[ad_1]
Volunteers help decorate the 2024 Rose Parade floats to prepare them for their New Year’s Day debut.
[ad_2]
Brian van der Brug, Irfan Khan
Source link
Tag: volunteer
-
Photos: Volunteers put final touches on 2024 Rose Parade floats
-
Even Kids Can Help at the Ronald McDonald House!
[ad_1]
Are you interested in volunteering at the Ronald McDonald? Greenville, SC is home to the Ronald McDonald House of the Carolinas, and they are always looking for wonderful volunteers! Learn what types of volunteer opportunities are available to help support this important organization which helps families with children receiving care at local hospitals.
There are many ways that you can help support the Ronald McDonald House through acts of kindness and volunteering. If you’re looking for a place your whole family can volunteer, consider helping out at our local Ronald McDonald House. RMHC has several opportunities for volunteers of any age!
What is Ronald McDonald House Charities?
RMHC provides a low-cost place for families to stay who have a critically ill or injured child in a nearby hospital. The houses offer private bedrooms, playrooms and home-cooked meals–all of which allow families to stay close to their hospitalized loved ones. There are over 350 Ronald McDonald Houses, in 63 countries and they serve more than 12,000 families each night.
Locally, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas is across the street from Greenville Memorial Hospital on Grove Road. It features 12 private rooms, laundry services, a double kitchen, a playroom and an outdoor playground.
Volunteer Opportunities at the Ronald McDonald House: Greenville, SC
Volunteers are vital to the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville. Volunteers can help with simple chores, baking cookies, cooking meals, helping clean, and spending time with the families and siblings of children who are ill. These children are often saddled with an unbearable amount of stress. Spending time in a colorful playroom away from the hospital is the perfect place for them to set aside their grief and act their age.
RMHCC is always looking for volunteers, and there are several volunteer programs families can do together. There are lots of simple ways you and your children can become a small part of this amazing organization.
Volunteer by Baking Cookies
One of the most popular volunteering programs at RMHCC is Cookies from the Heart. This program bakes fresh cookies for the families in residence. Fresh-baked cookies help make staying at RMHCC feel more like home. Plus, it’s a fast treat they can grab on their way to the hospital.
Groups of up to 6 people can sign up for weekday morning hours to volunteer cooking and baking. You must bring all ingredients, while RMHCC will provide cookie sheets, bowls, spatulas, cooling racks, and individual baggies for packaging up the cookies. They have three ovens available for use. You can make any type of cookies, brownies, or blondies. They only ask that no nuts be used.
Children 8 and older can participate, and the rule is 2 children to one parent.
The Guest Chef Program at the Ronald McDonald House
RMHCC provides the families staying there with home-cooked meals every evening through the Guest Chef Program. Volunteers for this program are asked to make enough food for at least 20 people.
Food can be catered or prepared onsite using the kitchens and equipment at the House, which includes a gas grill, three ovens, and two stoves. Time slots for this program are every day from 4 to 6 p.m., with the mealtime around 6 p.m. Groups of 6 or less can help prepare the meals onsite.
Prepare Meals in the Weekend Meal Prep Program
Similar to the Guest Chef Program, families who’d like to help out on the weekends can sign up to make prepared meals for residents of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas.
Volunteers can prepare casseroles, soups, pasta bakes, and other meals that hold up well for the residents to cook and eat later in the week.
Families can volunteer from 11 am to 12:30 pm, both Saturday and Sunday. Meals should be cooked at RMHCC or be catered. Children 10 and older can help their parents during meal prep.
Help Keep the Ronald McDonald House Clean as a House Monitor
House Monitor volunteers can help out both during the week and on weekends to maintain the home and keep the Ronald McDonald House clean. Volunteers help families with laundry, removing trash and recycling from the home, sanitizing the common areas, and more.
They can also help with office tasks, yard work, housekeeping, and various household tasks. Volunteers must be 16 or older to participate as a House Monitor. Shifts are 2 hours long and are available from 9 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday volunteer hours are from 10 am to 8 pm.
