Full month of giving; partner agencies creating a multitude of volunteer opportunities

**CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR A FULL RECORDING OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/loumetrotv/

LOUISVILLE (March 7, 2023) – Mayor Craig Greenberg today joined representatives from Metro United Way, Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky Derby Festival, GE Appliances, Brown-Foreman, Americorps Build-A-Bed, Brightside and a variety of volunteers and nonprofit organizations to kick off the Mayor’s annual Give A Day with support from Metro United Way. This year’s Give A Day is a full month of giving, beginning April 1 through April 30, 2023.

“Give a Day has become a part of the cultural life of our city and year after year it’s helping to make Louisville stronger,” said Mayor Greenberg. “People, businesses, and non-profits from across Louisville come together to volunteer on so many amazing projects that help their neighbors live better lives. I am so proud to help kick off this Give A Day with so many amazing partners and I can’t wait to see the impact they are going to have across our community.”

Give A Day started as a one-day service opportunity in 2011. It grew from one day to two weeks and then was expanded to a full month in celebration of National Volunteer Month to allow non-profits and volunteers more time to plan and participate in service projects.

With support from Metro United Way and community organizations throughout the city, hundreds of volunteer opportunities will be available. Group and individual projects will be offered as well.

“Metro United Way is proud to partner with Mayor Greenberg’s office in celebration of National Volunteer Month in April during Mayor’s Give a Day Celebration of Service,” said Adria Johnson, President and CEO of Metro United Way. “By connecting volunteers to meaningful opportunities, we can work together to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors while seeking to change the social determinants of education, economic mobility, and health in our region.”

Metro United Way supports the volunteer engagement platform for the Mayor’s Give A Day by connecting those who need help with those who want to help.

A sampling of this year’s projects and initiatives include:

• Thousands of volunteers will join together throughout April to pick up litter and beautify the city through the Brightside Community-Wide Cleanup, one of the largest Give A Day service projects.
• All cleanup group participants will receive Brightside litter bags, gloves, and post-cleanup bag collection provided our partnership with Louisville Metro Solid Waste Management Services.
• Residents also can organize their own clean-ups on streets and in neighborhoods with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
• The 10th Annual WE Day Kentucky Celebration will take place on April 19th. Students and teachers will gather and then walk across the Big4 Bridge for the WE Walk for Compassion
• AmeriCorps Build-A-Bed will have hundreds of volunteers building beds for JCPS students at Broadbent Arena.
• Louisville Pride Foundation and the LGBTQ+ Center will have volunteers building an accessible wheelchair ramp.
• Catholic Charities will have many refugee arrivals in April and want to be sure that their housing is completely ready for them when they arrive. Volunteers will help make beds, set up kitchens/bathrooms, carry in furniture, etc. so that clients are settled in places they can call home.
• Habitat for Humanity will host a “spring cleaning.”
• SOS will be assembling medical kits and supplies for local, national and international disaster areas.
• Young Authors Greenhouse will plant a Poetry Garden.
• The Salvation Army will host large food distribution project with the Church of Latter-day Saints.
• St. Bernadette Food Bank and the Office for Women will have a diaper supply drive.
• The American Red Cross blood supply remains vulnerable. There will be a number of blood drives throughout the city in April. In addition, volunteers can ensure patients receive the care they need through the Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Companies and organizations of all sizes will have employee teams in action, including Give A Day sponsors GE Appliances and Brown-Forman.

“GE Appliances is committed to partnering with community organizations across the U.S. that connect people with the resources they need to be successful. Our partnership with the Mayor’s Give a Day and Metro United Way expands the opportunity for other businesses and nonprofit organizations to come together here in Louisville, home of our global headquarters, to revitalize neighborhoods and deliver services when and where they’re needed most,” said Katina Whitlock, senior manager, community engagement, GE Appliances, a Haier company. “We hope this month of volunteerism inspires our city to continue working together to build stronger communities for everyone.”

“At Brown-Forman, we believe it’s important to be a good neighbor,” said Brown-Forman Foundation Executive Director Jill Horn. “This mindset is embedded in our company culture and volunteering comes second nature to our employees. We are proud to invest in our best spirit, the community we call home.”

One critical component of Give A Day Week has always been the involvement of Louisville youth. Since the beginning, Jefferson County Public Schools students and teachers have joined thousands of private and Catholic school students for service projects during Give A Day.

“I believe that giving back to our community is one of the most important things we can do and one of the most important things we can inspire in our students,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio. “Our schools and thousands of students benefit from the Mayor’s Give A Day initiative each year. We are thankful for the opportunity to participate and grateful for the Louisvillians who step up to spread compassion and selflessness.”

“The Kentucky Derby Festival knows firsthand the importance of volunteerism. Producing our favorite events each spring would not be possible without them,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “It’s a real tribute to our community that we have so many who are willing to give of themselves to make our city a better and more caring place. We are grateful for each of them.”
Individuals or groups wanting to find a project should visit mygiveaday.com, where projects and needs submitted by local non-profit agencies and other groups are listed. The Mayor urged individuals and companies to also use the website to report their own community service.

2022 Give A Day — Notable Numbers:
• 27,958 total volunteer hours given to projects during Give A Day Week 2022
• 18,000 Brightside volunteers cleaned up neighborhoods and parks in Louisville.
• 4,000 KDF volunteers prep and showcase the city at numerous events
• 1,500 individuals donated blood at Red Cross blood drives.
• 1,110 pounds of shoes donated to local non-profit WaterStep from MSD and Louisville Metro Government.
• 118 volunteers devoted 332 hours to planting trees around the community.