SHEBOYGAN - The annual "Day of Caring" will take on new meaning this year as the United Way combines several events once held separately into a day-long show of support for local non-profits.

The annual "Day of Caring" this year will combine with Taste Sheboygan and the United Way campaign kickoff Sept. 8.

The day begins with breakfast and a motivational message from United Way at 7:30 a.m. at the Sheboygan A's baseball field.

After campaign kickoff speeches, approximately 500 volunteers will blanket the community to help 20 non-profits with more than 40 projects.

“If people want to see what it’s about, they can come just for the morning portion,” Emily Rendall-Araujo, associate director of community development at United Way of Sheboygan County, said. “It’s open to anyone in the public who wants to come down and get excited.”

Past service projects included landscaping, painting and cleaning, sorting donations and building maintenance for area non-profits.

“It’s to get volunteers in the community familiar with non-profits to see what the needs are in the community, but also it helps get work done that the non-profits need,” said Laura Schwartzburg, director of community development at United Way of Sheboygan County.

Volunteers can sign up to help non-profits with projects at the United Way website, www.uwofsc.org. For many local non-profits, it's a way to complete maintenance projects they would not otherwise be able to accomplish.

"What’s unique is the project sites can ask volunteers to bring things,” Rendall-Araujo said. "The Salvation Army has a lot of white rooms in their building. They’ve asked volunteers who sign up for their project to bring paint and painting supplies.”

The Day of Caring runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed in the evening by Taste Sheboygan. Volunteers who participate in the day's activities will receive a few free tickets to the evening event.

This year's Taste Sheboygan features 12 sampling stations — including multiple new stations. The annual fundraiser for the United Way runs from 4 to 10 p.m. at Fountain Park in Sheboygan.

“It is encouraged that people try a lot of different things,” Rendall-Araujo said.

Food samplings from area restaurants, including Sprechers Grille and Pub and Nicky's Pizza, will be available — as well as an expanded beer and wine offering. Other participating food vendors include Three Guys and A Grille, 8th Street Ale Haus, Ranieri's 4 of a Kind, Urbane, Black Pig, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, and Sly's Midtown Saloon.

Reach reporter Phillip Bock at 920-453-5121, pbock@sheboyganpress.com, or @bockling on Twitter