June was a busy month for United Way of Bucks County and our partners, as it was the host for five Days of Caring! Days of Caring are volunteer days that allow us to match our corporate partners to our nonprofit partners, to work on projects that the nonprofits may not have the manpower to complete otherwise.
Last month, we had over 200 volunteers helping weed, plant, build, clean and so much more for local agencies. These volunteers came from four different businesses and one Eagle Scout troop, and each group of volunteers helped a different nonprofit.
Krames Staywell
On June 6th, volunteers from Krames took to the grounds of the Lower Bucks Community Center, aka the William Penn Center. They weeded a large outdoor classroom adjacent to the playground, and power washed the building and some outdoor toys.
Krames Staywell also donated packages of brand new children’s underwear (request from the school) , sand toys (which they were able to give to the children while they were there) and two hanging, squirrel-proof bird feeders, strategically hung with the help of the school’s nature expert. This was Krames’ second Day of Caring with UW Bucks.
Touchpoint Solutions
On June 10th, Bucks County Housing Group hosted ninety volunteers from Touchpoint Solutions at their Jacksonville Road Offices. Touchpoint volunteers included their President, Rick Keefer, and several members of their executive team. Their hard work turned the 3 houses, which are used as office space, into a well manicured piece of real estate.
They landscaped the areas around BCHG’S newly occupied offices to make them more welcoming for the staff and clients that visit. Touchpoint donated flats of flowers, bushes, and perennials to BCHG, as well as several pizzas from lunch to BCHG’s pantries. The group also power washed the three buildings in addition to their landscaping. This was the second year Touchpoint Solutions worked with UW Bucks on a volunteer project.
Eagle Scouts
Eight scouts from Troop 230, including James Busch, a Pennsbury High School Student, worked nearly all day on Sunday, June 15th for his Eagle Scout Project. They reported to UW Bucks at 8 AM to make some much needed improvements to the Gifts in Kind Shed. After weeks of planning and building, he was able to install the custom shelves that he built.
Before the troop could get to work, they had to empty the shed and do a little exterminating of the 15 wasp nests that had made the shed their home. After all was cleared, they installed the shelving, reinforced pre-existing shelving and secured the shed’s front door by installing a new lock.
The troop had some help from the Busch family as well, including both his parents, his brother and his sister. The shed is now so organized and easy for agencies to come in and shop. Thank you James, Busch Family and Troop 230!
Janssen Biotech, A Johnson & Johnson company
Twenty-five volunteers from Janssen Biotech gave Aldie Foundation’s Transition House some much needed TLC on June 23rd. The group, which included UW Bucks Board Member John Wilson, weeded and planted donated flowers, bushes and vegetable plants. They also mulched the flower beds and planted flowers in pots to be placed out on the front porch. Finally, they pruned shrubs exposing a walkway between the house and the hedges – a walkway that some members of Aldie didn’t even know existed.
They painted the two front doors to the house, even coloring the screw heads to give the doors a professional, finished look. The group was amazing, tackling projects that were not given to them such as filling in rivets made in the stone driveway from heavy rain water, clearing the basketball court and trimming a bush away from the corner of the driveway to make it much easier for anyone to see oncoming traffic while exiting the house. Thanks for your hard work, Janssen Biotech!
AON Affinity
Tyler State Park hosted sixty volunteers from AON Affinity on June 25th. They tackled many different projects from weeding, raking, and trimming tree limbs to creating new trails by cutting through thick brush and laying a stone culvert. They also painted and cleaned up various park areas.
Brian Flores of Tyler Park was thrilled with the great work that AON’s volunteers completed. AON also hosted a food drive at their office. It generated 345lbs of food and was donated to Coordinating Council of Health & Welfare Food Pantry. This is our 3rd year working with AON for a Day of Caring.
If your business is interested in participating in a Day of Caring here in Bucks County, contact Danielle Bush at danielleb@uwbucks.org or 215-949-1660 ext 112.
To see all the photos, check out our album!