Sprague Israel Giles at Petite Daycare for Day of Caring 2009

On September 24, over 9,000 volunteers will join together with colleagues, family and friends for our annual Day of Caring. It’s an amazing day of hope, unity, action and accomplishment, the largest single day of volunteering in Washington. You can be a part of it, too! 

Registration is now open, but projects are filling up fast. Right now, you have hundreds of projects from which to choose! Help paint a house for homeless families, clean and organize an area at the Union Gospel Mission for women and children or stock the shelves of a food bank.
Learn more and sign up here >>

After Joe Cunningham drops off his 11-year-old son Patrick at school, he carefully watches the fifth grader enter a crowd of classmates. Even after all of these years of therapy, he can’t help but worry about how the children will receive his son.

Diagnosed at age 3 with autism, Patrick and his family faced an uphill battle. It wasn’t until Joe got involved with the Fathers Network, a program offered by United Way grantee Kindering Center, that he got a clear sense of how to help his son.

Through the Fathers Network, Joe learned how to look for the right kinds of therapists and how to navigate an educational system that wasn’t designed for Patrick. Maybe most important was the emotional support from the other dads, which helped Joe to be a great father to Patrick.

Today Patrick still has issues fitting in socially, and he probably always will, but he more than keeps up with his peers academically. This fall he will enter middle school as an honors math student and a member of the jazz band. These achievements are possible thanks to the rigorous speech and language therapy he received starting at an early age and the support his family enjoyed from Kindering Center and the Fathers Network.

United Way of King County invests in programs that identify developmental delays as early as possible and provide therapeutic services for children and their families. The earlier a disability or developmental concern can be detected, the better the chance of making adjustments that will maximize a child’s ability to thrive in school and in life.

Illustration credit: Matt Hamm; C.C. 2.0

Here at United Way of King County, we’ve taken the “throw noodles at the wall and see what sticks” approach to social media thus far, experimenting with different tools and projects. While some strategies have seen more success than others, each is a learning experience. In the spirit of social media and social networking, I thought I’d share some of the social media resources I have found to be most valuable. There are so many great ideas and resources out there, it’s hard to narrow the list down to just a few, but here goes:

Non-Profit Social Media Blogs

Beth’s Blog Written by nonprofit social media guru Beth Kanter, this is THE go to non-profit social media resource

DIOSA Communications Blog Great posts about how to use and make the most of social media tools and links to tons of social media resources for non-profits.

Frogloop Non-profit online marketing blog that follows and writes about emerging trends in social media.

Social Media Resources and How-tos

To see examples of other organization’s Social Media policies, and to generate your own, check out Social Media Policy Database and Social Media Policy Generator

Common Craft breaks it down for you with their “In Plain English” videos such as Social Media in Plain English and Twitter in Plain English

For all of your ROI (or ROE) needs: 15 Ways to Measure Return on Engagement (ROE) of Social Media and Tools and Metrics You Need to Measure Social Media Success

There is finally some data on how non-profits are using social media in the 2010  NonProfit Social Media Benchmark Study

Local Social Media Networking Groups

Social Media Club Seattle

Social Media Breakfast Seattle

I’d love to hear what other social media resources you all have come across, or what social media strategies you’ve tried. How is your organization incorporating social media and what tools and resources have you found useful along the way? Let’s hear it! You can share your thoughts and resources in the comments section of this post.

Have you been thinking about donating to your local food bank? Well, your mail carrier is about to make it a lot easier. On May 8th, you can take part in Stamp Out Hunger, the nation’s largest single day food drive. Letter carriers in more than 10,000 communities will collect food items and deliver them to local food banks to help some of the millions of Americans, including an estimated 16.7 million children who face hunger every day.

Here’s how you can help:

• Contact your local post office to verify its participation in the food drive. ( Search the USPS website for the contact information for your local post office.)
• Place bags filled with non-perishable food items next to your mailbox (donate items like canned meat, fish, vegetables, soup, juice, rice and cereal. Please do not include expired items or those in glass containers)
• Your letter carrier will pick them up and deliver them to local food banks!

