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Special moments at Center of Hope for kids and volunteers

A week ago, fellow volunteer Leticia Foster and I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope. The Center is Charlotte’s only year-round emergency shelter, serving more than 1,000 children each year. The project gives volunteers a chance to spend an hour with the children at the Center. Typically, organized activities include board games, arts and crafts and outdoor playtime on the playground.

This was my first time at the Center, and I didn’t really know what to expect. As soon as I walked in I was greeted by two little girls who ran up and gave me a huge hug and did not want me to put them down. I picked them up, held them for awhile, and when their mom told them it was time to go, they would not let go. That was truly a special moment for me. I realized then how much these children appreciate the attention we are able to offer them through this project.

The time spent with the children serves as an outlet that allows them to simply be kids for an hour. During our time at the Center, we played some childhood classics such as Trouble, Chutes and Ladders and Scrabble. It was refreshing to play good, old-fashioned board games again. I had forgotten how much I loved them as a kid. Although, we both realized how far removed from childhood we really are when the kids began beating us at our own game. Leticia described the night as a “flashback to her elementary school years“, and was amazed to see the innocence of the children while interpreting the games in their own fashion.

Project leader Beth Butchino said she initially started with the project to establish connections with the children. I can see how time with these warm, smiling faces can keep you coming back. The children genuinely look forward to this project every week. Leticia had one child ask her, “Is this every week?” The time spent with the children was rewarding and memorable. Both Leticia and I hope to consistently volunteer at this project in order to give the children some familiar faces to look forward to every week. The project meets every Wednesday from 6:45-8pm. To sign up, please visit our website.

Kristen Okamoto is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Friday Roundup: The “Wait, It’s June Already?” Edition

So wait, it’s June? It seems like March was just last week. OK, calendar, you win. You always do. Exciting things are on the docket for Hands On Charlotte in June. The team is heading to New Orleans this weekend for a four-day conference. Stay tuned to the blog, Twitter and Facebook for updates. A summer intern will start at some point. And at the end of the month, we’re launching our new website.

And as usual, we have a long list of fun projects where you can volunteer in Charlotte. This weekend, we’re all set on Sunday, but we need you out volunteering tomorrow. Here are some open volunteer projects in Charlotte tomorrow:

• Mountain Biking with Kids: It’s that easy. You get to teach kids about bike safety and to go for a bike ride. If you’re a bike enthusiast, this project is for you.
• Assistance League Thrift Store: Sort through donations and prepare them for sale at the Assistance League Thrift Store. Fun-loving project for an amazing organization.
• Little Sugar Creek Community Garden: Have a green thumb? Do you wish you had a green thumb but you don’t have the space for a garden? Come help this awesome community garden near Uptown. The best part: you can take what you grow, and it’s free!

With a week left in school, we’re officially on summer watch. Amidst the vacations, pool visits and cookouts, don’t forget to keep volunteering throughout the summer. We’ll be here at Hands On Charlotte to keep the projects posted! Happy June, everyone!

Foster volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina

Hands On Charlotte volunteers were busy in action despite the heat advisories at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina yesterday. This week, I had the opportunity to assist the local food bank in the “Race Against Hunger” project. This was my first experience here at Second Harvest and I learned quite a bit in the two hours I volunteered.

Every year, Second Harvest delivers at least 3 million pounds of foods to agencies in 19 counties in the Carolinas. Last week, Second Harvest opened its 4th satellite location in Spartanburg. Prior to this opening, agencies in Spartanburg and the surrounding areas traveled the one and half hour commute to Charlotte to pick up food deliveries! During this particular volunteer event, Hands On Charlotte volunteers assisted with sorting donations from CVS. I never really realized the variety of household and beauty items the store sells until this particular sort. In addition to household items, the volunteers also prepared snack donations to be delivered to the new location warehouse.

Unfortunately, during this visit I was unable to meet the well-respected Ms. Grace. Ms. Grace is an employee of Second Harvest who has dedicated 26 years to servicing agencies in need. I was looking forward to hearing her stories from working at Second Harvest and her interaction with other volunteers and recipients…I guess this means I will be volunteering again!


Leticia Foster is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Speed Street promises fun for community, volunteers

The 17th-annual SPEED Street has begun! If you haven’t been to Speed Street in Charlotte then you need to walk away from your computer and head downtown immediately. The event kicks off at noon each day and will make for an amazing Friday and Saturday in Uptown. There are tons of booths set up to give away all sorts of cool free merch! There is food and drinks galore and music in every direction you walk. The event stretches down Tryon and Martin Luther King, with festivities lasting until 11:00pm each night. There will be guest appearances from some of the drivers, lots of NASCAR fun for serious fans and great performers are hitting the stage including headliners Clay Walker, Josh Turner and Everclear.

I had the opportunity to work with the Green Team through Hands On Charlotte on yesterday’s opening day. The Green Team meets for a quick run-down of the day’s events and to pick up their sweet t-shirts, which allowed us to be walking reminders to everyone in Uptown that they should recycle! Last year the Green Team played a huge part in keeping OVER 7.5 TONS of recyclable material out of the waste bins. Our job was to walk around Speed Street making sure garbage was put in trash bins and recyclables were put in designated containers. We had brand new garbage pickers to use, so no problem keeping clean. It was amazing how many people expressed their appreciation as we walked up and down the streets. Best part of volunteering was getting to enjoy Speed Street while we helped out!

