Community Projects

More than a quarter of Delaware County households live one crisis away from falling into poverty. These working families (or ALICE – Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) face daily obstacles hindering their health, education, and financial stability.

Your participation in one of the following activities will support United Way’s commitment to improve the lives and futures of ALICE families across our community.

Register to Volunteer

Projects happening before September 14

Bring unused personal hygiene products (e.g. travel shampoos, soap, body wash, toothpaste) to share with local shelters and schools. Collection sites will be available August 18 – September 11 at the following locations:

  • Atrium food court (entrance near bookstore)
  • Administration Building, Basement
  • Alumni Center
  • Arts and Communication Building, Room 200
  • Ball Honors House, Front Desk
  • Ball Gym (main entrance)
  • Burkhardt Building lobby (west end by the bulletin board)
  • College of Architecture and Planning (second floor lounge)
  • Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center (south doors)
  • Robert Bell Building (lobby)
  • Miller College of Business (main entrance)
  • North Quad Building lobby (ground floor/east hall)
  • Pittenger Student Center (north entrance)
  • Showalter Building (Facilities Planning and Management office)
  • Teachers College (main entrance near the elevators)
  • West Quad Building (Room 203)

List of Items needed
(please provide new, not used items)

  • Blankets
  • Pillows
  • Toiletries
  • Toothpaste/toothbrushes
  • Soap
  • Razors
  • Underwear/undergarments
  • Clean socks
  • Water bottle
  • Gift certificate to fast food
  • Hand wipes
  • Pack of Kleenex
  • Maxi pads
  • Nail clippers
  • Band aids
  • Chap stick
  • Comb or small brush
  • Mints, cough drops or gum

Donate gently used books for all ages to help Muncie BY5 stock more than 35 Little Free Libraries in Delaware County. Collection boxes will be available August 18th – September 11th at the following locations:

  • Atrium food court (entrance near bookstore)
  • Administration Building, Basement
  • Alumni Center
  • Arts and Communication Building, Room 200
  • Ball Honors House, Front Desk
  • Ball Gym (main entrance)
  • Burkhardt Building lobby (west end by the bulletin board)
  • College of Architecture and Planning (second floor lounge)
  • Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center (south doors)
  • Robert Bell Building (lobby)
  • Miller College of Business (main entrance)
  • North Quad Building lobby (ground floor/east hall)
  • Pittenger Student Center (north entrance)
  • Showalter Building (Facilities Planning and Management office)
  • Teachers College (main entrance near the elevators)
  • West Quad Building (Room 203)

Put together personal hygiene kits to be distributed by local shelters and schools and make inspirational cards for the Snack Attack Pack and Literacy Kits.

  • Time commitment: Wednesday, September 13 from 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • Project will take place in the Atrium dining area
On-Campus Projects on September 14

Assemble 200 literacy kits – Includes a free children’s book, craft ideas and supplies, and other resources – to help Muncie BY5 kick-start reading and learning at home.

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour between Noon – 3 p.m.
  • What to Wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • Project will take place at Emens

Assemble over 1,000 snack packs for local elementary schools to distribute to kids who rely on school meals and snacks for basic nutrition.

  • Time commitment: One hour between 9-11:30 a.m.
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • Project will take place at Emens

Put together fleece blankets for children. Items will be donated to local shelters. No experience necessary.

  • Time commitment: Two hours. 10 a.m.- 11 a.m or 2 p.m - 3 p.m
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • Project will take place at Emens

Journalism students will give presentations about media literacy and the power of storytelling at various Muncie Community Schools. During the presentation, we need volunteers to help with an activity, during which MCS students will interview each other and share their stories. You will help facilitate discussions among students and listen to/ask questions of students. You may even be an interview subject! It’ll be a fun and rewarding time to connect with area kids in a meaningful way.

  • Time commitment: One hour; times will vary
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action T-shirt
  • What to bring: Prior to the event, you will receive an email to prompt a background check (free to you), and you will need to present your driver’s license to the front desk of the school on the day of the event
  • Transportation: Volunteers will be responsible for their own transportation to one of our local elementary schools

Help put together informational packets for retirees to provide the opportunity of participating in the 2023 Ball State United Way Campaign. This is a great project if you are short on time during the Day of Action, but still want to come do some very simple, yet extremely helpful, envelope stuffing during your lunch break.

  • Time commitment: Minimum 30 min. – Maximum two hours, between 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt
  • Project will take place in the Forum Room of the Student Center

Off-Campus Projects on September 14

Join a “pop-up” reader team and read to children at a local daycare. Volunteers will be paired up and assigned to a daycare; each volunteer will read one or two books (provided) and donate them to the daycare. Training is provided.

  • Time commitment: Half-hour training at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13
  • Daycare reading at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 14
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • Transportation will be on your own

Volunteers will be helping clean up the facility from Summer Camps and to prepare for the school year. Volunteers will be cleaning out gutters, raking leaves, and cleaning up the trails and ropes courses. Camp Adventure is a program of Muncie Community Schools that brings children outside to learn about science and literacy. Ball State University partners with Camp Adventure to bring learning and fun to children at this amazing outdoor learning facility.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring closed toe shoes, comfortable clothing, and sunglasses. Bug spray, sunscreen, gloves, bottled water, and all tools necessary for the job will be provided. If volunteers have small hands and would like to bring their own gloves, that would be encouraged.