For more information visit HelpStampOutHunger.com

As you may have heard, this week is National Volunteer Week. Here at United Way of King County we’ve taken this opportunity to collect stories from local organizations of exceptional volunteers. The story below was submitted by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks / Parks & Recreation Division. Geraldine has been a Park and Trail Ambassador for 9 years. Read about how she has volunteered her time to protect and promote her neighborhood park:

Geraldine became a Park & Trail Ambassador due to her love of the Soos Creek Park which is near where she lives.  Geraldine tirelessly and enthusiastically roams the park picking up litter; visiting with other park goers; provides information to people regarding the wildlife in the area and points out the superb regional Soos Creek Trail which runs through the park.  She notifies Parks staff on urgent matters as well as on tasks for the maintenance schedule. She is a wonderful set of eyes in the park and makes note of types of park users visiting on any given day.  Geraldine has proven that one individual can make a difference and that a park is not only supported by tax dollars and staff maintenance; it also is supported by the dedication of people who care.  She is an inspiration and sets a high standard for our Ambassadors.

To check out more volunteer stories, visit http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/uwkc/nominations Want to start volunteering? Search our volunteer website for local opportunities

As you may have heard, this week is National Volunteer Week. Here at United Way of King County we’ve taken this opportunity to collect stories from local organizations of exceptional volunteers. The story below was submitted by North Helpline Emergency Services and Foodbank, an organization that offers an array of  human services to the North Seattle community including health services, a food bank and baby cupboard and emergency services. Bob has been a North Helpline volunteer for ten years.  Read about his impressive contributions to helping end hunger in our community:

Since North Helpline/Lake City Food Bank’s inception in 2001, Bob Hathaway has been one of our biggest supporters. He gives of his time, his resources, and most importantly, his heart.  As soon as word went out that a new food bank was coming to his community, Bob began making inquiries to see what it was he could do to help. He began by helping set up the configuration for the food bank distribution lines. He used his expertise from years in the restaurant industry to make the process as humane and efficient as possible in a relatively small space. “It’s hard enough to go through a tough financial time,” he explains. “I wanted to create an environment that respected the dignity of the clients who used it.”  When the food bank was finally ready to open our doors, Bob volunteered to order all of the food that would be needed to be able to distribute well rounded, nutritional meals to all of the families that came to the food bank. He not only set up the food for ease in distribution every Friday and Saturday, but he made sure he was here to continually stock the selections as the food was distributed.  Bob was also one of the original Board of Directors members and only resigned several years ago as he started to pursue a college degree. Today, he continues to come in every Saturday without fail to stock the tables and direct the volunteers on distribution day. Throughout the years, as we have gone from serving 150 to 650 families each week, Bob has been here to help configure new line ups to make sure people not only have choices but that they are served in an efficient and comfortable manner.  Bob works at the Wedgwood Alehouse and has raised thousands of dollars for North Helpline through their annual golf tournament. He also convinced the restaurant to host a “dine-out” event to benefit North Helpline Food Bank. He has made it his mission to let all of the Alehouse’s customers know about the work that is done at the food bank and the ways in which they might help.  The food bank relies on over 200 volunteers each week to keep operations running smoothly. Bob has taken every opportunity to recruit family, friends and even complete strangers to volunteer their time at North Helpline. And we have received thousands of dollars in donations because Bob makes sure those he comes in contact with know of our service to the community. He has a food barrel at the restaurant which his customers continue to fill every month to help replenish our food needs.  Despite working full time and attending college, he has given over 5000 hours of his time to eliminating hunger in his community. Bob is an invaluable volunteer and friend to the North Helpline and his commitment to people in need is truly unparalleled.

To check out more volunteer stories, visit http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/uwkc/nominations Want to start volunteering? Search our volunteer website for local opportunities

As you may have heard, this week is National Volunteer Week. Here at United Way of King County we’ve taken this opportunity to collect stories from local organizations of exceptional volunteers. The story below was submitted by Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS), an organization that offers a broad array of human services and behavioral health programs to Asian Pacific Americans in King County. Dongkyu Hwang volunteers as a line dance teacher at ACRS.  Read what those who have worked with Hwang have to say about him:

