SHARE Omaha is recruiting businesses to grow volunteerism during Do Good Days on April 19-22, 2023. Since 2019, SHARE Omaha’s year-round community effort has been instrumental in helping nonprofits across the metro with financial support, fulfilling wish lists and recruiting volunteers. SHARE Omaha and SHARE Iowa’s 2023 Do Good Days campaign will focus on rebuilding the volunteer base desperately needed by nonprofits across the midlands, with the goal of 500 volunteer sign-ups during the four days to jumpstart a new wave of contagious volunteerism, that can continue through the year. Do Good Days falls within National Volunteer Week.
Executive Director of SHARE Omaha Teresa Mardesen said, “Through an informal survey, we discovered that nonprofit organizations across our area are short an average of 88 volunteer hours each week. National data shows that each volunteer hour completed is the equivalent of $30 of value to the nonprofit served. This creates a gap of $1.8 million in value across over 700 nonprofits each week that organizations need in order to complete their mission work.”
Mardesen went on to explain that during the pandemic many volunteers were not able to provide help in person and are looking for ways to return and volunteer in new ways. Omaha and Southwest Iowa nonprofits need hundreds of volunteers across the over 700 organizations represented on the SHARE Omaha website at shareomaha.org.
While SHARE Omaha continues to work with all the organizations served 365 days a year by its searchable platform to raise money and purchase goods from wish lists, this year Do Good Days is especially focused on volunteerism. SHARE Omaha is reaching out to corporations, civic organizations and small businesses, encouraging them to do a company project, promote employee volunteering, hold an office collection drive or just promote ways to do good during Do Good Days. Businesses can email teresa@shareomaha.org to connect.
Lincoln Financial Group is one company committed to SHARE Omaha’s work as the Do Good Days Champion for Education. They work with nonprofit partners who prepare students for future success by focusing on critical milestones. The company is ready to champion education during Do Good Days through volunteerism.
As a strong community partner, Metropolitan Utilities District is elevating housing needs as the Do Good Days Champion for Housing. M.U.D. understands the importance of affordable housing and utilities and is committed to giving back to support these needs. In addition, employees and retirees generously donate their time and money to the community through programs such as M.U.D.’s Home Fund, which provides utility assistance to those in need.
Omaha Steaks, a century-long community leader, has always felt a responsibility to our communities that goes deeper than providing the best gourmet food experience of their lives. As the Do Good Days Champion for Hunger, they believe that the only way we can truly thrive is if we all thrive together – no one should have to choose between food and other crucial necessities.
Opportunities to make a difference for education, housing, hunger needs and more are available now at shareomaha.org/dogooddays. Businesses, individuals and organizations across the metro can access the SHARE Omaha platform any day of the year to find much-needed volunteer opportunities, give financial help to multiple nonprofits through a streamlined check-out process, or buy wish list items or — simply go to shareomaha.org.