To get involved with the Green Team, you can check the Hands On Charlotte website to sign up for one of the three shifts of the day. There are open shifts to volunteer today and tomorrow. If you are planning on spending the day enjoying the festivities, feel free to sign up for more than one shift! There’s always more to recycle!

Kira Hale is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Game night a fun night at Regency

All five Hands On Charlotte volunteers sat around tables accompanying residents of the Regency Retirement Village. We took the stacks of Bingo cards and selected the two we were going to play with for the night. In the middle of the tables were cups filled with white chips to cover the numbers called out, but those were for guests as the residents all had chips of their own liking. The woman beside me had gold chips and the woman across had red ones, etc.

“B7”…..”O65”…”N24”…were called by the Hands On Charlotte project leader as the residents intently looked for the numbers being called. This went on for a few minutes until “BINGO!” the woman beside me called out. She was then given her quarter for the win of that game. All cards were cleared and the new game began.

I found that I had chosen to sit at the lucky table for the evening, as many of the wins went to the residents at my table. Small talk in between games went on about the cards and the wins from weeks past, but as soon as the calling began all eyes were locked on the cards in front of them. “Last Game” the project leader called out and I couldn’t believe the night was almost over. I was having such a fun time playing Bingo with the residents. After the game was over, I thanked the residents for letting me play and they stated to me that I had not won that evening. I smiled and said “Yes, but I will hopefully have better card selections next time.”

I walked out of the room with them and made my way to the lobby with the other Hands On Charlotte volunteers. I am looking forward to the next BINGO night at the Regency Retirement Village tonight.

Ryan Kamp is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Friday Roundup: AmeriCorps Week edition

AmeriCorps Week is coming to an end here at Hands On Charlotte. Janelle, Marcel, Sarah, Shari and I have bounced around town, chatting with people about AmeriCorps.

Here are the main points: AmeriCorps provides opportunities for people of all backgrounds to roll up their sleeves for one year to work in the trenches on some of our country’s most dire environmental, economic, educational and social issues. No matter what issue area you care about, there is likely an AmeriCorps assignment somewhere in the country to foster your interests and skills. AmeriCorps is urban, and it’s rural. Members are on the east coast, the west coast and everywhere between. To learn more, visit AmeriCorps website.

While not everyone has an entire year to commit to public service, almost everyone can spare a few hours on a Saturday once a month. This weekend, we have 14 projects that still need volunteers. Here are some highlights:

• Saturday – Mountain Bike Riding with Kids – Join Trips for Kids on a short bike ride with teenagers. We can even supply you with a bike!
• Saturday – Adaptive Baseball – Come out and play baseball with kids and teens with disabilities. Adaptive Baseball is part of the Therapeutic Recreation Division of Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec.
• Saturday – Animal Care & Control – Love animals? Come help the staff at Animal Care & Control play with and take care of some cats and dogs.
• Sunday – Pet Therapy at Summit Place – Bring your dog or cat to Summit Place and spend an hour visiting with residents at this retirement community.

Everyone’s availabilities and desires to serve are different, but everyone can serve to some degree. Hands On Charlotte and AmeriCorps help you find opportunities that meet your interests. We hope to see you at projects soon!

Going Green at Cook’s Community Garden

On Tuesday I volunteered with Cook’s Community Garden. The Garden serves as a co-op for members of the community wanting to start their own gardens but who might not have the space at their own homes. In addition, the Garden also sets aside a third of an acre designated for growing organic produce to help those in need. All produce grown in this plot is free of cost. Currently, the produce is being used in conjunction with a program called ‘Friendship Trays’ which delivers home-cooked meals to members of the community who are unable to cook or leave the house.

During my time with the Garden, I was able to help build garden beds for the designated third of an acre that is set aside for free community produce. We tilled, dug foot paths, composted and laid down straw in preparation for the planting to come. The work was hard, but in the best way possible. So often, you may leave a volunteer project feeling like you could have done more, or worked a little harder. Not the case with Cook’s. I left feeling like I had left it all out there in the garden. I relearned the meaning of the term ‘sweat equity.’

There were about 8 volunteers there total. There was a nice mix of people who attended, some with lots of knowledge and experience in gardening and others, like myself, with none. It was also neat to see a mother and son there together. It is great to see first-hand all of the positive effects of volunteering such as strengthening of family dynamics. Everyone worked together. There was no one standing around with nothing to do. Everyone had a place and served a very distinct purpose in working towards a common goal.

Cook’s is currently in need of other volunteers to help, especially during this busy planting season, in order to produce a sufficient crop. The project meets every Tuesday evening from 5-7pm. I was a little hesitant at first to volunteer because I know little to nothing about gardening. My thumb is definitely not green. However, the folks at Cook’s are great and walk you through every step. For more information on the garden you can visit their website. To volunteer for the project, please visit Hands On Charlotte's website.

Kristen Okamoto is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Friday Roundup (Returns!): Get connected and have a happy Mother’s Day!