Mr. Dongkyu Hwang has volunteered for ACRS Club Bamboo for just over 11 months. He teaches Line Dancing on Wednesdays from 11am-12pm. Over 50 seniors participate in this lively exercise class in the Activity Center. This Western style dance has been one of the most popular activities for the Senior Congregate Meal Program. Mr. Hwang also volunteers his time at Hyungjea Silver College teaching up to 150 students at a time. His style of dress reflects his passion and enthusiasm to the dance. His past experience has been a Physical Education teacher in Seoul, Korea and a bilingual teacher in the Seattle Public Schools. -Miguel Saldin Aging and Adult Services Supervisor/Club Bamboo Manager 

Many of Dongkyu Hwang’s students get so much out of his classes.  Some students have improved their memory skills while learning the steps and enjoy the social time at Club Bamboo as well.  Students have said to me that if it wasn’t for the line dancing they probably would not participate in the program.  Mr. Hwang’s class helps build the popularity of the whole program.  What started out as a program primarily for Korean seniors has expanded to having Chinese and Vietnamese seniors as well as clients from our Behavioral Health program.  -Jongsook Ghim Aging and Adult Services Case Manager 

I’m always excited for Wednesdays. I’ve suffered from memory loss that has been declining at a serious rate for a while. Because of this, I practice line dancing every day, even at home. This way I don’t forget the steps or fall behind my group peers who are mostly are older than me. Since engaging my mind and body through daily line dancing, I haven’t noticed any further decline in memory. In fact, I’m able to remember much more than before starting the class, says Chong-Rae Son, 63.

To check out more volunteer stories, visit http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/uwkc/nominations Want to start volunteering? Search our volunteer website for local opportunities

RB Brown at an Outdoors for All skiing event

As you may have heard, this week is National Volunteer Week. Here at United Way of King County we’ve taken this opportunity to collect stories from local organizations of exceptional volunteers. The story below was submitted by Outdoors for All Foundation , an organization that provides year round instruction in outdoor recreation for people with physical, developmental, and sensory disabilities. Ralph “RB” Brown has volunteered with Outdoors for All as a Volunteer Ski Instructor, Summer Program Volunteer and Board Tresurer. Read about RB’s impressive contributions below:

Just this year alone, RB Brown has dedicated over 225 hours in support of Outdoors for All’s mission. He has spent 117 hours of his time working directly with our year-round programs. As he has done for several years, he committed two days a week, for 7 consecutive weeks, to our skiing programs at The Summit at Snoqualmie (Wednesdays) and at Crystal Mountain (Saturdays.) He also dedicated tireless hours to our adaptive cycle rides and demo days held throughout the summer months in the Puget Sound area. Thanks in large part to RB, more than 40 participants with disabilities enjoyed the freedom of the slopes and the trails last year. RB Brown has served ten + years on the Outdoors for All Board of Directors, with multiple years of service on the Executive Committee. He is currently serving as Treasurer of the Board, in the past year alone, he gave over 104 hours of board service. And of equal importance is that RB did it all with a smile and enthusiasm!

To check out more volunteer stories, visit http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/uwkc/nominations Want to start volunteering? Search our volunteer website for local opportunities

While not quite as funny as Dave’s Top 10 lists, it’s always interesting to me to see what types of volunteer opportunities people are most drawn to. There seem to be a few common threads (one day projects are always popular) but overall the range is pretty broad. Of the 1,398 volunteer opportunities posted to the UWKC Volunteer Website since the beginning of 2010, the following have been the most popular among visitors to our site. Interestingly, #1 of 2010 was also our #1 listing of 2009!

10: Mentor a Young Parent with the Healthy Start Parent Mentor Program 

9: Domestic Violence Furniture Bank with the National Council of Jewish Women 

8: Food Bank Volunteer with Hopelink 

7: Longfellow Creek Restoration with King Conservation District 

6: Repackage Bulk Food Donations with Food Lifeline 

5: Make a Difference in a Child’s Life with First Place 

4: Environmental Habitat Enhancement with Magnuson Environmental Stewardship Alliance 

3: We Need You! Volunteer with the Auburn Food Bank 

2: Seeds Roots and Shoots Native Plant Nursery with King Conservation District 

1: Forest Restoration in the West Duwamish Green Belt with Nature Consortium

New volunteer opportunities are added to our site daily. To see the full list, click here , but first check out 9 tips on volunteering wisely to help you narrow your search!