Other Ways Families Can Help
- The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas wish list is an excellent way to help when you cannot be there in person to volunteer. The list includes cleaning supplies, paper goods, coffee cups, sugar packets, canned soups, and protein bars. They’d also love holiday toys for children and pre-teens.
- Make decorations or write Christmas cards for the families in residence.
- Collect pop tabs from cans to donate to the RMHCC. The center can then turn in the aluminum for money at a recycling center to fund the program.
- RMHC donation boxes are located at McDonald’s restaurants and Walgreens. A donation box full of spare change can pay for a family to stay at the House for one night.
- RMHCC also has additional volunteer opportunities for adults, individuals, and groups. For more information, questions, or to sign up for one of these volunteer opportunities, please visit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas website.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas
706 Grove Road, Greenville, SC
864.235.0506Would volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House be the perfect way to give back for your family?
[ad_2]
Kidding Around Team
Source link -
The Whole Family Can Volunteer as Food Rescuers with Loaves & Fishes
[ad_1]
Volunteering as a Food Rescuer at Loaves & Fishes in Greenville, SC is the perfect avenue for the whole family to give of their time to help those with food insecurity in our community.
One of the most oft-repeated questions we get here at Kidding Around is “Where can I volunteer with kids?”. Many places need kids to be around middle school age to volunteer but there are several opportunities to help others with younger kids in tow. One of those is to volunteer with Loaves & Fishes. We did it and will tell you all about how to get involved with this organization.
About Loaves & Fishes
The mission of Loaves & Fishes is “[t]o eliminate food insecurity in Greenville County by ensuring no good food goes to waste.” This is done by partnering with grocery stores and restaurants to rescue their leftover food and deliver it to community centers, schools, shelters, low-income housing, food pantries, and other people who need it in our community.
Food insecurity in the Upstate is very real. More than 45,000 residents in Greenville don’t know where their next meal is coming from and 76% percent of households who receive food assistance have kids under the age of 18 living at home. And more than half of kids who attend Greenville County Schools are eligible for free or reduced meals.
Here’s the kicker though: globally, more than 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year. Why can’t that food go to the people who need it? That’s the question that eventually led to the founding of Loaves & Fishes.
Loaves & Fishes was founded in 1991 and has been acting as a bridge between those places with surplus food and those places that need that food. They have four refrigerated trucks, work with 107 partner agencies, and have an army of 300+ volunteers to ensure no good food goes to waste.
Loaves & Fishes is not a food bank (this is a list of food resources in our area). They don’t store any food in their small office but can take food donations, which will go to those in need. But they make a huge difference in the community struggling with food insecurity. Last year, they rescued more than 2.5 million pounds of food.
Becoming a Food Rescuer with Loaves & Fishes
It’s an easy job and anyone with a car can do it! You will choose a route from the weekly email from Loaves & Fishes, which will tell you where to pick up food and where to drop it off.
Most of the places you’ll be picking up from are grocery stores like Publix, Lowes, and Food Lion. When we did our first route, we picked up from Publix. It was super easy – we just headed to the back of the store and told them we were from Loaves & Fishes.
Publix has a log that you sign when you pick up the food so we signed that and they had our boxes ready to go. We packed them in the car and headed off to drop them off.
Our destination was the Greer Community Ministries. The ladies were so kind there and had carts ready to help us unload all the goodies. It took only a few minutes to unload. Super easy. My kids helped with both loading and unloading so it didn’t take long.
Keep track of what you pick up since you’ll need to enter it into a database that Loaves & Fishes has to keep an account of how many pounds of food they rescue and deliver each year.
Our route took about an hour total starting from our house to Publix to Greer Community Ministries and back. Loaves & Fishes tries to match the places donating to drop off locations nearby if they can.
How to Become a Volunteer with Loaves & Fishes
If you want to volunteer with Loaves & Fishes, fill out the volunteer form on their website. After that, you’ll be given dates to choose from to attend the 45-minute long Volunteer Orientation. This is super important as you’ll get all the helpful information you need to be a successful food rescuer.