  • Time commitment: 9 a.m-noon
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, closed toe shoes/comfortable clothing
  • What to bring: Sunglasses
  • Transportation: Transportation on your own: Camp Adventure, 4881 S CR 325 W, Muncie

The Cardinal Greenway provides more than 60 miles of paved trail for healthy outdoor activity. Tasks will include various activities, such as trash pickup, cleaning, painting benches, etc. at one of numerous sites along the greenway.

  • Time commitment: 9 a.m.-noon -OR- 1-4 p.m.
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • What to bring: Water, sunscreen, and gloves
  • Transportation: Volunteers will be responsible for their own transportation to the Cardinal Greenway Depot, 700 E. Wysor Street, Muncie (possibly other entry sites along the Greenway)

Join us at any Muncie Community School to engage in a range of indoor and outdoor tasks—from sorting paperwork to weeding and painting. Many hands make light work, and all skill levels are welcome.

This event is in partnership with Muncie Clean and Beautiful and MCS-BSU Connections, which pairs each Ball State college with a Muncie school for collaboration and support.

  •  Time commitment: 9 a.m.-noon. or 1-4 p.m.
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action T-shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • What to bring: Water, sunscreen, and gloves
  • Transportation: Volunteers will be responsible for their own transportation to one of our local schools

Help to increase the attractiveness of our local dog park. Volunteers will help build and install a large protective shelter over two picnic tables. In addition, we will freshen up planters that were installed during the 2019 Day of Action. The dog park is a walkable distance from campus behind Fraternity Row.

  • Time commitment: 9 a.m.-noon. -OR- 1-4 p.m. 
  • What to wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, comfortable shoes/pants
  • What to bring: Water and sunscreen
  • Transportation: On your own – you can walk the short distance from campus or drive.
United Way Sponsored Projects

Boys and Girls Club

Project 1 Main Madison St. location: Tidying up the Boys and Girls Club. Volunteers can expect to paint, wipe down tables & chairs, mop floors, and dust.

Project 2 Roy C. Buley Center site: Help refresh the inside of the facility by touching up painting, wiping down tables and chairs and mopping the floors.

  • Time Commitment: 8:30-12:00 pm
  • What to Wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Gloves are optional
  • Transportation: Volunteers will be responsible for their own transportation.

Second Harvest Food Bank

Day of Action volunteers will focus on fresh coats of paint on our safety barriers, gates, community room, etc.

Volunteer will also be adding to our first year garden with some exciting structure and décor!! If there is produce that needs picked, we'll do that as well. All new volunteers will receive a tour of the facilities and during the welcome. Come celebrate our 40th year with us this year and let's get things done! Bring a favorite pair of work gloves and get ready to build capacity with us!

  • Time Commitment: 8:30-12:00 pm or 1-4:30 pm. Lunch will be provided.
  • What to Wear: Your 2023 UW Day of Action shirt, clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Gloves are optional.
  • Transportation: Volunteers will be responsible for their own transportation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Faculty, professional, service, and staff employees may participate.

Yes. You will be paid for the time you normally would have been scheduled to work.

There are opportunities to volunteer virtually or on your own.

Employees must obtain pre-approval from their supervisor and include the time or hours you would like to volunteer. The request and approval must be in writing (email is OK) and your supervisor should retain the document in their payroll audit files.

Once you receive your supervisor’s approval, please complete our online registration form.

Supervisors are encouraged to allow employees to participate. However, the supervisor must ensure that there is appropriate staffing to meet the needs of the organization.

Non-Exempt (hourly)

If you are a non-exempt (hourly paid), clock out for the time that you are volunteering (this includes travel time). You or your supervisor will add the pay code “Volunteer Pay” in UKG. As an employee, you can enter the Volunteer Pay directly on your timecard via a timecard edit or a time off request (both will go into a pending status until approved by your supervisor). As a supervisor, you can add the Volunteer Pay directly to the employee’s timecard. This process mirrors how you handle other paid time off such as sick, vacation, PTO, etc.

For example, if Mary is volunteering from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and leaved at 8:30 AM and returns at 1130 AM, she would clock out at 8:00 AM, clock back in at 11:30 AM, and then at 3 hours of “Volunteer Pay” in UKG.

Exempt (Salaried)

If  you are exempt (salaried), the hours spent volunteering should also be coded as “Volunteer Pay” in UKG.  Unlike sick and vacation that are reported in half or full day increments, “Volunteer Pay” is entered in increments of 15 minutes.

For example, if Mary spends 2.5 hours preforming volunteer work, she would add a line in UKG with 2.5 hours of Volunteer Pay.

Please keep a copy of your employee’s request to participate in the Day of Action along with your approval of the request. If your employee submitted a Kronos Adjustment Form, please keep this document for three years.

If you have questions regarding volunteer opportunities, please contact the Office of Community Engagement.

For information regarding Ball State University volunteer activities and related record keeping policies, please contact Kate Stoss in Human Resources.

Questions?

Contact the Office of Community Engagement.