We are excited and thankful to have Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) as a Community Sponsor of the 2025 Day of Caring! Harry Stillerman, Vice President of External Affairs and Advancement at PVCC, is also serving on this year’s inaugural Host Committee for the event. This group of engaged community supporters and local leaders have helped the United Way of Greater Charlottesville team with planning, strategy and outreach for this year’s of Day of Caring. We could not be more grateful for the thoughtful guidance, expertise, and diverse perspectives they have brought to the table.
We recently spoke with Harry about how hosting Day of Caring volunteers at PVCC, in addition to PVCC teams volunteering at other organizations, has helped them expand their network of supporters throughout our community! Their involvement has event resulted in financial gifts to support their work.
PVCC’s experience demonstrates just how powerful Day of Caring can be for local organizations. Not only does hosting volunteers help get much-needed tasks done on-site, but it is also a free opportunity to promote your work to thousands of community members. This awareness-building can inspire further volunteer involvement, philanthropic partnerships, and financial support. There is truly no better way to help people learn about your mission than hosting Day of Caring volunteers!
Read on to learn more about PVCC’s Day of Caring experience:
What has been your involvement in Day of Caring?
Harry Stillerman: I’m excited this year to serve on the Day of Caring Host Committee and in previous years I’ve had the chance to work with PVCC on various Day of Caring projects.
Why has PVCC continued to participate in Day of Caring throughout the years?
Harry Stillerman: We were very excited to be a partner with United Way but, more importantly, see Day of Caring as an opportunity for our campus community to be more involved in the community. It is also an opportunity for people to come and see PVCC and also for our own employees to get out and support the good work that so many organizations are doing in town.
What have been some of the Day of Caring volunteer projects that PVCC has hosted?
Harry Stillerman: Two recent examples of Day of Caring projects at PVCC have been the opportunity for our community members to come and work in our community garden on our main campus at PVCC and also an opportunity for community members to come and visit with our adult education students at TJACE @PVCC (Thomas Jefferson Adult Career Education).
How has hosting Day of Caring volunteer projects impacted PVCC even after Day of Caring has ended?
Harry Stillerman: I think both of these experiences have allowed us to form deeper connections with people in the community. We’ve been really excited for people to come and see the impact that both of those programs are making, the opportunity to connect with our students and learn about the impact that our programs are making for them and their families. And we’re really excited that in both cases over the years those have lead to financial gifts to support the work we’re doing through those initiatives.
What would you tell an organization who is on the fence, maybe because of bandwidth or resources, about hosting a Day of Caring volunteer project?
Harry Stillerman: I would strongly encourage any organization to consider actively participating in Day of Caring and serving as a host site for a project. I think Day of Caring provides a wonderful way for your organization to share your story and mission in a unique way and connect with community members who might not otherwise get a chance to learn about the work that you’re doing. It’s an opportunity for people to come to your organization, to see your facilities, to meet your employees, and learn about their connection to your mission.
At PVCC we’ve found that we have a very comprehensive mission. And while people know a lot about what we’re doing, there are many programs and services that they’ve not had a chance to learn about yet. Day of Caring provides a great chance for people to come on our campuses, to meet our faculty and staff, and most importantly, to see the impact that our programs make in the lives of our students and their families. It’s also a chance for them to form really good connections with those students and to help us continue spreading the word about the impact that we’re making in our community.
There is still time to participate in Day of Caring as a local nonprofit, school, or faith-based organization! If you have a project or tasks volunteers can help complete, we encourage you to submit your project or reach out to Markiana Smith (msmith@unitedwaycville.org) with questions.