Day of Caring Adapts to Challenges of COVID-19
Governor Laura Kelly and retired United Way CEO Nancy Perry welcomed a small and socially distanced in-person group as well as a live-stream audience to United Way of Greater Topeka’s Nancy Perry Day of Caring. The kick-off was broadcast live on UWGT’s Facebook page. (Scroll down for a link to the kick-off recording and more media coverage.)
Perry, who ran United Way for 24 years, and for whom the day of service is named, provided historical perspective for the morning. She noted that Topeka had persevered through crisis in the past, including floods, tornados and even the national upheaval on 9/11. But each time, she noted, Kansans came through.
Following Perry to the podium, Kelly was quick to praise her long-time friend. “I’ve known Nancy for decades,” Kelly said. “You are as enthusiastic now, as caring now and as inspirational now as you were then. The fact that we have this day is a true testament to who you are.”
As a former UWGT board member, Kelly said she knew “the difference that volunteering can make in a community. There is nothing more rewarding than dedicating our time and energy in service to others.”
The annual event is normally one of the largest volunteer days in Topeka, drawing 1,000 or more participants, often given time to volunteer by their employers. With many people still working from home and with COVID-19 precautions still necessary, the majority of those volunteers simply were not available this year.
And even if they had been available, social distancing and limited work space meant indoor projects had to be scaled back or scrapped.
Despite all the necessary restrictions, 355 volunteers signed up to handle 27 projects for 23 agencies, representing more than 1,400 hours of volunteer labor. Day of Caring used a hybrid model this year, offering individual at-home or virtual opportunities in addition to more traditional volunteering. COVID has forced many nonprofits to cancel critical fundraising events in the past six months, meaning the help they got from volunteers on Day of Caring was more valuable than usual.
Jessica Barraclough, UWGT’s Director of Volunteer Engagement worked with nonprofits across the community to find creative opportunities. “We recognized early on in COVID that our traditional big group volunteer projects probably weren’t going to be feasible this year, she said. “But we also know there has been a small but steady stream of volunteers who are still eager and able to safely be out in the community helping those who need it.”
More 2020 Day of Caring coverage:
Kick-off livestream:
https://www.facebook.com/UnitedWayTopeka/videos/1780068865480246/
Local News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=604BLO4IkN8
https://www.ksnt.com/news/photo-gallery/today-is-nancy-perry-day-of-caring/
UWGT Social Media (search #NPDOC20, some people also posted under #NPDOC2020)
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/NPDOC20/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NPDOC20&src=typed_query&f=image
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/npdoc20/