WHEELING, W.Va. – More than 175 volunteers will spread out across the Ohio Valley for the 35th Annual Sandy O’Haver Day of Caring on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. The annual event invites the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley’s community partners to give their employees a paid day out of the office and give back to local nonprofits in the area. This day will also serve as the kickoff for the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley’s 2026-2027 Campaign, “Local Impact. Lasting Change.”
The morning will begin with registration, remarks, and coffee and donuts at the Wheeling Park White Palace at 7:30 a.m. before the volunteers head out into the community to complete service projects at 21 different organizations. It is estimated that 1,400 service hours will save these organizations $48,706 in labor.
“The Day of Caring is not only a day of giving back for our volunteers, but a huge opportunity for our agencies to receive a hand in completing projects and jobs that they have not had the staff or funding to complete,” said Staci Stephen, Executive Director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley. “So many nonprofits are stretched thin and don’t have time for filing, organizing, painting, and various other tasks.”
Projects include installing smoke alarms at homes in the region, painting interiors and exteriors of buildings, weeding and maintaining gardens, sorting and organizing clothing donations, and deep cleaning of facilities. Teams of volunteers are paired with specific agencies for their projects and staff will give the volunteers direction and supervision on tasks.
The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley is an organization that supports 24 agencies and 31 programs in Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, and Tyler Counties in West Virginia, and Belmont County, Ohio. The Premier and Signature Sponsors of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley are: Berger and Green Attorneys at Law, WesBanco, Expand Energy, Westlake, Harvey Goodman Realtor, Goodman Properties, WVU Medicine, Covestro, EQT, Williams Energy, The Health Plan, MPLX, Belmont Savings Bank, Kalkreuth, and Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration.