On Saturday, May 30, YLS volunteers helped paint, plant and polish up Erie Neighborhood House, a United Way partner agency whose mission is to strengthen low-income, primarily Latino families through educational programs for all ages. Nearly 30 energetic volunteers revamped the yard by weeding, mulching and planting shrubs and flowers throughout the outdoor play areas for children. The YLS volunteer project resulted in 100 hours of service, saving Erie Neighborhood House $2,000 in labor costs.
“Erie Neighborhood House has been a pillar of its community for over a century, and its staff has an outstanding commitment to the children’s development. For me, Saturday’s volunteer activity was an opportunity to share in that commitment to stewardship and create a more positive place for these children to learn and grow,” said Jason Mueller, of JPMorgan Chase. “Few things in life are more satisfying than the knowledge that you’ve made a difference.”
The extra help with allow Erie Neighborhood House to focus on their mission of serving the community’s families and children. Erie Neighborhood House empowers Latino and diverse low-income communities to reach their fullest potential with a range of award-winning educational programs for all ages. Their mission is to promote a just and inclusive society by strengthening low-income, primarily Latino families through skill-building, access to critical resources, advocacy and collaborative action.
Becoming involved with the United Way really opened my eyes to the amount of care and time our community is putting forth to improve the education and development of today’s youth. Although monetary contributions are needed, labor and time dedication is imperative for the organizations in need to improve in a timely fashion,” said Luke Newcomb, Associate Director at Cortland Capital Market Services LLC. “I really enjoyed working with the leaders and volunteers from United Way at the Erie Neighborhood House and will definitely attend future YLS events.”
Over the past year, YLS members have contributed 360 hours of volunteer service, resulting in $7,500 worth of labor cost savings to United Way agencies. In that time, membership has nearly doubled, reaching close to 1,000 people who contributed $360k collectively in 2008. A huge thanks goes out to all YLS members who helped further the United Way mission to Give, Advocate and Volunteer in our community. Reaching out to help those who need it most helps all of us. That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED.
