Hundreds of volunteers complete projects for local nonprofits throughout greater Danbury & New Milford

Nearly 420 volunteers from 20 companies will complete nearly 60 projects

 United Way of Western Connecticut (UWWC) announces that 420 volunteers from 20 local businesses and corporations have demonstrated their commitment to volunteerism and community support by taking part in UWWC’s Annual Day of Action, which kicked off on Tuesday, June 6. These volunteers will complete 60 projects for 24 regional nonprofit agencies throughout greater Danbury and greater New Milford through Friday, June 16. This annual event, which is typically one day, has been spread throughout two weeks due to severe weather on June 6.

Area companies engaged in projects such as reading to children, improvements at area childcare centers, beautification projects to community parks, lending a hand at senior centers, and summer camp preparation with supplies and materials donated by local businesses in support of Day of Action projects.

For a second year, UWWC led a community-wide project in support of early grade literacy called Camp Wannaread at the Danbury Police Athletic League Center. Thirty volunteers gathered to build summer literacy kits filled with donated books and reading supplies. More than 600 fiction and non-fiction books were collected from numerous book drives conducted by our corporate partners, enough to provide two books to 300 local second grade students at Morris Street and South Street Schools in Danbury and Northville Elementary School in New Milford. Additional books were donated to the schools’ libraries and media centers. The Camp Wannaread literacy kits will help students combat literacy skill loss that occurs over summer break, which can set some students back up to three months academically.

“Volunteers are the cornerstone of every successful organization and every thriving community,” said Kimberly Morgan, CEO of United Way of Western Connecticut. “A service event of this undertaking and scale could not be successful without the support of a corporate and business community that recognizes and values volunteerism and the great work of nonprofits throughout greater Danbury and New Milford. We are able to have a greater impact on our community’s most vulnerable populations—including paycheck-to-paycheck households—through their leadership and participation.”

We are grateful for the continued support of our Day of Action Sponsors, especially Ridgefield Supply who generously provided materials and supplies for many of the projects. United Way’s Kick-Off Breakfast was hosted by the Danbury Police Athletic League on Hayestown Road, where volunteers were treated to a filling breakfast donated by Chik-fil-A in Brookfield and fueled up on coffee donated by Starbucks on North Street in Danbury. Additional donations by Chipotle Mexican Grill, Caraluzzi’s and Stew Leonard’s enhanced the experience for our corps of volunteers.

*Photo shows from left, United Way CEO Kimberly Morgan, United Way Executive Vice President Isabel Almeida, and Cindy Merkle, President and CEO of Union Savings Bank and Chair of United Way’s Board of Directors, help deliver Camp Wannaread drawstring backpacks to second graders at South Street School in Danbury.