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This Friday, we’re hosting our Spring Day of Caring with special guests Mayoral Candidates Lee Leffingwell, Brewster McCracken & Carol Keeton Strayhorn. We asked the Mayoral Candidates to join us & help us answer President Obama’s Call to Service & they gladly stepped up! Join us this Friday at 8:30am at Alamo Park Pavilion in East Austin, learn about the impact of volunteerism & get your hands-on a good project!

Sign up at www.handsoncentraltexas.org!

Hundreds of volunteers heed President Obama’s call for service, will hear from Austin mayoral candidates before heading out to serve the community

Austin, Texas – On Friday April 24, 2009, United Way Capital Area and Hands On Central Texas present the “Spring Day of Caring.” The Day of Caring embodies President Obama’s call for community service, by mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to build a stronger Austin by working on multiple volunteer projects across the city.

More than 300 volunteers, including several teams from local corporations, will work at 20 plus project sites throughout Austin, helping many other nonprofits in the process—from upgrading childcare facilities, helping out food banks, graffiti removal and beautifying community gardens, parks to much more.

The day starts with guest speakers including Austin mayoral candidates Lee Leffingwell, Brewster McCracken & Carole Keeton Strayhorn, rallying the volunteers and reinforcing how their efforts will make an impact on the greater Austin community.

Lee Leffingwell stated “I believe there is very little that is more important to Austin’s future than the active participation of our citizens in the life of the community. I congratulate the United Way on its excellent, ongoing work to help make Austin a better place through giving and volunteerism.”

His sentiments were echoed by Brewster McCracken who said “we have a young city and those that can make a gift to the non-profits that work here can, and those who can’t – like the non-profit workers themselves, the students @ UT, young families starting out volunteer… they may not make a financial gift, but the gift of their time saves organizations in Austin an estimated annual economic contribution of $1.1 billion. Austin ranks in the top 20 of cities where the citizens give of their time, and that makes me very proud.”

The day also marks the start of United Way’s GIVE $5 Campaign. We’re inviting all Day of Caring volunteers to Give $5, Give 5 Hours & bring 5 friends. More GIVE $5 activities are planned for May and the Memorial Day weekend. More information including a GIVE5 video at www.give5centraltexas.org

Thanks to our title sponsor, Freescale Semiconductor & supporting sponsors: HEB, Coca-Cola & City of Austin Neighborhood Housing & Community Development.

About Hands On Central Texas

Hands On Central Texas, a program of United Way Capital Area, strengthens communities though meaningful volunteer action.

Hands On Central Texas is a member of the Hands On Network, whose mission is to inspire, equip, and mobilize people to take action that changes the world. At the center of the network are more than 250 affiliates, called HandsOn Action Centers that serve 83% of the American population and located 12 international communities. The vast majority of Points Of Light Institute’s work and activity happens through HandsOn Network’s Action Centers and its expanded network of hundreds of nonprofit, community and faith-based and government organizations. HandsOn Network. Generated by Points of Light Institute.

About United Way Capital Area

United Way Capital Area (UWCA) is working to advance the common good by focusing on the building blocks of a better life, education, financial stability and health. UWCA helps individuals and families in need, and works to create long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening in the first place. Our vision in Central Texas is a caring community where the opportunity to fulfill human potential is always within reach.