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United Way's 20th Annual Days of Caring



People all across Dane County felt the impact of thousands of volunteers mobilizing as one as the United Way held its 20th annual Days of Caring last week. Centro Hispano of Dane County was one of the many hosts of this annual event and was filled with activities on Tuesday, Aug. 21.
“This was truly a great event. It was great to see so many volunteers at Centro Hispano helping in many different tasks,” said Kent Craig, executive director of Centro Hispano. “It’s inspiring to see the community come together like this. We appreciate the work and the committment of the Latino Advisory Delegation.”
 The United Way’s Days of Caring is a three-day event where thousands of volunteers in the Madison community give back through volunteer projects. This was the 6th year that the United Way of Dane County (UWDC) Latino Advisory Delegation participated in the event.
“Over 3,000 volunteers all over Dane County  mobilized to serve our community providing over 11,000 hours of help to support our United Way Agenda for Change,” said Sal Carranza, chair of the UWDC Latino Advisory Delegation.  “The United Ways Latino Advisory Delegation brought together over 30 volunteers to help our community at Centro Hispano.”
Some of the projects going on that day at Centro included:
 • The Play and Learn Program had it’s own room at Centro. This particular project was a program where children learn the skills they need to begin kindergarten and where staff guide children and parents through educational play and games designed to help the children.  .
• A reading project for families with children.  Volunteers read to kids in both English and Spanish, distributed books, painted faces, and sang songs with children of all ages.     
• High school volunteers sanitized doors knobs, walls, chairs, phones, and more all throughout Centro Hispano and helped to remove carpet and to move some furniture in one of Centro’s offices.

The event at Centro Hispano was one of many going on throughout the city of Madison in what has become one of the biggest volunteer events in Dane County. Through strategic use of volunteers and by focusing on the underlying issues affecting the Madison community, United Way is bringing Dane County residents together to ensure Dane County is better educated, safer, and healthier.
“It was, as usual, a great success and testimony to the selflessness and willingness of our Latino families and friends to help our community organizations achieve our common goal for a better quality of life for all," Carranza said.
United Way Days of Caring was sponsored by Oscar Mayer/Kraft Foods for the 19th consecutive year. Hundreds of volunteers and supporters gathered at Alliant Energy Center’s Willow Island for a Campaign Kickoff Luncheon on Aug. 20.
As part of the Campaign Kickoff, Nick Meriggioli, president of Oscar Mayer and United Way of Dane County’s 2012 Campaign Chair, launched the campaign by announcing a goal of $17,500,000 to support the Agenda for Change.