Day Of Caring, Feed The Need, and Balloons Tunes and Barbeque are just some of the events this organization is a part of every year.
A group of six individuals work hard throughout the year to help make Southern Kentucky a better place by organizing events to showcase the caring nature of our community.

Just three weeks ago the United Way of Southern Kentucky wrapped up one of their biggest events of the year, The Day of Caring.

While it was another huge success the staff at the Downtown Bowling Green offices worked hundreds of hours planning the day.

"Every single United Way employee helps to plan the day of caring. Obviously we do it across five counties and we have six total employees, there is over 105 projects going on, on this one day so as you can imagine the months leading up to that there is a lot of work from the staff," says Interim President Debbie Hills.

It wasn't just the United Way working hard. This years event brought a record number of volunteers with over 1,200.

Mandy Baker, Director of Volunteering and Brand Management, says the incredible response to help non-profits is rewarding to everyone involved.

"To see even more come on board here in the Southern Kentucky area in the fourth year was just really astounding and really ment a lot to us," says Baker

Interim president Debbie Hills says the response shows the caring nature of everyone in Southern Kentucky and the United Way is happy to be a part of it.

"Were blessed to live in a really caring community where people are always willing to come forward and help meet the needs of individuals in the community and as United Way were just thrilled to be a part and kind of leading all those caring individuals to accomplish those goals," says Hills.

The care United Way provides caught the attention of Tony Huynh, who just joined the six member team 3 months ago.
"I did some research about the organization and realized that they are all about community impact and to be able to give back to the community is huge," says Huynh

That community impact is also felt from Director of Resource Development Daniel Moran who says working at the United Way is more than just earning a paycheck.

"It's not often that it’s your paycheck that reflects your reward but you know you are rewarded in so many other ways by seeing the benefit that it has in individual’s lives in our community as a whole," says Moran.

For their hard work putting on the Day Of Caring and throughout the year to better serve the community of Southern Kentucky we salute everyone at the United Way as this weeks Hometown Hero.

The United Way plans dozens of volunteer events throughout the year to help non-profit organizations.

For a list of the events , and how you can help, visit their website at UWSK.Org.