A fun article popped up on our Twitter feed this morning. Ranking the “Top 100 Socially Networked Cities in the U.S.,” we found our fair city sitting pretty at #21. If you haven’t figured it out, we LOVE social media at Hands On Charlotte. Whether through a blog post, a Tweet, a Facebook comment or a LinkedIn discussion, one of our goals is always to get volunteers to visit us (and each other) online.

But let’s be clear: all this social media hoopla is a means to an end. We want you to get connected online so that you can get connected in real life. For all the work we put in Tweeting and Facebooking, we spend 10-times as much energy providing you with opportunities to serve your community.

Looking for something to do to celebrate the Mother’s Day weekend? Here are a few options:

• Saturday – Special Olympics, Young Athletes Field Day: Assist kids with various basic sports and skill situations.
• Saturday – Trips for Kids: Just show up and ride bikes with kids while teaching them about bike safety! Bikes provided!
• Saturday – Assistance League Thrift Store: Sort clothes and other items as they head toward the showroom floor.
• Sunday – Pet Therapy at Mecklenburg Health Care Center: Bring Mom, Fluffy and/or Spot to visit with residents of this senior home. It only lasts an hour and is one of our most rewarding projects –ESPECIALLY on Mother’s Day.

Speaking of which, Hands On Charlotte wants to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. Thanks for everything you do all year long!

Network connecting volunteers, resources to tornado-stricken areas

The HandsOn Network, of which Hands On Charlotte is a chartering member, is connecting volunteers and resources to communities impacted by last week’s devastating tornadoes. Hands On Charlotte volunteers who want to volunteer or donate to this cause should visit: Hands On Birmingham or The Volunteer Center of Morgan County, Alabama.

One of the many benefits of being a part of a national network of volunteers is that in moments like this, Hands On Charlotte volunteers are already connected to communities all around the world. To learn more about the HandsOn Network, please visit its website.

As spring blossoms, kids celebrate the season at Reedy Creek Park

Despite poor weather, a recent Easter egg hunt and celebration at Reedy Creek Park were a great success for area foster children. Kids participated in several arts and crafts projects with foster parents and HOC volunteers. The activities included decorating Easter eggs, creating a necklace, playing “Bunny” bingo, and “Pin the Tail on the Bunny” to name a few.

It was a joy to see how the children helped each other decorate as well as proudly display their creations. Culminating the event was the infamous hunt. While the children participated in the indoor activities, volunteers hid over 430 candy-filled Easter eggs throughout the playground. I don’t know how but the kids were able to find every single egg it seems like in less than 10 minutes.

The best part of volunteering with this event was the kid’s enthusiasm and smiles. They were truly excited and happy to participate in this event. Each proclaimed that they were going to get “the most” eggs which was a quick reminder of my own childhood. I truly enjoyed working with this project because this was my first dealing with children….I think I am finding my niche project


--Leticia Foster is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

For the Birds provides behind-the-scenes look at Raptor Center

On a recent Saturday, a group of Hands On Charlotte volunteers arrived at the Carolina Raptor Center ready to work. The team included Julie, John, Crystal, Brandy, Kellie, Victoria, Heather, Guohua, Rui and Rob. The Raptor Center has over 23 different species of raptors housed along a ¾ mile nature trail.

In two groups, we worked on two main projects. One group prepared the amphitheater so that it could be painted at a later time. The other group helped to refit a cage for a new bird. Armed with sledgehammers, crowbars, and a battery-powered drill, the work began.

Julie, our project leader, was knowledgeable about the raptors and provided information as we went to and from the work areas. She gave us a chance to see the raptors and a sense of the importance of helping out at the Center.

One of the many benefits of volunteering was being able to see some areas that the general public isn’t allowed to see. Birds being rehabilitated need to be caged in a quiet area that is not accessible to the public. We were able to see these raptors and to talk with some of the staff from the rehabilitation facility. We also got to see an eagle that was rescued in Asheville in 1993, when it struck its wing on an electrical wire.

Volunteers are always needed at the Carolina Raptor Center, and volunteering through Hands On Charlotte is great way to do just that. "For the Birds" opportunities are available through the Hands On Charlotte volunteer calendar.


--Rob Bridges is a volunteer for Hands On Charlotte.

Visiting the McColl Center for Visual Art

Since I am an art lover, I decided to volunteer at McColl’s Community Service Day. Every corner of the restored neo-Gothic church was filled with family friendly art activities and children performances. Some of the activities including book making while another allowed patrons to assist an artist with his installation called the “Work of Art that Grows.”

My particular task included helping a former resident artist, Annabel Manning, with the Nature Prints. The project consisted of 5 stages in which individuals created their own print with miscellaneous objects, construction paper cutouts or their personal design on a plastic transparency. Throughout the morning and afternoon, our group assisted numerous families with their mini projects in which they proudly displayed on our studio walls and in the halls.

As I left my shift, I participated in a brief 20 minute docent led tour to learn more about the history and vision of the McColl Center. The tour consisted of a brief history of the original church, McColl Center, and its artist in residency programs. As a new Charlotte resident and a fellow MBA graduate student, it was rather insightful to learn how the McColl Center integrates with the Uptown community to spur innovation and creativity.

