VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNTIES
We’re looking for curious community members interested in making measurable changes in the lives of people in need to join our Community Investment Teams (CIT).
United Way of Central Florida works with community organizations to fill gaps of service and improve the lives of everyone in Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties in the areas of Health, Education and Financial Stability.
Each year CIT volunteers research the best possible options for investing your donations. They make the decisions that help kids succeed in school, promote financial stability for families, and help people improve health indicators such as blood pressure, weight and blood sugar levels.
The teams are comprised of diverse individuals who have a combination of the following skills: strategic planning, outcome measurement, community leadership and financial expertise. Team members are representative of the region served by the United Way of Central Florida. Each member personally reviews and scores funding applications from local agencies. Teams also meet with experts in the field, participate in a group discussion and develop a consensus-based score.
The Community Investment process ensures wise investment of hard-earned dollars contributed to our campaign and is a rewarding experience for volunteers. Teams will review three impact areas: Health, Education and Financial Stability. Additional teams examine short-term crisis services for families in need of “Safety Net” services.
Community Investment Teams meet once a month from February through May. The timeline includes volunteer training, review of partner program application packets, partner program site visits/presentations and a “Discuss and Deliberate” meeting where close to $6 million is invested to strengthen our community. Volunteer commitment will help us to invest in programs that improve lives and strengthen our community.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Christy Apisa, Community Impact Manager, at christy.apisa@uwcf.org or 863-648-1500.
Tax Volunteer
We are looking for individuals to help families with their taxes. Tax season can be a confusing time for some people in our community. But you can help by signing up for a free course to be a certified tax volunteer.
After the training course, which will be held in November and December, volunteers work for a minimum of two hours a week from February to April.
We have helped families save an average of $200 on their tax returns in 2016 and our community had a 20% savings rate.
Last year, UWCF volunteers helped save fees of nearly $200,000 for hard working families. We helped families put $185,000 into savings with this UWCF project assisting family financial stability.
If you would like to volunteer, register at uwcf.org/money.
Free Tax Preparation is available to families or individuals with incomes up to $66,000. You can arrange an appointment at uwcf.org/money starting in January for an IRS-certified volunteer to prepare your taxes.
