coordinator for United Way NWLA Jennifer Horton. “It’s a great feeling to see hundreds of people get excited about not only volunteering, but also learning about the good work our local nonprofits work toward every day.”
This event is dedicated to encouraging year-round volunteerism throughout the community. Horton says too frequently, volunteering is only of during the holiday season but depending on the nonprofit, volunteers are needed year-round.