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Local United Way touring county Sunday, June 21
Friday, June 19, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by EMILY BARNES
Look for this sign and these folks Sunday during United Way of Charles County's Care-A-Van stopping at four Safeway food stores in the county. Jim Ross, left, Dorothy Harper, Earl Knapp and Virginia Burch.
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Things might be tough all over, but the United Way of Charles County is taking charge and taking its message to the streets Sunday for the Day of Action.
Launched two years ago by the national United Way, the Day of Action is always held on June 21 — typically the longest day of the year.
"The Day of Action is taking place throughout the nation," said Dorothy Harper, president and CEO of the United Way of Charles County, which is one of the smallest in the nation, but reaches tens of thousands of residents in need each year.
"It can be anything," she said of the various projects going on around the country. "Health clinics, stuff the bus … collecting school supplies, anything."
Charles County's Day of Action will be a Care-A-Van crisscrossing the county, stopping in the parking lots of Safeway food stores in Waldorf, La Plata and Bryans Road.
Volunteers will collect nonperishable food items for the Southern Maryland Food Bank (should be easy for shoppers to pick up an extra canned good or two as they stroll grocery store aisles); small electronic devices such as used cell phones, dead iPods and broken PDAs will be collected for recycling; information on volunteer opportunities and the United Way's Familywize prescription drug discount program will be handed out.
Virginia Burch, chief operating officer for the local United Way, said during the Day of Action last year, Familywize cards were distributed, which wound up saving residents who were paying out-of-pocket for prescriptions some $206,000.
That's an awesome return on the United Way's investment of $458 in the program, Burch said. About 13,000 cards have been given out.
This year, the Care-A-Van's purpose is to make the United Way a more visible presence in the community and let people know exactly what the organization does.
"We want to make sure people know the United Way aren't just the people who come knocking on your door come campaign time asking for donations," Harper said. "We're doing things year-round."
United Way partners with more than 30 agencies, devoted to helping those in the community to live better lives. Whether it is securing healthcare, escaping an abusive relationship, obtaining legal services or saving the environment, the United Way is often the first phone call someone in need makes.
"We are an umbrella organization with 35 partner agencies," said Earle Knapp, president of the board of directors.
From there, United Way staff and volunteers can match the person up with the services he or she may need.
The organization is also matching volunteers with opportunities.
Burch has put together a guide detailing the services, requirements, minimum age and other information people look for when searching for ways to give back to the community.
By chance, the Day of Action falls on Father's Day. While at first hesitant about the kind of turn-out the Day of Action might attract because of the holiday, organizers soon saw it as an advantage.
"What better lesson to show your kids where your priorities are?" asked Jim Ross, a United Way board member and the manager of La Plata Safeway, who got the other stores interested in participating Sunday. "Don't buy me a present, I don't need anything. Let's help someone who needs help."
Care-A-Van
United Way of Charles County is participating in the Day of Action, launched by the national United Way about two years ago.
The local Care-A-Van will be stopping in the parking lots of four area Safeways on June 21.
Collections of food for the Southern Maryland Food Bank, small electronic devices will be collected for recycling, prescription cards and information about volunteer opportunities will be given out.
9-10:30 a.m. at Safeway, 40 Shining Willow Way, La Plata.
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Safeway, 11380 Plaza Drive, Waldorf MarketPlace.
1-2:30 p.m. at Safeway, 10 King St., Waldorf.
3-4:30 p.m. at Safeway, 3129 Marshall Hall Road, Bryans Road.
For more information on the Care-A-Van, call 301-609-4844 or go to www.unitedwaycharles.org.
