Let's Make A Difference!
Date: Monday, March 17 @ 17:42:07 EST
Topic: News
Hello all. As recent events lead us into a highly contested war and certain economic and international turmoil, I find myself thinking about what it means to live in a country where we have so many opportunities and priveledges yet take so much for granted.
For example, the ice storm last December demonstrated how unprepared we are to deal with even the slightest inconveniences, yet many in our region deal with far greater problems on a daily basis. Also, we do not know our neighbors, and we do very little as a community. I propose that we take an active role in the greater community through a series of community service projects. We can all benefit from assisting others; through meeting each other, teaching our children the meaning of charity and service, and even a few well-deserved tax breaks. To this end, I have made a list of volunteer and charity opportunities that I plan on participating in over the coming months, and I hope that you all will join me. Some of these projects involve Hands on Charlotte, Crisis Assistance Ministries, and Loaves and Fishes. These organizations have excellent track records in our community, and all have programs that are appropriate for large-scale participation. These projects will allow Runnymeade residents to contribute in a variety of ways, so that even if you are unable to make monetary donations or volunteer your time, there are still ways to participate. We have over 268 families in our community, and the potential to make a difference is astounding. The first project is going to be a round of donations to Crisis Assistance Ministries, a nonprofit organization serving low-income families in Mecklenburg County. CAM screens applicants, then helps them to pay utility bills and rent. Most of these families receive monetary assistance only once, and are simply having trouble meeting their responsibilities and providing for their families due to a variety of circumstances. One of their programs allows families to come to CAM's central location and choose clothing and household items that they need. Their current needs include blankets and bedding, housewares, small appliances, and adult and children's clothing in all sizes. How can we help? I plan on distributing flyers to all Runnymeade homes in the coming week, notifying everyone that we will be picking up donated items on a specified date. I could use help with picking these items up and delivering them to the CAM offices. Also, if anyone would like to assist, we could use volunteers who would place signs in their yards or near the entrances reminding residents to set out their donations. If anyone would like to help out or make suggestions or comments, please post to this site or call me at 704-820-0797.
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