You can sign up for a route to do every week or just do them as you are able.
Families are welcome to volunteer together. There is no age limit
If you want to become a partner agency with Loaves & Fishes or run a non profit and want to learn more about working with them, information is on their FAQ page on the website.
Loaves & Fishes
25 Woods Lake Road, Suite 810 Greenville
864.232.3595
[ad_2]
Kristina Hernandez
Source link -
You Can Help! What Our Local Food Pantries Need Now
[ad_1]
Are you looking for ways you can help families in need in the Greenville area? We’ve identified several food bank needs in Greenville, SC and asked for wish lists of their most needed items. We hope this guide helps you help others.
Whether it’s the holidays or not, times can get tough for families. And when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, your level of anxiety can skyrocket… especially if you have a family to feed. Over 62,000 people in Greenville County have that very stressful problem on their minds day in and day out.
But you can help. There are several food banks in the area that help families who need it most but are sometimes forgotten. Below is a “wish list” of certain items that are needed right now and where you can drop them off. Let’s cross off hunger from the list of stressors that some families are worried about.
Greer Relief
Greer Relief | 202 Victoria Street, Greer
- Items for the food pantry (high need for soup, canned fruits, canned vegetables, breakfast items, peanut butter, and pasta sauce)
- Household items (high need for laundry detergent, dish soap, toilet paper, deodorant, and shampoo)
- Items for babies (high need for diapers size 3+, baby wipes, and boys and girls clothing in sizes 4-12)
- Holiday needs (turkey/ham, potatoes, gravy mix, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, and several other items)
- You can financially support through the Thanksgiving Food Baskets program
- Current Greer Relief food pantry wish list
Harvest Hope Food Bank
Harvest Hope Food Bank | 2818 White Horse Road, Greenville
- 1 lb bags of rice
- 1 lb boxes of pasta
- 1 lb bags of dried beans
- Canned vegetables
- Canned Fruits
- Canned Chicken or Tuna
- Canned Beans
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Peanut Butter
- Cereal
- Ramen Noodles
- Boxed single-serving breakfast items (oatmeal, granola bars, grits)
- Single-serve pop-top canned meals (like Chef Boyardee, mac and cheese, or beef stew)
- Baby Supplies (diapers, wipes, formula, foods- no jars)
- Holiday Amazon Wish Lists
Greer Community Ministries
Greer Community Ministries | 738 S. Line Street, Greer
They gladly accept non-perishable food items to support the on-site Food Pantry Monday – Thursday 8 AM to 4 PM and Friday 8 AM to 2 PM.
- Instant potatoes/Stuffing Mix
- Canned Meat
- Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
- Beef Stew/Chicken and Dumplings
- Canned Greens (Collard, Spinach, etc.)
- 1 lb. boxes pasta
- Canned tomatoes
- Grits
- Canned Fruit
- Canned Soups
- Canned Pasta
Food Not Bombs
The Greenville Chapter Of Food Not Bombs | Location Varies
Items that are always in demand include:
- AA & AAA batteries (to power our homeless friend’s flashlights)
- Ibuprofen, Tylenol
- Baby wipes (for personal hygiene.)
- Emergency blankets
- bandaids
- Chapstick
- Toilet paper
- Toothpaste & toothbrushes
- Dog & cat food (portioned into sandwich or quart-sized bags)
- Shelf-stable food/candy/snacks/gum
- detergent/laundry soap/Tide pods
- q-tips
Loaves & Fishes Greenville
Loaves & Fishes Greenville | 25 Woods Lake Road, Suite 810, Greenville
They need these nutritious foods MOST:
- Canned fruits
- Tuna
- Beef stew
- Pasta
- Pasta sauces
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Fresh (unwashed) garden produce
- Amazon Wish List
If you donate glass or bagged items, please clearly label and place them in a separate area to avoid spillage.
