Thank you for your interest in being a part of the 24th Annual MLK Day of Service!

 KEY DATES

  • December 2025: Agency & Volunteer Registration Opens  
  • Monday, January 19th, 2026: MLK Day of Service!

 ABOUT VOLUNTEERCNY!

VolunteerCNY is a United Way of Central New York initiative that connects volunteers to non-profit agencies in our community. This free resource reaches a network of more than 2,000 potential volunteers and 200 non-profit organizations!

QUESTIONS?

We're here to help! 
Katie Hanlon, Chief Community Officer: khanlon@unitedway-cny.org  (315) 428-2200

Elisabeth Osei-Kwame, Volunteer Administrator: eoseikwame@unitedway-cny.org  (315) 428-2210

FOR AGENCIES: HOW TO MAKE AN AGENCY NEED

Creating a Need takes about 15 minutes. Here’s how to get started:

All agencies participating in the MLK Day of Service will need a VolunteerCNY Agency Profile.

  1. New to VolunteerCNY? Create an agency profile here. You will receive an email after your agency is approved (within two business days).
  2. Existing User? Log in to your Agency Profile here
  3. Unsure if your agency already has a profile? Search for your agency here. If your agency already has a profile, create an individual profile and email us to request access to your agency as an Agency Manager. 
  4. Once you are logged in, click "My Agency"(in the black toolbar at the top of the page)
  5. Click the "Needs" tab (under the red Agency Manager Toolbox)
  6. Click "Add New Need" 
  7. Begin filling out the need form. Pro tip: Hover over the blue question mark to learn more about each field and expand each section! | Specific to MLK Day, this doesn't need to be as elaborate, and not all details will apply.
    1. Title: Be specific and catchy!
    2. Description: Provide a general description of the Need, along with any important details for the volunteers. You are encouraged to provide all supplies for the volunteers, if feasible. Please indicate if volunteers are required to bring their own supplies for tasks like gardening, painting, etc.
    3. Cover Image: If you'd like to include a picture of your site location, the area where volunteers will be working, or something of the like - you're more than welcome to.
    4.  Interests & Abilities: Use this section to help to organize your Need and make it visible to volunteers based on how they may choose to filter and search. All listings require at least one. The first one you choose will be the primary (indicated with a star), but you can choose as many as you see fit.
    5. Designate a Site Supervisor or Contact Person: *PLEASE SWITCH ON* Enter the contact information of whomever will be at the site and facilitating the Need on the Day of Caring -  if you choose any of the buttons, "Email", "Phone", or "Both" this WILL be public in the Need post. You can also choose to enter the information without selecting one of the radio buttons, and the information will only be accessible to the site manager.
    6. Duration: Select "Happens On"
    7. Need Date: Select "Monday, January 19th, 2026"
    8. Registration Close Date: We recommend Friday, January 16th - Closing registration could help you plan to ensure you have enough supplies and project scope (an appropriate amount of work to go around) for your volunteer group. Note that your need will be seen as "closed" on the website on January 16th if you choose this option).
    9. Capacity: Put in the maximum number of volunteers your need and space can handle 
    10. Hours: Please enter a single or range of hours for how long the need will take to complete (Example, 3 or 4 – 5)
    11. Hours Description: Specify when the need will take place (11 AM – 3 PM)
    12. Virtual Need?: Check “yes” or “no” accordingly. 
    13. Under "Promotions and Sharing"
      1. Privacy: Please select "PUBLIC"
      2. Initiative: Drop down and select "MLK Day of Service 2026"                                 
        3.        
    14. Under "Additional Options"
    15. Allow Team Registration?: Select "Yes"
        1. Please Note: Teams can be as small as two people and can ONLY be as large as the capacity you set. Once the capacity is full, no one else can sign up for your opportunity.
    16. Minimum & Maximum Age: Enter the lowest and highest age preferred based on your Need (Utilizing this section helps open-up volunteer demographics)
    17. Please indicate if the Need is “Family Friendly", "Outdoors”, and “Wheelchair Accessible.”
      1. If you select “Outdoors” – a box will appear for you to indicate your inclement weather plans.
    18. Use the "Attributes" section to note information that is not already part of the Need details. Simply type in the additional detail and hit "Add", you can have as many as you see fit. (Example, if a Need requires closed-toe shoes, if water or snacks are provided, etc.)
    19. Address: Enter the location where you want volunteers to arrive on January 19th
    20. Additional Notification Recipient: If you'd like any additional agency staff to receive notifications when an individual or team signs up for your Need(s), please enter their email here. This information will remain private.
    21. Waiver: If your agency uses a volunteer waiver, you may upload it here.
    22. Press "Create Need"

Note: Once you have entered your volunteer Need, you can edit details, view the Need as volunteers would see it, and review responses for each Need. You may also directly message volunteers for the specific Need. 

