United Way Encourages Teens to Participate in Youth Day of Caring

It is National Volunteer Week and United Way of Greater New Bedford has many opportunities available to you and your family at VolunteerSouthCoast.org. Some of these activities are geared more toward teenagers and allow them to safely connect with the community in a positive way during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Victoria Grasela is the Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement with UWGNB and she explained that Youth Day of Caring is specifically designed for high school students to give back. "Now, more than ever, these students’ actions are needed, valued, and appreciated. We hope their acts of caring will spark others to want to volunteer and make our community stronger."

Youth Day of Caring will be held virtually this year. United Way posted a graphic on the organization’s Facebook page Monday morning showcasing different options to give back to the SouthCoast.

1. Help your neighbors - Maybe this means assisting with outdoor chores or picking up a few groceries. Whatever they need, make sure you are handling it safely, and with permission.
2. Pick up trash - World Plogging Day is coming up on Saturday, April 25. You’re welcome.
3. Make masks for frontline workers - Did you know that Ocean State Job Lot offers free material to those who wish to create masks for essential employees? Now that you have a ton of time on your hands, why not learn a new skill and help others in the process?
4. Create your own opportunity - This is your chance to take advantage of a unique opportunity to give back any way you can.

The nonprofit has an incentive to get more kids to join the fun and make the most of the day. “Students can participate by posting a photo of themselves virtually volunteering using #YDOC2020 and #liveunited and tagging United Way of GNB and their school. The first 100 students to submit a photo via email will receive a Live United t-shirt!”