Rake a Difference 2023

Team Lead Questions

Now that you’ve signed up your team you can relax. Well, sort of. Your teammates will probably still have questions. Some of them may even need to back out or even want to add at the last minute. Here is some information that will hopefully help you navigate the next stage in the process.

My teammate can no longer participate. What should we do?

We’re bummed that your teammate can no longer participate, but we understand other plans come up. Please have your teammate unregister from the event by going back to the Volunteer United site and clicking “Unregister” on the Rake a Difference volunteer opportunity. This is very important! We assign houses based on the number of teammates you have, and we don’t want to assign your team houses that you cannot complete if your team ends up being smaller than you anticipated.

What is the deadline to add new members to our team?

You can add new team members up until the deadline: Friday, October 13. After that date, no additional volunteers can be added. This is for the safety of the seniors that we serve.   

Why is the deadline to sign up so far in advance of the actual event?

We understand that people may not know their schedules in advance, but our deadlines are critical to ensuring a great event for your team and for the seniors. We need time to map out all of the seniors’ houses, map out where our teams are willing to serve to see if we have gaps, and figure out how many homes each team can serve. Additionally, we have to run background checks on every volunteer … all 800 volunteers. That all takes a long time!

What if our employees have previously completed background checks, do you still need to run one?

Yes. For the safety and peace of mind of the seniors that we serve, we are required to run background checks on every volunteer that rakes and/or does gutters at the senior’s homes. 

I have a family member/friend who wants to volunteer with our team - Is that OK?

Absolutely! Have them sign up as part of your team on the Volunteer United site BY the deadline of Friday, October 13.  EVERY volunteer must register to volunteer for Rake a Difference on the Volunteer United site by that deadline date. Volunteers are not able to just show up at the senior’s house unless they have signed their liability waiver online through the site and have had a background check completed. EVERY VOLUNTEER… NO EXCEPTIONS!! This is for the safety and comfortability of the seniors that we serve.

How do we get assigned to the seniors/houses we will serve?

United Way will determine the seniors/houses you’ll serve based on the location preference the team lead chose, team size, number of hours the team is available to work, size of the yard, number of trees, and the type of service the senior is requesting.

What supplies do we need to bring with us?

We provide leaf bags, tarps, gloves and directions for the day. Your team needs to bring your own rakes, ladder (if needed for gutters), warm clothing and shoes, water/snacks, lunch.  

Can we bring more equipment than just rakes and ladders?

If you have other tools that help with the raking process, you can bring those with you. We do, however, recommend that if you bring equipment that must be plugged in you think about these things:

·       These seniors are, most often, living on a limited fixed income.

·       Any additional costs incurred to their electric bills, even though they may seem minor, may cause a hardship for the senior.

·       Some homes may not have exterior electrical outlets.

·       You are responsible for any damage caused by the use of such equipment.

When will I receive my assigned houses?

When you pick up your event supplies on either November 2 or 3. You will receive your assigned houses and detailed instructions for each house when you pick up your team supplies at the United Way office. Please review the addresses and instructions BEFORE the event day and let us know if you have any questions.

How many people do we need to make a team?

There’s no set number! We have found that it’s best to have at least a team of four people, but there have been small teams of two, a team of 40, and everything in-between. If you have a very large team, we may need to split your team up so you can divide and conquer. If you’re a small team we may need to pair you up with another team.