Donation drop offs are Monday – Thursday from 9 AM to 4 PM and Friday 9 AM to 2:30 PM. Call ahead before dropping off your donation.Foothills Family Resources
Foothills Family Resources | 3 Main Street, Slater
Foothills Family Resources welcomes ANY donations, but “complete” meal items are in high demand right now. Examples include:
- Pasta & sauce
- Peanut butter & jelly
- Rice & canned stew or beans
- Canned tuna or chicken & crackers or mac & cheese
- Soups/canned pastas
In addition, they also need toilet paper and diapers (specifically size 5 right now).
Food Pantry Maps
If you are fortunate enough to be in a position to help your community, these maps can provide you with locations near you where you can donate
Greenville County Services Map
Greenville County maintains this map of community services, which includes a layer for food pantries. where people can receive assistance throughout the year. Use the arrow at the left side of the map to view the layers and select “food system” and “food pantry.”
Ten At The Top Upstate Food Access Map
Ten At The Top created this interactive map, providing the locations of places where people can receive assistance during the summer. The map includes numerous local food banks.
[ad_2]
Kristina Hernandez
Source link -
Doing Good Really Is Good for You
[ad_1]
If you’ve ever served Thanksgiving dinner at a shelter, rung the bell for the Salvation Army, laced up your sneakers for a charity run/walk, or donated to a favorite nonprofit, you probably recall a moment of feeling like you’d done something good. Social scientists call that feeling of satisfaction the “helper’s high.”
It’s good for your body, toosays Stephen G. Post, PhD, author of The Hidden Gifts of Helping. “We have begun to discover that there is something going on, physiologically, in this process of helping others that makes people not only feel happier but also report greater health,” Post says.
As far back as 1988, an analysis of 1,700 female volunteers found that 68% said they felt a sense of calm after volunteering, akin to what they got from exercise. Decades later, studies used MRI image scans to track brain activity to explain why. In one small study of 19 people, merely cutting a check to charity lit up the brain’s mesolimbic reward system, sending feel-good chemicals in the body. When that generosity is practiced face-to-face, levels of oxytocin (the calming hormone released when a mother nurses her baby) and pain-killing endorphins also rise, Post says.
When we shift our minds away from our own troubles to focus on others’ needs, levels of stress hormones like cortisol fall. One study tracked 1,654 older adults over 4 years. During that time, those who volunteered at least 200 hours per year were 40% less likely to get high blood pressure than non-volunteers.
An evolutionary reason may partly explain why our reward centers light up when we help someone else. Working in a team, Post says, could have helped us survive as a species.
How to Choose a Volunteer Activity
You’d love to help out. But with so many great organizations and causes, how do you get started?
Look for opportunities that are meaningful for you and fit your interests and personality. Would you like to use your job skills? Would you prefer to do something active and outdoors, like cleaning up a park or helping build a trail, or a quieter indoor activity such as helping with a literacy organization? Would you rather volunteer with a big group of people or focus on smaller projects?
Also, consider your schedule. You can decide if you want to volunteer on a regular basis or just now and then.
These are the best ways to get the most out of volunteering, according to Post:Help others dealing with something you’ve faced yourself. Studies show people recovering from alcohol use disorders are more likely to stay sober when they help others in recovery from problem drinking. Likewise, some people with chronic pain reported less pain when, as a trained volunteer, they helped someone with a similar condition.
Do what you’re good at. When volunteers feel like they’re just in the way, the experience can backfire and boost their stress. Choose a volunteer opportunity where you can make a real contribution.
Mean it. Those who contribute to organizations they’re passionate about tend to see stronger physical responses. “Motivation matters,” Post says. “When people are genuinely altruistic in their actions, they have a better response.”
