This April, Global Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week, recognized April 20-26, gives us the opportunity to celebrate our volunteers who work with United Way of Greater St. Louis (UWGSL) every day to build strong, resilient communities where everyone can thrive. We will always be grateful for their willingness to unite with us to help feed, clothe, educate and care for our neighbors.
The UWGSL Volunteer Center is an important part of our organization’s mission to help people live their best possible lives. It helps people find causes they care about and has been mobilizing volunteers to help our neighbors for nearly a century.
At STLVolunteer.org, people can find opportunities to volunteer based on location, date, passion, and keyword. Our volunteers continue to make a difference in the St. Louis region every day through their generosity. Last year, over 8,000 volunteers were recruited through STLVolunteer.org, and over 6,000 volunteers registered for customized projects like assembling back-to-school kits, hygiene kits, building bikes for kids, and much more. These statistics tell the story of how remarkable our volunteers are and how we are able to inspire people to roll up their sleeves to give back to the community.
This selflessness is especially important during times of disaster. Last month, devastating tornado storms swept through the St. Louis region, damaging homes, schools, businesses, and leaving people without power. Several of UWGSL’s partner agencies posted volunteer opportunities needed for storm recovery efforts to STLVolunteer.org, and almost immediately, dozens of people mobilized to help with community cleanup efforts, distribution of supplies, and other urgent needs.
This network of volunteers and community support is indicative of the unwavering commitment that our generous neighbors have for helping people overcome challenges and achieve stability.
To continue to ensure our neighbors have the resources and support needed to live here and thrive, it is important to seek new opportunities to help people, and United Way has recently implemented new programs and initiatives to empower more people. Recent volunteer initiatives like our second upcoming Unite With Us Day on June 20 and 21st, Big League Impact Partnership, and the Missouri Valley Conference Partnership, gives us the opportunity to help more people and give more people the opportunity to unite with us through volunteerism. We are excited to see how these programs and initiatives and more unfold in the years to come.
UWGSL extends a heartfelt thank you to all of those who have given back to the community by volunteering through us. Working together, we will continue to see the power of united impact.
“Our volunteers’ willingness to unite for the greater good of our neighbors in need is the fuel that ignites the stability of our region, now and for generations to come,” said Rick Skinner, Vice President of the United Way of Greater St. Louis Volunteer Center. “As we celebrate Global Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week, I am proud to recognize the incredible acts of kindness that our volunteers continuously lend to our organization through their efforts. Their immense impact continue to empower our local neighbors.”
Take action now:
- Find an opportunity to volunteer through our Volunteer Center.
- Share this story with family and friends.
