On Tuesday, volunteers will be gathering at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Danbury to mark National Volunteer Week. They will be recognized for the work they have done in the past year and will begin their work on the annual Spring Buddy Basket program.
At the event, Kim Morgan, CEO of the United Way of Western Connecticut, will be giving a check to Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton reflecting the value of how much volunteering was done in the city in 2013. Boughton will also be proclaiming it Volunteer Week in Danbury.
The Spring Buddy Basket program was started 17 years ago and since then, more than 13,000 baskets have been delivered to preschoolers and early elementary-age children from low-income families.
“It is a pleasure to watch the Spring Buddy Basket project take shape each year. The distribution event is the culmination of months of planning and it is an occasion of great pleasure for both the donors and recipient agencies,” said Bridget Fox, executive vice president of strategy and volunteerism at UWWC.
Since the program began, children from Danbury and New Milford have benefited from the efforts made by the volunteers. This year, the basket program is being expanded into Stamford, with 85 Head Start children slated to receive the baskets.
“The Volunteer Center of United Way of Western Connecticut does an excellent job each year with this program,” said Michael Greene, director of operations and direct care services at Interfaith AIDS Ministry in Danbury.
“I am amazed at the amount of baskets given out. So many area residents are benefited by their hard work and dedication. The group from The Volunteer Center is so gracious and helpful. They make organizations like Interfaith Aids Ministry better by the effort they give on projects throughout the year.”
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