As I walked out the Center’s arches into the beautiful spring day, I was reminded of my childhood as two young boys were in deep concentration on their sidewalk chalk drawing. This event was yet another Hands On Charlotte project that me closer to the Charlotte community.


--Leticia Foster is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Volunteer Spotlight: Dan Snipes

When Dan Snipes moved to Charlotte five years ago from Denver, Colorado, he wanted to find out what the locals here do for fun. He came across an article about Hands On Charlotte and decided he’d better see what we were all about. After trying out half-dozen projects, Dan stumbled upon the Wednesday night Cradles to Crayons project and was hooked!

According to Dan, the children at The Summit House who attend this project don't have a very typical home life. While they are very fortunate to have a community to help raise them, Dan worries that they don’t always get the special attention kids need. Volunteers at Cradles to Crayons provide that special attention and lots of love.

“The kids need to know they are important. I think we do a fairly good job of spoiling them. This is evidenced by the rush to the door and the incredible hugs we get when we arrive,” Dan said.

Dan said he likes that there are so may ways to get involved and make a difference in the community: planting gardens, cleaning school grounds, helping at homeless shelters, sorting clothing and food, assisting those with special needs… the list goes on and on.

So what’s Dan’s best advice for Hands On Charlotte volunteers?

“Try a bunch of different activities to see what brings you the most joy. Return to that project often, but keep trying out new ones too,” Dan said.

“Throw yourself into it and allow yourself to be creative. While volunteering, be sure to live in the moment and enjoy the company of those around you. There are so many good people in your community, from all walks of life. You'll be amazed by who you meet.”


--Sarah Langford

Volunteer Spotlight: Eboney Luckey

At the heart of Eboney Luckey’s weekly volunteerism at Hope Haven is her belief that everyone should be offered a chance at recovery and rehabilitation. And what better way to provide a fresh start than to tutor adults who are trying to obtain their GEDs. Every Monday evening you’ll find Eboney arriving early to this GED/ABE Tutoring project so she can photocopy study sheets and worksheets for a group of enthusiastic students.

Eboney is a stay-at-home mom and a native of Charlotte who originally found out about Hands On Charlotte from her daughter’s middle school in 2007. Having always tutored in some form—from the neighborhood community center to helping classmates in the school library during lunch—Eboney has a passion for teaching and learning. Her background is in information technology and telecommunications, and she uses this expertise in her extensive preparation before every project. Each student is on a different level in his or her GED preparations, and Eboney has developed countless practice sheets for the students to use in their studying.

Eboney chooses to volunteer through Hands On Charlotte because of its organized approach to volunteering and the variety of projects through which she can help. She wants others to be aware that everyone can do something and make an impact on the world around them. Hands On Charlotte’s goal is to help people do just that.

“Education is a right, and everyone should have access to learn the basic skills,” Eboney said.

It is with this conviction that Eboney continues to “do something” quite extraordinary.


--Sarah Langford

Volunteer Spotlight: Wendy Raker

Wendy Raker first volunteered at the Britthaven Retirement Home – now University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation – on September 14, 2004. With only a few exceptions, she has been back twice a month every month for almost seven years. Her routine has remained the constant.

“I get to the center a bit early and go to the residents’ rooms to visit and to see if they want to join us for Bingo,” Raker said. “If they need help, I help them get to where we play. If they don’t feel up to it, I visit for a few minutes and then I go to the next room.”

Twice a month for nearly seven years.

“The most important thing with volunteering is consistency,” she said. “Being there week in and week out, the residents and the staff all know me. They are comfortable with me. I am ‘Bingo.’”

It’s worth noting that Wendy didn’t walk into a well-established program at Britthaven. Along with a close friend, she built the program from the ground up. At first, they encountered some obstacles like the lack of a budget and some staff resistance.

“It was a challenge for us to keep it going, but we took the bull by the horns and forced the issue,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Wendy has established Bingo & More into one of Hands On Charlotte’s best senior-focused projects. As the volunteer leader, she said she is always looking for more Hands On Charlotte volunteers.

“You have to do it from the heart,” she said. “It’s not easy because sometimes there is loss. But when you think about what it means to the residents, it makes it all worth it.”


--Tanner Kroeger

Volunteer Spotlight: Kerry McCray

In less than one year, Kerry McCray has donated $4,250.06 worth of labor to Hands On Charlotte. Do the math. That’s $354.17 per month, $82.67 per week or $11.81 every day. Yet, the recent transplant from Los Angeles, California, thinks she needs to thank us.

“L.A. is such a different world. But I feel at home here,” she said. “Hands On Charlotte has really helped me make Charlotte my home.”

But on a day when we are celebrating our volunteers’ service to the environment, we can’t think of anyone to thank before Kerry McCray. As the volunteer leader of the Panthers Recycling program and a regular at the McGill Rose Garden, she has bolstered some of Hands On Charlotte’s most popular environment-focused projects.

As the leader of the Panthers Recycling program – where volunteers collect cans and trash from fans tailgating at Carolina Panthers games – Kerry led Hands On Charlotte volunteers in helping to recycle 23.4 tons of garbage. To give some context, that’s nearly 29 percent of all the trash produced at Panthers games.

“What I really love about [Panthers Recycling] is that I hate trash. I hate trash,” she said. “Trash makes me cringe. And the fans just love it. They always yell ‘Hey! We’ve been waiting for you!’ It’s tough not to enjoy.”

