How Volunteers Serve as Untold Heroes in York County

 

As United Way of York County celebrates 100 years of impact in 2021, it’s also the 35th anniversary of the United Way of York County Volunteer Center! Communications Intern Kia Treml chatted with UWYC team member Bryce Kruger about how you in York County can get involved in volunteerism. 

 

 

A: The Volunteer Center first opened in the summer of 1986 after a Leadership York study indicated that York County had a high interest in volunteerism but no central hub for volunteers to be connected to opportunities. The center was built around the idea that member agencies would locate their volunteer opportunities in one area for the community to pick from and make it easier to volunteer. Over the years the Center had evolved to include more nonprofits and opportunities, and had gone completely digital.  

 

The Center had run a “Season of Caring” for a number of years, which transitioned into a single Day of Caring in 2001 when United Way of York County formally added volunteerism to its mission statement. Over time, this evolved into Day of Action as we know it today, attracting hundreds of volunteers from companies across York County to make an impact for York County’s single largest day devoted to volunteering. 

 

 

A: We've always prioritized connecting the community to volunteer opportunities. The community can be anyone from individual Scout troops, to school groups and corporate partners. Volunteering has become an interactive way for employees at our supportive companies to get involved with the nonprofits who are receiving support from the United Way of York County Impact Fund, and to connect their financial donation with hands-on impact. In an effort to not duplicate community resources, United Way is now partnering with PA 211 to provide volunteer resources for individuals and help them find the opportunities that best match their interests. United Way of York County continues to support community-wide events such as the annual Day of Action and Global Youth Service Day. 

 

 

A: Nonprofits in York County offer a variety of opportunities, from some of your more traditional roles such as working with the food banks and providing clerical work, to more hands-on actives including being a mentor to a student and getting dirty in a community garden. Volunteer opportunities are just like clouds — each one is unique and provides a different experience for each person. 

 

 

A: Volunteerism is tremendously important to our community, as it first and foremost supports local nonprofits. Nonprofits serve a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of our community and almost all of them rely on the support of volunteers. In 2020, the Independent Sector estimated the average value of a volunteer hour in Pennsylvania to be $25.41, so each time a volunteer gives their time they are also making huge economic impact for that organization and the community. Volunteering also allows individuals to get involved and connect with their community on a different level, often providing a different experience or perspective that otherwise they might not have been exposed to. An often-overlooked benefit of volunteering is the second chance it provides to individuals in Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) programs and individuals looking to take a different approach to getting back on track. 

 

 

A: To me, volunteering means an opportunity to connect and provide. Connect in that it connects you to different people, experiences, and prospective that you might otherwise struggle to get naturally. Many of the volunteer coordinators that I’ve worked with are extremely selfless and are committed to doing things for the betterment of those around them, and that’s something I admire. Volunteering also means perspective to me. It’s not something that you are getting paid to do, so you are there for a different reason. You create a perspective that makes you think about what you're doing, why you’re doing it, and why it’s important, not just because it’s your job, but because you chose to do that thing with your time. To me that’s more than valuable. Volunteering allows you to appreciate the things, people, and experiences that go unappreciated. 

 

 

A: My favorite volunteer experience started with a volunteer coming up to me at the 2020 Day of Action picnic. A grandmother let me know that her granddaughter had been collecting purses with basic amenities that could be donated to women in need. Ella, a fourth-grader in Spring Grove Area School District, did all of this and collected 22 purses that were distributed to our Partner Agencies and from there, to individuals who needed them the most. To make a long story short, her school found out about her project and came together to do another drive, gathering over 100 purses, and Ella found herself on a TV interview with FOX43. To me, this just shows that anyone can make a difference volunteering and no act of kindness or effort of change is too small to make an impact. 

 

 

A: First and foremost, I would tell them to check out the PA 211 volunteer opportunity database, where they can see current volunteer opportunities online from nonprofits throughout the York community. Volunteer can be overwhelming, so I always like to tell them about Passion, Impact, Place. If you are starting out as a volunteer it’s good to think about what you are passionate about — what you like to do or care for. Then, think about how you can make an impact around what you care for. Lastly, find a place you can turn that passion into action at one of our many partners and York County nonprofits. No step is too small to get started! 

 

 

 

 

 

United Way of York County celebrates 100 years of service to our community in 2021. We began as The York Welfare Federation, an organization that raised funds on behalf of 17 member agencies.  Today, as United Way of York County, the mission of raising community funds remains the same, but the strategies have broadened in order to meet the growing and changing needs of people living in York County. 

 

Join us this year as we take a look back at 100 years of impact, and look ahead at the future we can build together for York County: A future where every person in our community can thrive.