KINGSPORT — Even though National Volunteer Month wrapped up earlier this week, there are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer in our region.
United Way of Greater Kingsport wants to say “thank you” to all the dedicated volunteers who have given their time, talent and resources to make the community a better place. Many organizations in the region depend heavily on volunteers to be effective in the local community.
In addition to lending a helping hand, there are also health benefits to volunteering. As First Lady Maria Lee shared during her recent visit to Kingsport, “Volunteer with a nonprofit in your community... [there are] all kinds of ways to volunteer and it’s a huge mental health benefit to serving. Serving, especially serving consistently, you start reaping benefits yourself. Nonprofits cannot do the work they do without volunteers.”
In 2023, volunteers with United Way of Greater Kingsport completed over 10,475 hours of service with an estimated value of $333,121, according to a news release. 114 organizations utilized the regional volunteer website Volunteer United (www.volunteer-united.org), resulting in over 1,680 individuals serving the local community, not including individual agency volunteers.
Individuals or groups looking for volunteer opportunities can use Volunteer United to connect with community organizations in need of help. Volunteer United provides one location for all volunteer opportunities in Northeast Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia. Using the website, volunteers can easily track hours, contact agencies and set reminders for when their next opportunity is coming up.
For employers looking for service opportunities, this year’s United Way Regional Week of Caring will take place June 17-21. Those interested should contact Becca Sutphen at bsutphen@uwaykpt.org or (423) 378-1409 ext. 13.
To read the original Times News article, click here.