Each year on Servathon, we’re blown away by the tremendous support of thousands of local community members giving their time to make the metropolitan area a better place. Seeing people of all ages and backgrounds unite for a common cause – and achieve incredible impact in the community in such a short amount of time – is what makes Servathon so special. Each spring for two days volunteers are able to  transform the region; completing essential projects at nonprofits and schools in DC, Maryland, and Virginia that otherwise would take months or years to complete. Last year, in just a few hours on a Saturday morning in May, volunteers planted trees throughout the city, prepared thousands of meals for the hungry, removed trash from our community public parks and national monuments, revitalized public school and neighborhood play spaces, and much, much more!

Last year over 3,500 Servathon volunteers completed essential projects in the community, they also raised over $100,000 for Greater DC Cares! Just like with a Walkathon or Rideathon, Servathon provides an opportunity for participants to reach out to their networks to spread the word about the incredible work that Greater DC Cares is doing and invite them to support the cause by making a donation to GDCC. We ask each Servathon volunteer to raise $100 or more, which enables us to manage thousands of volunteer projects on Servathon and throughout the year.

Given the current economic times, we know that the critical services provided by Greater DC Cares are needed now more than ever. Over the past year, we’ve seen an increase in requests for volunteer services from nonprofit organizations, and we’re managing more volunteers each month than ever before. That’s why this year for Servathon, we’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $160,000- and we need your help!

Register for Servathon today and find out how you can begin spreading the word about Greater DC Cares and help us raise the funds needed to provide critical services throughout 2010 and beyond! We make it easy to invite your friends, family, classmates and coworkers to get involved. Once you register for the event, you will have your own headquarters with automated tools that allow you to create a personal Servathon page with customized photos and your own message. You can send emails inviting friends, family, and colleagues to support your volunteer efforts on Servathon by donating to Greater DC Cares. We provide sample emails that you can use – or you can write your own.

We’re also awarding prizes to our top fundraisers, so be sure to check out our prizes section, and don’t forget to read through our fundraising tips!

Can’t participate in Servathon this year? You can still support us! Donate at www.greaterdccares.org or mail a check to our offices at 1156 15^th Street NW, Suite 840 Washington, DC 20005.

If you have questions about fundraising or need additional help to get you started, Greater DC Cares staff is happy to help! Contact Lauren at 202-777-4451 or lconte@greaterdccares.org.