For years, Phylis Holliday, of the Friendship Community Center, has worked on a shoestring budget to provide programs for mentally ill residents.

Repairing the buildings in the complex on Central Avenue, she said, doesn't always make it to the priority list.

"They are doing lots of work. I did well just to buy the materials. There's no way I could have afforded the price of labor," said Ms. Holliday, the director of the center that received needed refurbishments Friday during the United Way of the CSRA's annual "day of caring" program called Project Serve.

More than 200 volunteers put time and energy into 11 charities during the event.

Ronnie Rutherford headed a work crew from the Savannah River Site at the Friendship Community Center.

There, Mr. Rutherford repaired a hole in a ceiling while others placed linoleum on a floor in an office. SRS employees also put in a new front door. The previous door would barely close, much less lock, Ms. Holliday said. Friendship Community Center staff kept the door closed by placing a chair underneath the doorknob.

Unfortunately, that didn't work because many people would just push past the chair, Ms. Holliday said.

SRS employees have spent several Project Serve days at Friendship Community Center.

"This is the third or fourth time in the past seven years I've worked with the program," said Paul Filpus-Luyckx, a program manager with environmental and chemical process technology at the Savannah River National Laboratory.

He spent Friday installing a linoleum floor. In the past few years, he's put down linoleum in several rooms, he said.

Mr. Rutherford, the group's leader, said he likes to be able to give back to the community. Though he contributes financially to the United Way, he said he also likes to help in other ways.

"This stretches their dollar," Mr. Rutherford said of the charities involved. "We probably save them $5,000 or $10,000 in one day. They can use that money in the community to help people."

Volunteers from companies such as Atlanta Gas Light, The Home Depot, Procter & Gamble Co., Doctors Hospital and Palmetto GBA worked at organizations such as Boys and Girls Club of Augusta, Safe Homes and the Salvation Army.

Last year's effort resulted in the donation of about $25,000 worth of labor and materials, according to a news release.

Reach Charmain Z. Brackett at czbrackett@hotmail.com.