[ad_2]
-
Asian and Pacific Islander Organizations Nationwide Launch ‘Civic Action Week’ Heading Into 2022 Midterms
[ad_1]
Press Release
–
Oct 11, 2022
NEW YORK, October 11, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
From Oct. 11-14, 2022, over a dozen Asian and Pacific Islander (API) nonprofits across the country are launching Civic Action Week, organized by Gold House, to encourage voting, philanthropy, and vaccines. The week will highlight national and local resources heading into midterm elections and flu season, from the Filipino Voter Empowerment Project‘s PSA starring Timothy Granaderos to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 education campaign We Can Do This.“The pandemic has been particularly hard on many Asians and Pacific Islanders facing increasing socioeconomic challenges. We must mobilize to protect our rights and our health,” said Jeremy Tran, COO of Gold House, one of the nonprofits leading Civic Action Week.
Indeed, the collective power of APIs should not be overlooked. Asian American voter turnout surged by 47% nationally and across all presidential battleground states in 2020, becoming the margin of victory in key states like Georgia. Asian Americans also assumed some of the highest national and local offices for the first time — from U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to Mayors Michelle Wu (Boston), Aftab Pureval (Cincinnati), and Bruce Harrell (Seattle).
These victories did not come easily, however.
Barriers to voting access continue to exist in critical states like Texas, where a recent poll by Asian Texans for Justice showed that 64% of the API electorate are eager to vote.
“South Asians in Texas are up against major obstacles at the ballot box,” warns Krisan Swaminathan, Chair of SAAVETX. “Voter suppression laws ensnare our people in antiquated voter registration regulations, complicated ballot access, and stringent voter identification requirements. This directly impacts immigrant communities.”
Many API communities have also been facing limited healthcare and financial resources, despite increasing challenges in recent years.
“With the prevalence of chronic illnesses among Pacific Islanders and likeliness of our communities living in multi-family and multi-generational households, prioritizing health in our community today is key to ensuring we aren’t one of the hardest hit communities in the next health crisis,” Karla Thomas, Deputy Director of EPIC, explains.
But with less than 1% of philanthropic dollars going to API nonprofits, these organizations are working together to empower their communities through creative ways like Civic Action Week.
“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have faced many challenges over the past few years. But as a community, we did not stay silent,” says Kevin Hirano, Director of Operations and Development of APIAVote. “The change we want and need can only happen when we vote and take others with us to the polls.”
Visit www.civicactionweek.com for a full list of resources and events.
About Civic Action Week
Civic Action Week is a grassroots effort to empower Asian and Pacific Islanders nationwide with accessible resources on voting, philanthropy, and vaccines. Participating organizations include AALEAD, APIAVote, Asia Services in Action, Asian Texans for Justice, CAUSE, Chinese-American Planning Council, EPIC, HAVEN, SAAVE TX, The SEAD Project, and VAYLA New Orleans.
Source: Gold House
[ad_2]
-
Justice Entrepreneurs Project Names Andrew Vaughn, Founder of Chicago’s Innovative Law Firm Nuvorce, Llc, to Its Advisory Board
[ad_1]
Press Release
–
updated: Apr 26, 2017
Chicago, IL, April 26, 2017 (Newswire.com)
–
Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP) is pleased to announce the appointment of innovative Chicago Family Law attorney and Loyola Law School Professor Andrew “Drew” Vaughn. Drew is the founder of NuVorce, LLC, the only divorce firm where clients pay controlled fees for unlimited access to their attorneys.“For years I have enjoyed working with the JEP team as an instructor and presenter to participants and volunteers,” says Drew Vaughn, recently named one of the Top 10 Lawyers in Illinois by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys. “The mission of JEP is very important to me. I am personally committed to making quality legal services accessible and affordable to all.”
As a self-proclaimed a math nerd Drew invented the mathematical formula that predicts the costs of divorce. This formula forces NuVorce, LLC, to be more efficient. “We’re not paid by the minute. Our clients know what they’re paying, why they’re paying it, and what we’re trying to accomplish for them,” states Vaughn. “By utilizing our own business model, we hope to empower the next generation of JEP volunteer lawyers to practice efficient, affordable law, with sights always set on winning outcomes.”
