2021 On-site Kit Pack Volunteer Project Safety Guidelines

Volunteers transform communities. Thank you for your interest in coordinating an on-site volunteer experience at your workplace. United Way’s main priority is maintaining the safety of our community, our staff, our volunteers, our agency partners and their clients. These guidelines help to ensure the safety and security of each volunteer activity.

Our Commitment

United Way’s Volunteer Engagement team will strategically help to facilitate small group on-site volunteer activities for interested essential workplaces with employees who have been actively working within the facility/workplace. On-site experiences must be limited to small departments of employees that have been actively working together and/or an activity with set time slots in which employees individually arrive to pack their designated kits and then return to their workstation. United Way will not facilitate on-site kit packing events for employees who are working remotely.

These kit-packing activities have been updated to address high priority supply and care package needs recently identified by our local agency partners. United Way will help coordinate placement of the kits and the workplace will then be responsible for physically delivering the completed kits to the recipient organization(s).

Required Guidelines

• The group volunteer coordinator will complete an on-line on-site event registration form with United Way and certify compliance with the required safety guidelines before event planning begins and certify waiver of liability.
• Volunteers will pre-register with the workplace group volunteer coordinator to participate in the packing activity so that you have an accurate record of each individual that participated in the activity, their timeslot(s) if applicable and can be later contacted if necessary.
• Prior to packing any kits, volunteers must wash and sanitize their hands. Volunteers must also wear a mask/face covering throughout the entire kit packing event.
• Any surfaces utilized to facilitate the project (tables with supplies on them) will be disinfected and cleaned prior to packing and in between any shifts of volunteers.
• If more than one volunteer is within the designated packing area/room at a time, volunteers will safely socially distance, at least 6 feet apart at all times.
• Quarantine the kit packing products (either shipped from United Way or if you purchase/collect your own supplies) for 3 days/72 hours in an isolated space prior to setting out for kit packing. Do the same on the back end of the project once kits are packed. Plan for delivery of completed kits once quarantine is complete.
• For delivery, ensure that the vehicle(s) utilized to deliver product are clean and sanitized. Delivery volunteers must wear masks during the loading, transporting and unloading of all completed kits.

Recommended Guidelines

• Workplace will facilitate wellness checks by way of phone or email for all registered volunteers the day prior to the project.
• A sample script and list of questions can be provided to you by United Way. You are welcome to leverage employee volunteers to make the calls/send emails as part of this process.
• Consider a staggered start kit packing project, meaning you will set 10 minute timeslot blocks for an individual or small group (2-3) of volunteers to pack a designated number of kits. This keeps people distanced and safe.
• We highly recommend either purchasing the kit product through United Way’s full-service method or bulk purchasing and shipping supplies on your own directly to your workplace vs. organizing a supply or collection drive. This just ensures greater safety of the product, limits the number of people touching items, increased exposure, etc. 

Key Reminders

United Way is always here to offer guidance, direction and assistance to ensure that your project is safe and successful. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your United Way Volunteer Engagement Contact, Account Manager or Loaned Executive.