Over 4,000 Volunteers Transform Tulsa in 34th Day of Caring Event

From painting to planting, more than 4,000 volunteers are getting their hands dirty tackling different community service projects in Tulsa. It is part of the 34th 'Day of Caring' organized by Tulsa Area United Way.

"The Day of Caring is about bringing people out into the community to work together to make a difference," said Alison Anthony, Tulsa Area United Way President & CEO.

Who Is Involved?

Tulsa Area United Way said this fall, 146 area companies and organizations are volunteering for the Day of Caring. Among them are employees from Tulsa Community College.

VP of Advancement and President of the TCC Foundation, Kari Shults, said, "There are four different TCC worksites throughout the community and we have about 150 employees college-wide participating."

Who Is It Helping?

The Day of Caring is helping over 150 of the Tulsa Area United Way's partners and nonprofits, including the Parent Child Center of Tulsa. These volunteers revitalized flower beds, trimmed greenery, cleaned windows, and repainted decorative children’s silhouettes that welcome families at the entrance.

"The work they do every day is heavy," Anthony continued, "They are working on children who are neglected, parents who struggled with child abuse, and they are breaking that cycle."

Taking care of these tasks for them allows the nonprofit to focus its funds on what really matters. "For every hour of Day of Caring, it is over $110,000 of economic impact on this community," said Anthony. "Those are real dollars that can be saved and put back into the missions of these amazing programs."

How Can I Help?

This year, the Tulsa Area United Way has set a goal to raise $26 million to support its programs. The organization serves eight counties: Osage, Tulsa, Creek, Okmulgee, Wagoner, Rogers, Mayes, and Delaware. There are several ways the public can make an impact, including through donations and volunteer opportunities. For more information, visit their website.