Andrew Vaughn, Founder of NuVorce, LLC
“As JEP thrives to grow deeper roots in Chicago, Andrew’s background and passion for Family Law offers a unique perspective on strategy, marketing and business development,” said Trevor Clarke, Director of The JEP and member of the Chicago Bar Association. “Drew’s unsung pro bono work has served the pubic of Chicago in many life changing ways. We are very honored to have him officially part of the JEP Advisory Board.”
As a self-proclaimed a math nerd Drew invented the mathematical formula that predicts the costs of divorce. This formula forces NuVorce, LLC, to be more efficient. “We’re not paid by the minute. Our clients know what they’re paying, why they’re paying it, and what we’re trying to accomplish for them,” states Vaughn. “By utilizing our own business model, we hope to empower the next generation of JEP volunteer lawyers to practice efficient, affordable law, with sights always set on winning outcomes.”
Drew Vaughn, law school professor and MBA graduate, founded NuVorce LLC March 2014 in Chicago, IL. NuVorce is the only law firm ever named a finalist for the Chicago Innovation Awards. This year, the American Institute of Family Law named Drew one of the Top 10 2017 Lawyers in Illinois. The firm has extensive experience in handling financially complex divorce cases for professional athletes, entertainers, high-level professionals, and business owners. For more information visit www.nuvorce.com
NuVorce’s services include all areas of Family Law:
· Divorce and Legal Separation
· Child Custody and Visitation
· Alimony and Child Support
· Alternative Dispute Resolution and Litigation
· Civil Unions and LGBT Matters
· Orders of Protection
· Division of Property and Business Valuation
About Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP)
The Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP) is a network of independent lawyers who are committed to making quality legal services accessible and affordable for regular people. Lawyers in the JEP offer fixed fees and flexible representation options (like unbundled, a la carte services) to help accomplish this. Their practices seek to be client-centered and emphasize approachability and collaboration between the attorney and client.PRESS CONTACT: Laura Fitzgerald, 917 859 8028 or Laura@LiFt-pr.com
Source: LiFt Consulting, LLC on behalf of NuVorce
[ad_2]
-
Do You Want to Do Something Effective to Stop Crime?
[ad_1]
Volunteers at the Criminon Center in Clearwater, Florida, say that with a few hours each week you can do something effective to reduce crime. Help close the “revolving door” through which prisoners return to a life of crime and wind up back in jail.
Press Release
–
Jun 10, 2016
Clearwater, Florida, June 10, 2016 (Newswire.com)
–
More than 10.1 million people are held in penal institutions internationally, with 2.2 million serving time in the United States. Of the 100,000 inmates in Florida’s prison system, nearly one in three released will be behind bars again within three years. And Pinellas County ranks second in the state in the number of juvenile arrests.Criminon Florida, a criminal rehabilitation program, says that with even a minimal investment of time, anyone can do something effective to reduce crime. The group holds a weekly open house at their new headquarters in Downtown Clearwater to introduce the community to the program and encourage new volunteers to join.
The Florida group has guided some 20,000 inmates through courses designed to help them make a fresh start as productive members of society.
Criminon Florida headquarters is one of six new centers opened in Clearwater, Florida, in July 2015 to house the humanitarian and social betterment programs supported by the Church of Scientology. In the center, 83 volunteers invest some 1,000 hours each month, assisting more than 900 inmates in 101 prisons in Florida by supervising them through correspondence courses. Criminon also conducts onsite programs for groups of inmates in eight Florida prisons, some of them supervised by the inmates themselves.
The weekly Criminon open houses are attended by those interested in volunteering and others who simply want to find out more. They are joined by local businesspeople and rehabilitation specialists interested in supporting or implementing the program to tackle this urgent social problem.
Criminon, meaning “without crime,” is based on the discovery by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that the path to true rehabilitation is for the offender to “find out when he lost his personal pride.” Mr. Hubbard states, “Rehabilitate that one point and you don’t have a criminal anymore.”
Today, Criminon is active in some 1,000 prisons and correctional facilities worldwide, with nearly 13,000 inmates enrolled in the program.
Source: ScientologyNews.org
[ad_2]