Mayor Juandiego Wade never planned on making Charlottesville his home – but after living here for a few years, it got “its hooks in” him, as he puts it. As a past Board Chair for United Way of Greater Charlottesville (2019-2021) and now Mayor for the City of Charlottesville, Juan knows our community better than just about anyone.
What changes have you seen at United Way and in the Greater Charlottesville community over your time here?
United Way is part of my DNA. It’s one of the reasons that I have such trust in the future of our community. Over my past 30+ years of involvement, I’ve seen United Way change with the economy and with society – and that’s one of the reasons the organization is so successful. When I first started volunteering with United Way, our model was centered on workplace giving, and we distributed those funds to dozens of nonprofits throughout the community. Today, we have shifted our impact to focus on our role as a convenor and collaborator, leveraging the trust we’ve built over the years to best serve our community.
What do United Way programs like Day of Caring do for our community?
It is so inspiring to see and feel the goodwill of volunteers at Day of Caring each year. To hear the laughter, see the connections happening in real-time…it’s what this community is all about: rolling up our sleeves, helping one another out, and being there for each other. United Way is the only organization that could pull it off. The millions of dollars of the impact that have been made since the first Day of Caring in 1992…it’s made an incredible difference.
How about programs like Envision Radio and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Black Business Guide?
United Way is having critical conversations with our community through these programs. When we invite a community member to speak on Envision Radio, we are ensuring that their voices are heard. That’s really special – and it’s why I’m still involved.
How do you think the average person can do to make our community a better place?
If you want to give back, you should know that there’s a place for you to do so. Whether you have a few hours a week or just 30 minutes, there are opportunities for you to impact our community through our organizations like United Way. If all of us were to give just a little, we can change this community for the better. I’ve seen it at United Way when we focus on an issue like poverty. Together, we have the resources, both financially and physically, to address almost anything.