Program Name Kitsap County Day of Caring
Administering Agency
Kitsap
County Dept. of Emergency Management/Kitsap Co. United Way
Contact Person (Name/Title)
Laura
Jull, Public Educator or Phyllis Mann, Director
Address
1720
Warren Ave. Bremerton, WA 98337
Telephone Number
(360)
337-7119
Fax Number
(360) 478-9802
Background
United Way of Kitsap County has facilitated an annual Day of Caring for its
affiliated agencies over the last seven years.
Typically, United Way finds volunteers to complete seven or eight
projects in one day. Past Day
of Caring projects included painting agency buildings, repairing playground
equipment or clearing trails at a local Girl Scout camp.
In June 2000 the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management, under
the auspices of Project Impact, approached United Way with a plan for the
largest Day of Caring project ever. The proposal was to non-structurally mitigate all of the
United Way affiliated agencies in one day.
On June 20, 2001, 25 agencies (36 agency sites) were bolted and
braced in preparation for the earthquakes.
Who Benefits
Lessons learned from every major disaster in the United States shows the
“at-risk-populations” in any community requires the most assistance to
recover. Typically, these individuals are low-income, seniors, or
disabled and unable to engage in minimal preparedness efforts like storing
3-day food kits. These people
may live in older or sub-standard housing that is typically most impacted by
major earthquakes. These
individuals could be clients of one or more of the United Way agencies in a
community and will need someone to turn to after a major earthquake.
The best resources to handle social service issues in the community are
United Way agencies. But, in
order for the agencies to help the community, they need to ensure their
staff is protected and that their offices are intact and can resume business
functions to serve clients. Computers,
files cabinets and other office equipment need to be operational and people
need to be able to work at their desks without wading through rubble.
This is why the 2001 United Way Day of Caring was so important.
United Way Perseveres
When United Way approached their affiliated agencies about this project,
not all members jumped on board immediately.
After the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake on February 28, 2001, the agencies
were anxious to participate. The
earthquake shook Kitsap County homes and offices and the agencies saw the
millions of dollars in damage by this moderate earthquake.
United Way and the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management, a
recipient of Project Impact funding, collaborated on the 2001 Day of Caring.
United Way solicited over 240 volunteers from businesses, the
military and community members at large.
In addition, United Way sought donations from Lowe’s for toolkits
and various supplies needed to accomplish the mitigation projects.
A kick-off meeting was held for all of the volunteers and
contributing businesses with food and beverage donations secured by United
Way. Volunteer and event
advertising was secured by United Way through the local media.
When the next earthquake strikes the region, this community can be
comforted by the knowledge that their United Way agencies are more prepared
to serve those in need.
