Lane County Takes Action for Days of Caring
Days of Caring 2025 was a time for our community to come together — to roll up our sleeves, lend a hand, and make a difference across Lane County.
Volunteers from across Lane County - including the City of Springfield! - lent their time and talent to improve spaces that serve local families.
Over just two days, more than 700 volunteers contributed to 50+ service projects hosted by 30 nonprofit organizations across five cities.
Service projects impacted nearly every corner of our community: volunteers tackled landscaping and painted childcare centers, farmed and harvested food for local food banks, created and cleaned structures for rescue cats, sorted diapers for families in need, assembled kits of essential items for vulnerable neighbors, tended parks and watersheds, and cleaned and refurbished books for upcoming book drives.
A Community of Connection
For more than 30 years, United Way has coordinated Days of Caring, creating opportunities for individuals and teams to step away from their daily routines and reconnect — with their coworkers, their neighbors, and the heart of their communities.
Local companies and organizations once again showed up in big numbers this year, setting aside time from their workdays to join forces with their neighbors across the county. Together, their efforts made an enormous impact!
At Lane County Diaper Bank, for example, 40 volunteers came together over two days to pack more than 23,000 diapers — supporting over 900 families. The Diaper Bank distributes up to 25,000 diapers each month, relying on community volunteers and donations to keep little ones healthy, comfortable, and cared for.
Building Brighter Futures
The Kids in Transition to School (KITS) program helps prepare children and families for a successful start to kindergarten — connecting parents, teachers, and kids through engaging curriculum and family support.
During this year’s Days of Caring, volunteers assembled classroom activities for 45 classrooms — ready for over 1,000 kindergarteners! Teachers shared that having these classroom activities ready before the school year makes an incredible difference, freeing up valuable time to focus directly on their students.
“We love our volunteers and they make a HUGE difference!”
Volunteers at GrassRoots Garden harvest produce destined for local food banks — fresh from the earth to the table.
Growing Together
At Food for Lane County’s Youth Farm and GrassRoots Garden, volunteers got their hands directly in the dirt — weeding, laying drop cloth, tending compost, spreading mulch, and harvesting fresh produce for local food pantries.
Meanwhile, at childcare centers across the county, volunteers painted, repaired, and refreshed playgrounds — making these spaces safer, brighter, and even more welcoming for the families they serve.
Thank you to all of our volunteers, including folks from Heritage Bank!
With Gratitude
We are deeply grateful to the nonprofit organizations that serve our community year-round — and to the incredible volunteers who, each year, give their time, energy, and heart to amplify that work during Days of Caring.
From Florence to Cottage Grove, Coburg and Eugene to Springfield, and every community in between — thank you. You make a lasting difference for people, animals, and the environment we all share.
If you’re inspired to keep the momentum going, explore volunteer opportunities year-round through United Way of Lane County’s volunteer portal — or reach out to our Volunteer Engagement Manager at volunteer@unitedwaylane.org to get connected.
Here’s to another incredible year of caring, volunteering, and community impact!