In addition to helping Hands On Charlotte volunteers enjoy their experience, she’s also helped us continue our great relationship with the City of Charlotte.

“Working for the city has been a big part of why that program is so much fun. They think we’re the greatest thing, and because of that, they go out of their way to help us out,” she said.

Kerry admits that environment-focused projects can easily become preachy, but it’s her enthusiasm that makes Hands On Charlotte environment projects so much fun.

“The impact of what we’re doing there is great. The statistics demonstrate that,” she said. “But what’s really great is that it’s a non-lecture-y way to educate people about the importance of recycling and taking care of the environment.”


--Tanner Kroeger

Volunteer Spotlight: Roy Shuler

For almost eleven years now, Volunteer Leader Roy Shuler, a 51 year-old native of Charlotte, has been at the forefront of Hands On Charlotte’s poverty-focused projects. As a testament to the health benefits of service, it was a doctor who first suggested Roy try volunteering in the community. From Race Against Hunger to Spruce Up Hospitality House, Roy soon became one of Hands On Charlotte’s most active volunteers. In 2009, he became the Volunteer Leader for Race Against Hunger, and we’re grateful to have his enthusiastic leadership for such an important project.

So why has Roy stuck around for so long? It’s crucial for him to give back to the community in such a tangible way, he says. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, where Race Against Hunger is held, allows him to do just that. Roy is good friends with the staff there now, and they regularly call him in on the weekends to do extra work. When asked which activity at the Food Bank he enjoys the most, Roy answers that he likes working wherever he is most needed.

And why is Roy such an ardent supporter of Hands On Charlotte? It’s an organization that has encouraged him to get out and help the community—and to do projects that he otherwise might not have considered. Roy’s volunteer history is evidence that he likes to spread his volunteer around, and Hands On Charlotte offers the variety of projects that he likes. However, he’s found that it is the projects he goes to consistently that end up being the most rewarding.

Perhaps the most important reason Roy is committed to volunteering is that he knows he is making a difference. When he’s at Second Harvest or Crisis Assistance Ministry, he can see the impact he has on the organizations, and more importantly, the people affected by them. Roy’s service experiences have changed the way he thinks about his community, and he’s learned how widespread poverty in Charlotte really is. He’s seen firsthand how crucial the school backpack programs are and how greatly people’s lives can be impacted by his work. And fortunately for the Charlotte community, Roy is showing no signs of slowing down. You can join him in his efforts to curb local poverty by checking out the many projects Hands On Charlotte offers each month at both the Second Harvest Food Bank and Crisis Assistance Ministry. Because if there’s one thing Roy’s story teaches us, it’s that a single individual can make a huge difference.

--Sarah Langford

Volunteer Spotlight: Anthony Parker

Anthony Parker is a high-energy guy. There’s a hop to his step that is contagious. Perhaps that’s what makes the 24-year-old one of Hands On Charlotte’s most popular and committed volunteers. In just over one year, he has served 107 hours – a significant portion of which he has spent at Special Rollers, a bowling league for people with developmental disabilities.

“Everyone is born into circumstances that we can’t control. This project allows me to serve people, who, in some instances, can’t always help themselves,” Parker said. “But when you think about it, that’s what service is, no matter if you serve people in poverty, in schools or other things. It’s all about being positive and overcoming challenges.”

His commitment to serving people with disabilities is common among many Hands On Charlotte volunteers. For a list of projects where you can volunteer like Anthony, click here.

Through Hands On Charlotte, Parker has made the city his home. After graduating from the College of Charleston in 2008, he moved to Charlotte to work for Wells Fargo.

“Because of Hands On Charlotte, I’ve been able to interact with people I never would have met otherwise,” he said. “It’s social, but it’s also organized, and I feel like I’m making a difference.”

Anthony’s commitment to volunteerism is deep. A member of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega in college, he has been finding ways to serve his community for much of his life.

“Life is all about serving people. It’s not really about you,” he said. “I can’t imagine not volunteering. It’s something that I always want to be a part of my life.”

--Tanner Kroeger

New website launch pushed to early July

Hands On Charlotte will not launch its new website next week, as planned. While we prepared on every possible front – from designing the site’s aesthetics to training key users – we are not confident that the volunteer-management system is capable of fully supporting our needs.

The HandsOn Network is responsible for developing this new volunteer-management system called HandsOn Connect. During a conference call on Tuesday, it came to light that the there is substantial work left to do before we are comfortable asking our volunteers to use the system. We expect considerable improvements by our re-launch date around the first of July.

Hands On Charlotte is well known for making volunteering an accessible and enjoyable experience. Moving to the new system next week would have put that reputation at risk. Our current website is excellent and will continue to meet our needs until July.

If you have any questions about the transition, please let us know. We still plan to have a party on Thursday, April 14 at BlackFinn in the Epicenter from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. As part of National Volunteer Week, we want take the opportunity to recognize our volunteers for everything they do.

