Volunteer

TOGETHER, WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

We can drive greater impact in our community when each of us uses our time, talents, voices and expertise toward a shared objective. Below you will find ways to get more involved in the work United Way of Marathon County is doing to reach our bold goal of lifting 10,000 community members to financial stability by 2033. 

Contact the office today at 715-848-2927 or contact Carly Hanney, Director of Community Engagement at channey@unitedwaymc.org for questions about any of the upcoming opportunities listed below.

Farm to Family Produce – Tuesday Box Packing, June - September: Two local farms based out of Athens, WI provide fresh produce to be boxed and distributed to agencies in Marathon County. Your team will help pack the fresh, organic produce into boxes that can more easily be distributed. Register now!

Farm to Family Produce – Saturday Farmers' Market, June - September: United Way staff will pair your team with a member of the Marathon County Hunger Coalition to set up a table at the Wausau Farmers' Market on Saturdays to collect leftover and donated produce. The food collected is then distributed to local food pantries, ensuring community members have access to fresh, healthy options. Register now!

Farm Harvest Days: Deepen your understanding of local food systems and discover firsthand how family farms play a critical role in fighting food insecurity as partners with the Marathon County Hunger Coalition, an initiative of United Way of Marathon County. Participants may be involved in weeding, harvesting, and cleaning vegetables – come prepared to work, but also enjoy time spent with a team of people committed to fighting hunger in our community.

      Wednesday, September 20 at Red Door Family Farm: Register Here!

     Wednesday, October 18 at Red Door Family Farm: Register Here!

Lunch, Learn and Do - September 19: Period Poverty - Despite being a basic need, menstrual hygiene products are not covered by government assistance programs, and are rarely provided at no cost in schools. Find out how this issue affects people in our community, and take part in a project that will help make these products accessible to local students! Register Here!

Collective Impact Bus Tour: Visit two of our community partner agencies, pop into our Community Closet for a tour, and participate in a hands-on project to prepare resources that will be shared with your neighbors in need on Make a Difference Day! $15 per person Register Here!

Third Thursdays at the Community Closet: It takes a lot of volunteers to make our Community Closet run smoothly! Spend an afternoon with a small team helping sort clothing donations, arrange the shopping floor, do some light cleaning, and more! Click here for more information!

Make a Difference Day - October 28: Make a difference in the lives of community members by raking yards for those who are elderly or physically unable to do this work themselves, allowing them to live with greater independence in their homes. Registration will open later this year! Register Here!

Turkey Trot - November 23: Runners and walkers spend their Thanksgiving morning in a race that raises thousands for the Marathon County Hunger Coalition. Volunteer teams can help as course marshals, setting up and restocking refreshment areas, or tearing down post-race so everyone can get to their Thanksgiving festivities. 

Community Closet - United Way of Marathon County's Community Closet provides clothing to individuals and families in need to eliminate clothing costs from their household budget. There are two regular volunteer opportunities (minimum of 2 shifts per month):

Guest Experience Volunteer: Ensure that guests receive friendly, generous service and can shop without judgment. Contact Carly for more information!

Donation Processing Volunteer: Work behind the scenes, ensuring that the items coming into the Community Closet are high quality and in keeping with our inventory management practices. Contact Carly for more information!

Clothing Drives: Help us collect the clothing we need to fill the Community Closet! We will provide you with a list of the most needed clothing items, you will set up a collection bin at your workplace and then sort the items by size before bringing them to the Community Closet where guests can get exactly what they need!

Kit Building: We can help relieve a financial burden from households across Marathon County by providing for people’s basic needs – including adult and children’s hygiene items, snack packs, winter care kits, welcome home kits, and calm kits. We offer different levels of support based on your needs and make it easy for you to make a big impact. Learn more here!