From landscaping, painting and sorting donations to engaging with senior citizens as well as students at day camp, this year’s first ever Day of Caring had the help of 66 volunteers working alongside United Way’s six staff members at 12 sites in Dunkirk, Fredonia and Jamestown.

“Day of Caring demonstrated the power of partnership,” said Eric Rinaldo, United Way of CHautauqua County community impact manager, who coordinated the effort. “Businesses sent their employees, community members showed up, and everyone came together to lend their time and talents.”

Day of Caring 2025 was sponsored by Live CHQ, Refresco and Wells — and was supported by volunteers from Purina, Refresco, Wegmans, Northwest Bank, Tim Hortons, the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, The Hartford, Edward Jones, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Cassadaga Job Corps, Rose & Grace Studio, Social Chariot, Creche, and Jamestown Young Professionals.

Agencies and schools that benefited from this year’s Day of Caring included: Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County, CASA of Chautauqua, Chautauqua Adult Day Services in Jamestown & Dunkirk, Child Advocacy Program’s Dunkirk office, Community Helping Hands, Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels, Jamestown Meals on Wheels, Prevention Works, United Way’s Dunkirk office, Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys & Girls Club, and Wheelock Primary School.

Staff from Wegmans washed the Jamestown Meals on Wheels delivery vehicles recently as part of United Way of Chautauqua County’s first-ever Day of Caring.

“The experience went both ways,” said Katie Castro, United Way of Chautauqua County advancement director. “The agencies, their staffs and clients benefited from the extra help, but our volunteers also walked away with something powerful – the knowledge that Day of Caring is about more than the tasks at hand. It’s about the people we meet, the joy we create, and the connections we build as a community.”

United Way officials say they plan to continue building Day of Caring into an annual tradition. For more information, visit UnitedWayCHQ.org. To indicate interest in volunteering next year, contact Rinaldo at erinaldo@uwayscc.org or 716-483-1561.

A team of volunteers from Refresco helped the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County prepare its new building as part of United Way of Chautauqua County’s first-ever Day of Caring. A sponsor of United Way’s Day of Caring, Refresco employees cleaned, painted, pulled weeds, landscaped and more at the Dunkirk site.

A team of volunteers from Refresco helped the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County prepare its new building as part of United Way of Chautauqua County’s first-ever Day of Caring. A sponsor of United Way’s Day of Caring, Refresco employees cleaned, painted, pulled weeds, landscaped and more at the Dunkirk site.

A team of volunteers from Refresco helped the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County prepare its new building as part of United Way of Chautauqua County’s first-ever Day of Caring. A sponsor of United Way’s Day of Caring, Refresco employees cleaned, painted, pulled weeds, landscaped and more at the Dunkirk site.

A team of volunteers from Refresco helped the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County prepare its new building as part of United Way of Chautauqua County’s first-ever Day of Caring. A sponsor of United Way’s Day of Caring, Refresco employees cleaned, painted, pulled weeds, landscaped and more at the Dunkirk site.

Volunteer Ed Sunday of Concentrix hauled brush from United Way’s Dunkirk office as part of the 2025 Day of Caring – a countywide day of volunteering coordinated by United Way of Chautauqua County.

Volunteers facilitated activities and games with seniors as part of United Way of Chautauqua County’s first-ever Day of Caring on August 15. Chautauqua Adult Day Services was one of 11 agencies which participated in the countywide day of volunteering. Individuals from the community served as volunteers at both the Dunkirk and Jamestown CADS sites.