Thank you for your continued commitment to public service through Hands On Charlotte


In service,

Lisa Quisenberry
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Hands On Charlotte

Crisis Assistance Ministry serves critical need

This last week I had the opportunity to go into a number of clothing stores – each set to roll out new spring clothes. One store I went to was the Crisis Assistance Ministry store, and in that store there were no sale signs, price tags were missing and the commission-based sales reps were no where in sight. This store provides free clothing for people in need.

Along with eight other Hands On Charlotte volunteers, I helped to get the store ready for spring. We dispersed throughout the store and began pulling all heavy winter items from the racks. We loaded them in bins and reloaded the shelves with more spring appropriate clothing. One of the Hands On Charlotte volunteers asked where the clothes go that are taken off the racks. The Crisis Assistance Manager stated that the clothes were sold by the pound and the money generated was used to help maintain the facilities as well as provide financial assistance for people who needed help to pay bills and keep a roof over their heads.

Once we filled the new racks with clothes we walked to the back of the warehouse where we were lead to a long table with bins of clothes around it. We took the bins of clothes and unloaded them down the stretch of the table, gathered around the table and began organizing the clothes. We made it through a few bins before it was time for us to leave. I looked around the warehouse and saw many other bins of clothes and didn’t want to stop, but I knew that it was time to step away for the evening and come back next time.

Hands On Charlotte needs at least15 volunteers to help the store twice a month on Tuesdays from 6-8pm, and I look forward to attending the next one on April 5.

Ryan Kamp is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

Tutoring at Midwood High

For the past several weeks I volunteered as a tutor with Midwood High School, a transitional high school for 9th graders. For this project Hands On Charlotte volunteers collaborate with one specific teacher each semester. This semester, volunteers have lent their skills to a creative writing class. Volunteers then work one-on-one with students to help reinforce assignments they have been studying in class. Projects have included writing news articles, fables and editorials.

Today was especially neat to be a part of because the students are preparing for end of semester testing. I felt like I was truly helping to serve a very real and practical need in their lives. There was that one ‘ah-ha’ moment that I was able to see in my student’s eye today as we were going over vocabulary that I will be able to take away and cherish from this project. The opportunity to be able to witness that moment is all the reward I need to keep me wanting to come back.

This project is one that would really benefit from consistent volunteers in order to help establish a good working rapport with the students. I encourage you to become involved in any capacity you can to bolster the students at Midwood High and provide them the practical knowledge, as well as encouragement, that they need to succeed as they work towards earning their high school diploma. The project meets every Wednesday from 1-2:15pm.

Click here to join me as a tutor at Midwood High.


Kristen Okamato is a Hands On Charlotte volunteer.

What did you do Saturday?

I had the great fortune to participate in the Shining Hope Farms' Green Acre Project. This was my second time at this particular Hands On Charlotte event, and I had an even better time. Shining Hope Farms is non-profit organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding, family and caregiver support, and social and recreational activities for children and adults, some of which have disabilities.

Peter Samaroo, the project leader, was great. Part of our “work” was to help clear one of the riding trails from small trees in the way. In the interest of the children’s safety, we decided that additional dead or fallen trees posed a threat to the trail and must be taken down immediately. In addition, I helped out with some of the usual necessities, like raking up the “gumballs” dropped from the Sugar Gum trees. These can bruise the hooves of the horses. The other volunteers helped with spreading some grass seed, covering the seed with hay, combating fire ants, and, of course, playing with the horses.

We all had a really nice Saturday morning helping a great cause. I hope to visit the Shining Hope Farm soon, see the kids having a great time, and see my hard work pay off. While some people were still recovering from Friday night or sitting around with nothing to do, Kira, Sean, Peter, Luke, Chris, Natalie, and I got to go outside, get some sun, get some exercise, and help a great cause continue their excellent work in the community. I look forward to seeing the same faces (with some new) out there next time.

Check out more photos from the event on our Facebook page.


Josh Sauer is a volunteer for Hands On Charlotte.

Major makeover in store for our website

After a year of planning, training and designing, Hands On Charlotte is outright excited to announce that our website is getting a major overhaul. The scheduled launch date is April 7. With new search options, cleaner navigation, user profiles, user-to-user communication and more social media integration, our new website is going to improve your experience as a volunteer in important ways.


In the transition to the new website, there are a couple important things you should know:

• The current website will shut down April 4. That means all the regular communication you get via our website will not exist. Stay updated on our Facebook page and on our Twitter feed.
  
  
• Existing users will receive an email containing a temporary password when the new site is activated. You will need that password to log in initially. We will give you more details about this via email in the coming weeks.

We can't wait to share the new website with you, and we are confident the transition will be seamless. Tonight from 6 to 7 p.m. on Twitter and Facebook, we will answer your questions, share screenshots and chat about the redesigned website. Send us your Tweets with the hashtag #handsonclt and follow us @HandsOnCLT.

Help Hands On Charlotte Save Service

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 1, a budget resolution that completely eliminates funding for the programs of the Corporation for National and Community Service, including AmeriCorps and the Volunteer Generation Fund. The bill will now be considered by the Senate.

If passed, this cut would immediately eliminate Hands On Charlotte's AmeriCorps and VISTA positions, cutting our staff by MORE than half and deeply affecting our ability to mobilize 15,000 volunteers to support more than 150 organizations and schools on the front lines of improving the lives of Charlotteans.

In 2010, Hands On Charlotte increased our projects by 62%, total volunteer hours by 42% and volunteer slots filled by 57%. Much of this growth is directly related to the work of our AmeriCorps/VISTA team. They have developed projects that tutor children, renovate schools, clean streams and parks, and help struggling families feed, clothe and house their children. In exchange for their valuable work, AmeriCorps members receive a very small living stipend and an education award to pay for college loans.

Hundreds of other organizations utilize AmeriCorps members, including Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs and Teach for America. The elimination of AmeriCorps will severely impact our country's ability to serve our own citizens in need! Presidents of both parties have supported AmeriCorps as a model of public/private partnerships. AmeriCorps leverages private funds to match the federal funds at a tune of almost $800 million per year.

Hands On Charlotte and the HandsOn Network are part of a group of service organizations called Save Service, who's informative web site provides suggestions on how you -- and anyone who cares about the work of HOC -- can help.

Thank you for letting your Senator know that you support volunteerism and the vital work of AmeriCorps members. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page and our Twitter page for updates, and spread the word about this issue through your email and social media networks.

Project gives kids chance to earn bikes

When the thermometer outside hits 65 degrees, I take my bike off the rack and pump up the tires. On a sunny day, nothing is better than a bike ride around the neighborhood or to the park. I’m 26 years old now, but I’ve felt this way since I captained that first tricycle.

Thanks to Santa and my family, I always had a bike growing up. Unfortunately, not everyone who wants a bike has one as a kid. But that’s what makes one of our projects this week special.

On Tuesday, volunteers from Goodrich’s Environmental, Health and Safety Department purchased and assembled 10 new mountain bikes. Through Trips For Kids Charlotte, kids in at-risk neighborhoods will have the opportunity to earn a free bike in exchange for completing lessons in bike mechanics and safety.

From that first tricycle to the hybrid hanging on my wall, bikes have always fed a sense of freedom and independence in me. Thank you to Goodrich and Trips For Kids Charlotte for giving some kids the chance to earn that feeling.

Protests in Egypt spark push toward community service

Despite the uncertainty of Egypt’s current situation, Egyptians are claiming and investing in their country and community through service. Take a look at this video from The Daily News – Egypt.

While some of us are still grappling to understand the forces behind the Egyptian protests, there is a lesson in this clip about empowerment. Hands On Charlotte offers service opportunities in Charlotte similar to what you saw in the video. We offer Charlotte volunteers the opportunity to shape and to invest in their community. We hope to see you at a project soon.

Nationwide volunteer initiative launched at MLK Service Forum

I had the pleasure of speaking with David Ray, the Chief Strategy and Public Policy Officer at HandsOn Network, at the MLK Service Forum on Saturday. Here is a summary of our conversation:

Q: What brought you here today?
A: I am here to join Hands On Charlotte in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the MLK Service Forum and to announce the nationwide launch of a HandsOn Network program called Road to the Gulf.

Q: Why did HandsOn Network decide to put on Road to the Gulf?
A: During the 2010 HandsOn Network conference in New York, while discussing the plans for the 2011 conference in New Orleans, we began to reflect on how much the Gulf region still needs help rebuilding. At the time of the 2010 conference, the Gulf region was facing the oil spill while still attempting to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The HandsOn Network decided to create a program to build momentum and to increase volunteer capacity nationwide in 2011 by holding a ten city tour culminating with a week of service in New Orleans.

Q: What are the goals of Road to the Gulf?
A: There are ten cities along three different paths leading to New Orleans in June. At strategic stops along the Road to the Gulf, HandsOn Network will be conducting boot camps to train service leaders to organize and manage others. They will also be working to develop projects that address community-specific needs. HandsOn Network hopes to log over 25,000 volunteer hours on the Road to the Gulf tour and train more than 10,000 new project leaders.

# # #

According to Lisa Quisenberry, Executive Director of Hands on Charlotte, HandsOn Network thought our MLK Week of Service would be a great place to launch the Road to the Gulf. How exciting! Charlotte is the first city on the tour! In line with the HandsOn Network initiative of training 10,000 new project leaders, a Project Leader training session was conducted during the MLK Service Forum.

For more information on Road to the Gulf, click here.


Interview by Lynne Warholic, a volunteer at Hands On Charlotte.

Edited and posted by Tanner Kroeger.

Jennifer Roberts, David Ray head speaker list at MLK Service Forum

We just wrapped up the speaker session with County Commissioner Jennifer Roberts and David Ray, Chief Strategy and Public Policy Officer for the HandsOn Network. Commissioner Roberts spoke about the resiliency of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of non-violence. David Ray spoke about the HandsOn Network's Road to the Gulf campaign, which Hands On Charlotte helped to launch today.

Check back on the blog next week for complete interviews with David Ray and Lisa Quisenberry, Hands On Charlotte's Executive Director.

Blogging from the MLK forum

Hey, I'm Lynne. I'm at the MLK Forum. If you can't be here, please follow and comment on Twitter, Facebook and the blog. We'll have quotes and thoughts from attendees!

