Volunteer
Give Back So Others Can Get Ahead
There are many ways to volunteer with Batavia United Way! Use your time and talent to help those in your community build a better life for themselves.
Batavia United Way hosts many events and community activities which are made possible by the generous donation of time of our volunteers. Volunteer for one event which speaks to you or volunteer for many events. Volunteering is what brings our community together. Please sign up here for our volunteer email list.
October
Bat Race 5K/10K: Volunteer to help with the Bat Race, one of our biggest events of the year!
Bat Race
Our annual 5K/10K Bat Race is a fun event with lots of opportunities for volunteering. This event draws over 700 runners and we need a lot of hands to help it run smoothly! Oct 24, 2026 is this year's date! Volunteer sign up will be available in August.
Monthly
Help us provide a meal to the guests of Lazarus House, an emergency shelter for those in our area.
Meals for Lazarus House
We are committed to providing food to feed the guests of Lazarus house on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Consider helping with a portion of this or get a group together and provide the entire meal!
November
Each November, volunteers rake the leaves of seniors, veterans, and people with physical limitations that need assistance. A great activity for families or groups to help our neighbors in need!
Leaf Raking
Our annual Fall Day of Caring - Leaf Raking event helps seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities clear their yards before the winter. Stay tuned for our 2026 date!
Winter
Batavia United Way is pleased to bring Snow Angels, a volunteer snow shoveling program, to Batavia. We will pair a volunteer Snow Angel with a nearby neighbor with limited mobility who needs help clearing their driveway of snow.
Snow Angels
The 25-26 has now ended. Applications will open for the 2026-2027 Snow Season in October. Please register if you:
1. Would like to volunteer to help shovel
2. Need help with shoveling and meet the criteria
February
Each February, we gather handmade, signed cards for seniors in our community to let them know they are loved and appreciated. The drive runs for two weeks each year from the end of January through the middle of February.
2026 Drive a Success!
Our 2026 Valentine Drive for seniors resulted in nearly 1,000 cards being collected and distributed to seniors in our community! A great project for families, individuals, or groups to do!
February
SOUPer Bowl of Caring
Help us collect ready-to-eat soup to provide the Batavia residents in need with nourishment throughout the winter!
2026 Souper Bowl
The 2026 drive ran from Feb 2 through Feb 6. and resulted in over 2,000 lbs collected for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry! The west side schools won the friendly competition by collecting the most!
May
Spring Day of Caring
Each spring, we host a day or days of caring. Some years we do a spring cleaning drive and other years we do a day of service.
We’re heading back to Batavia Apartments to prep and plant the community garden—and we’d love for you to join us! Last year’s efforts resulted in 800+ pounds of fresh produce for residents. With your help, we can make this year even more impactful. Grab a friend, roll up your sleeves, and help us grow something meaningful together.
Summer
Community Dinner Table: One LOOOOONG table with 250 of your neighbors to share in a meal. We will need volunteers to help us carry out this event on August 30, 2026.
August 30, 2026
Many hands make light work, and this event takes many hands for sure! We are looking for a wonderful group of volunteers this year to help us with set up, serving, clearing plates, and take down! The sign up for the August 30 event is available by clicking the button below!
Another way to volunteer is to join the Batavia United Way Board of Directors. Directors may serve 3 two-year terms. Directors are involved in the allocation process of selecting community agencies to receive community impact grants. Directors are also engaged in the programs and fundraising of the Batavia United Way. Help support your Batavia community!
To volunteer for community activities, fundraisers, and projects or to find out more about joining the Board of Directors, contact Kathy Evangelista at 630-877-2780 or email info@bataviaunitedway.org.
United is the Way!