P.S. - VolunteerCNY is free to use year-round! 
By posting your volunteer Needs on this site, your agency's volunteer opportunities will be visible to the 2,000+ registered users of the portal, as well as to United Way corporate and community partners who use the portal to identify volunteer opportunities. Post your one-time, ongoing, in-person or virtual, individual or team volunteer Needs on this site today! Plus, the volunteer management features are great for reporting, thank you emails, and volunteer surveys. Email us to learn more about year-round use and additional benefits of VolunteerCNY. 

AGENCY FAQs

MLK Day of Service Needs exclusive to Monday, January 19th? 
Yes

Is There a Need Volunteer Minimum or Maximum? 
There is no minimum or a maximum number of volunteers. We encourage you to consider your space and how many volunteers you can reasonably host. All Needs should be 1 to 4 hours in length.

Is There a Limit to the Number of Needs I Can Register? 
There is no limit, but if you have multiple Needs, you will need to register each Need separately. For example, if you want volunteers to do something like donation sorting and another group to hang or place winter weather accessories throughout the facility accordingly, you will list each opportunity as its own Need. This is easily done by going to the Needs tab in your agency Profile ("My Agency") and clicking "Add New Need" or “Cloning” a previously listed need to avoid starting from scratch.

What Types of Needs Can I Submit?  
Here are some ideas as you plan your Needs. Be creative, have fun, and please keep state safety guidelines in mind.

  • Sorting donations - hanging them or as you otherwise see fit
  • Moving donations to a certain space in your facility, may include going up or down stairs

Are There Any Need Restrictions?  
Yes, in order to make the volunteer experience as pleasant as possible, we discourage the following types of Needs:

  • Anything too physically demanding
  • Any activity outdoors if the weather is too severe
  • Any activity not related to coat donations intake or sorting

Should we Provide Volunteer Orientation? 
When your volunteer team arrives, we recommend a short orientation prior to starting your tasks. You may want to include staff/client introductions, agency mission, program descriptions. This is a great opportunity to share an overview of your agency and the impact the volunteers are making!

Who is Responsible for Providing Supplies/Materials? 
Your agency is responsible for providing all the necessary supplies, tools, and equipment. You can ask the team to bring everyday items they may have at their workplace or home. Please indicate in your Need details if you’re requesting the volunteers bring their own items. If possible, provide enough supplies for all volunteers. 

Should we Provide Lunch or Refreshments?
We do recommend providing light refreshments for volunteers if your shift is over 2 hours. Please be mindful to offer a variety of dietary accommodations, and purchase individually packaged items if possible.

What if there is inclement weather? 
The MLK Day of Service is held snow or shine. It is recommended that you plan a backup Need in case other projects are completed ahead of schedule or in situations where weather may play a factor. A change in weather may require a switch of plans, a move to a new location, or different supplies. In cases of severe weather, we strongly encourage you to contact your volunteer team to discuss alternate plans.

I've Registered My Need...What's Next? 
After you have registered your Need, you will receive an email confirmation that will recap your submission. We strongly recommend that you keep a copy of the confirmation email for your records. Volunteers can begin signing up for your Need in late-December. 

It is not guaranteed that your Need will be filled. 

We recommend promoting the MLK Day of Service and your Need on your social media and through marketing emails.* If you post the Need to the site first, utilize the dark grey Share button in the corner (next to where volunteers can respond to your Need). You can share it socials like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and you have the option to copy the direct link and send it out in mass.

Am I guaranteed volunteers when I sign up for a project? 
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that every Need will get volunteers. If Agencies post the Need(s) to VolunteerCNY first, the link will be available and there is a share button on the Need's page. We encourage agencies to promote their Needs throughout their networks. We will do our best to help you advertise!

What's the process for when Need(s) go "live"? 

MLK Day of Service Needs needs will go live as soon as they are posted. 

I Have to Cancel Our Need - What Do I Do? 
We understand that sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances you might cancel the Need that you registered. If this is the case, "Deactivate" your need, and if volunteers are signed up, call the team contact immediately and let them know that you must cancel your Need. After you have done so, please contact us at khanlon@unitedway-cny.org or eoseikwame@unitedway-cny.org so we can assist the team in finding a new Need.