Days of Caring 2009:
Frequently Asked Questions

Posting Projects

Signing up for Projects

Match Meetings

Days of Caring T-shirts

General Days of Caring Information

Posting Projects

How do I post a Days of Caring Project?

First, login. If you have not created an agency profile you will need to set up one. Registering your agency should take less than 15 minutes. Follow the prompts as you navigate through the registration process. All of your projects can be managed through your agency’s profile.

What types of projects are appropriate for Days of Caring?

You have an appropriate Days of Caring project if it involves things like site beautification or putting together baskets of needs items for the homeless. Projects that are outside of the scope of Days of Caring are fundraising or donation drive events. We encourage agencies to post fundraising or donation drive projects as a general opportunity by logging into our Volunteer Solutions system.

See a list of appropriate Days of Caring projects.

I posted a project. What's next?

After you have posted your project you must wait for an email notification to know it is approved. You can also view your projects under the “Events” tab in your agency profile. It is important for the Volunteer Center to review all projects to make sure the projects meet Days of Caring criteria.

See a list of appropriate Days of Caring projects.

I posted my project, but I don’t see it amongST the other projects. Why?

When a project is submitted but not available to the public this means your project is being reviewed for approval by the Volunteer Center. Allow 48 hours or 2 business days for project approval before contacting the Volunteer Center. It is important that a Volunteer Center staff member approves your project once it is determined the project does indeed meet Days of Caring criteria.

See a list of appropriate Days of Caring projects.

Upon approval, the project will be available to the public and searchable from our Days of Caring volunteer opportunities.

If your project was approved and is not among the Days of Caring projects searchable within our Days of Caring volunteer opportunities, this means your project has reached your requested demand for volunteers. When you or the Agency Project Lead initially went through the steps to post your project, there was an option to set the number of volunteers the project required for completion. Setting the number of volunteers to "Unlimited" will keep your project posted and available for volunteer sign ups within our Days of Caring volunteer opportunities. As volunteers sign up for your project, your Agency Project Lead should receive a basic email response that includes volunteer contact information.

If you or the Agency Project Lead did not receive volunteer contact information and have not heard from any volunteers by mid-August, please contact the Volunteer Center.

I received an error message when posting my project. How do I resolve this issue?

Here at the Volunteer Center, we are committed to efficient processes to ensure and improve our quality of service. With that in mind, the Volunteer Center works hard to ensure every agency receives the appropriate level of assistance when posting projects. If you do run into a problem such as a system glitch, please run through the following troubleshooting instructions to help us help you:

  1. First, notify the Volunteer Center at volunteer@uwsc.org explaining the glitch and that you are going the run through the troubleshooting steps below. This will help us repair the glitch so other people do not run into the same problem. We recommend and greatly appreciate it if you could send this email as a courtesy, even if the following steps work for you.
  2. Save your work by cutting text from Volunteer Solutions and pasting that text into Microsoft Word or similar word processing application.
  3. Once your text is removed from the system, log out.
  4. Next, log back in to the system and try re-posting your project by copying and pasting your text from Microsoft Word of a similiar word processing application.

If does not resolve the issue, please contact the Volunteer Center for further assistance at 425.374.5534

 

Signing up for Projects

How do I sign up for a project?

Visit our Days of Caring home. You can freely search for projects, but you will need to register and sign into our Volunteer Solutions system to complete your registry for projects. If you do not have a username and password, you will need to create a user profile.

Do I have to provide supplies for the project I signed up for?

No. Volunteers are not required to provide any supplies needed to complete the project. In some cases, Project Leads may ask Team Leads to coordinate efforts to provide supplies such as gardening tools. Just keep in mind that agencies that post projects hold the responsibility in providing all the necessary tools and supplies for a project.

I signed up. What’s next?

Thank you for Living United and becoming a proud volunteer for the Days of Caring Event! Next, please follow the steps below:

  1. Contact the Agency Project Lead to get any additional information and to introduce yourself. If you have signed up a team, as the Team Leader you need to get down to business by bridging the gap between the Project Lead and your team’s responsibilities. It is wise to get organized.
  2. Work on getting t-shirt quantities and sizes into the Volunteer Center using the T-Shirt Order Form if you have not provided this information at the time of your registry.
  3. Coordinate with the Agency Project Lead to select one of the schedule Match Meetings. Attending a Match Meeting is the best way to pick up your t-shirts.

If you would like to view the details of the project that you registered for, including contact information and logistics, log in to your Volunteer Solutions account. Look on your main profile page under “Your Events."

Who is eligible to sign up as a volunteer?

Anyone who is willing to promote a culture of volunteerism to fill gaps in our community by lending a hand to local non-profit agency in Snohomish County.

What Is the benefit of registering a DAYS OF CARING TEAM?

In addition to promoting camaraderie and team building skills, your combined efforts will benefit everyone by bridging gaps in our community by providing a much needed service to local non-profit organizations. In 2008, 830 Days of Caring volunteers spent 3,237 hours reading to kids, painting walls, pulling weeds and building fences—completing 52 projects with a value of $63,000 in labor. It is truly a win-win situation that brings together first-hand experience with meaningful collaboration.

 

Match Meetings

What is a Match Meeting?

In preparation for the Days of Caring event we provide match meetings, which provide a time for both Agency Project Leads and Volunteer Team Leads to meet and discuss logistics, gather important liability paperwork, network, and pick up t-shirts.

When are the match meetings?

September 1
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
United Way of Snohomish County
Board Room
3120 McDougall Ave., Ste. 200
Everett, WA 98201

September 3
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Snohomish County Fire District One
Headquarters and Training Center
Commissioners Board Room
12425 Meridian Ave. S.
Everett, WA 98208

In the rare occurrence the Agency Project Lead and Volunteer Team Lead cannot attend one of these meeting times, an alternative meeting time can be arranged. Please email the Volunteer Center at volunteer@uwsc.org or call 425.374.5534

How do I register for a Match Meeting?

To make sure you are registered for a Match Meeting, please respond to the meeting RSVP that the Volunteer Center sends out at the end of August. If you did not specify which Match Meeting you are able to attend, please contact the Volunteer Center at volunteer@uwsc.org or call 425.374.5534

We encourage both Agency Project Lead and Team Leads to coordinate with one another and attend the same Match Meeting. Attending a Match Meeting is the easiest way to get your Days of Caring t-shirts.

 

What if I cannot attend a Match Meeting?

In the rare occurrence the Agency Project Lead and Volunteer Team Lead cannot attend one of these meeting times, an alternative meeting time can be arranged. Please email the Volunteer Center at volunteer@uwsc.org or call 425.374.5534

We encourage both Agency Project Lead and Team Leads to coordinate with one another and attend the same Match Meeting. Attending a Match Meeting is the easiest way to get your Days of Caring t-shirts.

 

Days of Caring T-shirts

How do I order t-shirts?

If possible, please submit your t-shirt order with quantities and sizes at the time you register. If you do not know which sizes your teammates will need, fill out a T-Shirt Order Form and email it to volunteer@uwsc.org or fax it to us at 425.374.5555

How many t-shirts can I order?

Agencies are limited to 5 shirts. The Team Lead may order 1 shirt per volunteer on the team.

T-Shirt Order Form

What sizes are available?

Adult Small, Medium, Large, X-Large, XX-Large, and XXX-Large.

For youth indicate adult small.

T-Shirt Order Form

How do I receive t-shirts?

Please submit your t-shirt order with quantities and sizes at the time you register. If you did not complete this step during the registration process, you will need to fill out a T-Shirt Order Form.

If you ordered t-shirts, attending a Match Meeting is the best way to pick them up. If you missed both Match Meetings, as a last resort, a United Way staff member can bring t-shirts to your project site. To prearrange for your t-shirts to be dropped off, email the Volunteer Center at volunteer@uwsc.org or call 425.374.5534

 

General Days of Caring Information

I work during the week and believe that I am unable to help out with Days of Caring.

Days of Caring is two days long (Friday and Saturday). If it does not work with your schedule and you still want to volunteer, please feel free to browse our volunteer opportunities.

I have a question. Whom do I contact?

If your question is concerning a project you registered for, please contact your Project Lead. If you have a question that has not been answered by your Project Lead or the above Frequently Asked Questions, please contact the Volunteer Center by emailing volunteer@uwsc.org or calling 425.374.5534