National Volunteer Week 2021

National Volunteer Week is April 18-24, and we would like to take this time to recognize all the selfless individuals who dedicate their time and energy to serve our community. As an organization that relies heavily on volunteers to carry out its mission, this annual week of celebration is near and dear to our hearts. Day in and day out, our volunteers help enrich the lives of those in need and build a stronger, more equitable community. Without volunteers, our work is simply not possible.

In 2020 alone, United Way of Lake County volunteers invested more than 17,000 hours into our Lake County community, and for that, we are so grateful. Keep reading to learn more about our volunteer groups, their work in the community, and how you can get involved.

Women United of Lake County

Women United is a group of more than 100 women who dedicate their time, talent, and resources to ensure Lake County’s most vulnerable children are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed. Since 2014, Women United has raised and granted $683,000 to support early childhood education programs that change the educational futures for Lake County’s most vulnerable children.

This powerful network of women is a true gift to United Way of Lake County and the children and families who benefit from their efforts.

Leaders United of Lake County

Leaders United of Lake County is a group of young professionals who are passionate about helping local students and their families. Through philanthropy and volunteerism, they work to ensure that people in Lake County have access to the support and resources they need to thrive. Leaders United is also a great opportunity for those who are seeking to build leadership experiences.

Leaders United’s flagship program is Breakfast Club, a mentorship program in partnership with Robert Abbott Middle School in Waukegan, where members mentor middle school students, provide academic assistance, and help prepare them for high school.

Reading Success Tutors

Founded in 2010, Reading Success is a program offered by United Way of Lake County that aims to ensure that all students in Lake County are able to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade. Reading Success provides students who require additional reading assistance with a volunteer reading tutor who works one-on-one with them to improve their reading skills.

Reading Success tutors allow students to stay on track with their grade-level literacy in an effort to prepare them for more complex subjects. Throughout the pandemic, this program has been conducted virtually through the Google Classroom platform. Tutors walk students through various readings and together answer story-related questions.

Thanks to our Reading Success tutors, first graders who receive tutoring through this program have reading improvement rates that are 38% higher than their non-tutored peers at the same reading level!

Community Volunteers

United Way of Lake County partners with local organizations and companies, of any size, to create customized experiences that make a meaningful difference in our community. Employee engagement opportunities can help your company build stronger teams, boost employee morale and commitment.

Benefits of working with United Way:

• We are experienced in developing customized volunteer projects that align with your company’s philanthropic focus.
• We have the expertise and established partnerships to ensure volunteer projects are meeting the community’s greatest needs.
• We have the resources to manage your corporate volunteer project to alleviate work for your team.

Interested in volunteering with United Way of Lake County?

Check out our Volunteer Opportunities page or visit one of the pages listed above.