A day of caring

Take Friday off ... to work. That's the Day of Caring for United Way of King County — when volunteers pitch in to help nonprofit organizations with projects. In 2006, about 6,500 volunteers provided about $703,000 worth of labor.

This year, United Way is expecting 7,000 people to assist with about 300 projects. Several still need helpers. Among them are cleanup jobs at the YWCA Family Village, Zion Preparatory Academy, the Wintonia Housing Association and the 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living.

Sore back? Help Kindering Center, a center that helps children who are disabled and medically fragile, call businesses to procure items for its upcoming auction.

Crackerjack stitcher? Northwest Family Life Learning and Counseling Center, which helps victims of domestic violence, needs help with some sun-shading curtains for its front office.

If Friday's not good, United Way knows of opportunities throughout the year.

The Day of Caring is a great way for people with time as well as money to make some volunteer connections. It's also an early milestone in the United Way's annual fundraising campaign to raise charitable contributions from the community.

The agency's top priorities continue to be ending homelessness and helping young children be ready for school, focusing resources on agencies that can advance those goals. But there is also money for human services throughout the community.

United Way contributions are an excellent investment. For the past decade, the United Way of King County has ranked first or second in the nation among the United Way affiliates in total giving.

And contributors can be assured that about 95 percent of their money goes to services because the King County organization has one of the lowest overheads in the business, thanks to an endowment.

This year's goal is $110 million that will be put to work making our community a better place by changing lives.

So give generously of your money — and your time.