At MLK Service Forum, prizes from US Air, NASCAR Hall of Fame

By now you know all about the opportunities to serve your community this Saturday at our MLK Service Forum. You can drop off donations in the car loop around the Grady Cole Center from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. You can pack supply kits for families along the Gulf Coast. You can send video notes to members of the Armed Forces abroad. You can attend leadership trainings. And, among other activities, you can get free health screenings from Carolinas HealthCare.

If you attend Saturday’s MLK Service Forum between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., you will receive a free t-shirt, and we will enter you to win:

• one of three US Airways gift cards each worth $100
• one of two pairs of tickets to the NASCAR Hall of Fame

The drawing for these prizes will early next week, and we will notify winners via phone.

Saturday’s MLK Service Forum is a family-friendly event where there will be on-site service projects geared toward families as well as children’s activities. Be sure to follow our blog and our Twitter feed (@HandsOnCLT) for updates.

Click here to learn more about the MLK Service Forum.

In-kind donations needed this Saturday

With the MLK Service Forum rescheduled for this Saturday, we want to let you know of the many ways you can participate. Today we are highlighting the donation drop-offs we will have outside the Grady Cole Center from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

In the car loop around the Grady Cole Center, we will be accepting your donations. You don’t even have to get out of your car! When you arrive on Saturday, follow the signs directing you to the donation drop-off area.

We are requesting a wide variety of new and gently used items. These items will benefit non-profit organizations throughout Charlotte.

REQUESTED ITEMS: clothing for all ages, hygiene items for all ages, school supplies, office supplies, snack items for after-school programs, first-aid supplies, board games, card games, puzzles, cleaning supplies, electronics and computer equipment, speakers, microphones and amplifiers.

For a more specific list of requested items, please click here.

BENEFITING ORGANIZATIONS: American Red Cross, Bethlehem Center of Charlotte, Carolinas HealthCare System, Classroom Central, Communities-in-Schools, the CUP Ministry, Family Financial Literacy Coalition, Freedom School Partners, Greater Enrichment Program, Habitat ReStore, Hoskins Park Ministries, Hospitality House of Charlotte, Jacob’s Ladder Job Center, Latin American Coalition, Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, RSVP Charlotte, Salvation Army Center of Hope, Solutions for Life, Summit House Charlotte.

We hope that after you donate, you will join us inside the Grady Cole Center for the remainder of the MLK Service Forum, where you will find family-oriented service opportunities, a volunteer-recruitment fair, leadership trainings, free health screenings, among other activities. Be sure to follow this blog and Twitter feed (@HandsOnCLT) for updates throughout the week.

Free Community Cinema event tomorrow night

Please join Hands On Charlotte tomorrow night for a Community Cinema event at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte. From 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. we will screen two short documentaries – A Village Called Versailles and Deep Down. After each screening, we will hold a brief discussion about how the documentaries apply to our community and our daily lives. Admission to the event is free.

Click here for summaries and trailers of each film.

Community Cinemas are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of community service globally. Through film, communities around the world are having conversations with each other and with themselves, taking lessons from other places and applying them at home. In uncertain times, these discussions are more important now than ever. We invite you to join us tomorrow night at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte for one of the city’s first Community Cinema events.

MLK Week of Service begins today

Over the holiday season, did you urge yourself to volunteer more? Was it one of your New Years resolutions to get involved in your community?

Hands On Charlotte’s MLK Week of Service is an opportunity for you to jumpstart your community service in the New Year. Over the next week, Hands On Charlotte will sponsor some 50 projects across the city – all part of an effort to honor the life and ideas of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We hope you’ll join us during the MLK Week of Service. Here are a few projects you could help us out with this weekend:

• Saturday – McGill Rose Garden: Come spruce up the grounds at McGill Rose Garden, located just outside Uptown.
• Saturday – Habitat ReStore: Help Habitat for Humanity sort through donated materials and recycle what they can’t use.
• Sunday – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte: Join Hands On Charlotte for a MLK Community Cinema event at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte. Admission is free.

Click here to view our other projects.

We urge you to join us during our MLK Week of Service. Dr. King called people of all walks of life to participate in bettering their communities. The MLK Week of Service is an opportunity for you and your family to start serving your community in 2011.

UPDATE: MLK Service Forum moved to January 22

In a ripple effect of the snow storm, we have moved the MLK Service Forum to January 22. The event will start at 10 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. Here is a breakdown of how you can get involved:

• Donation drop off: Folks don’t even have to get out of their cars! From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Hands On Charlotte will be accepting donations in the loop around Grady Cole Center. Requested items include: clothing for all ages; hygiene items for all ages; school supplies; office supplies; packaged snack items for school-aged children; first-aid supplies; board games; cleaning supplies; electronic items (including computers, monitors, speakers, microphones and other education-related electronics.) Click here to learn more.
  
  
• Volunteer recruitment fair: From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Hands On Charlotte will bring together more than 20 nonprofit organizations from around the city to recruit and train volunteers for various projects. Volunteer training sessions start at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. For a listing of all agencies involved in the event, please visit our website.
  
  
• Free health screenings and children’s volunteer activities: Carolinas HealthCare will be providing free health screenings between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and during that time, Hands On Charlotte will be providing supervised children’s activities aimed at teaching kids about community service.
  

Continue following this blog and our Twitter feed (@HandsOnCLT) for updates.

How many people can you organize in one week?

In lieu of the traditional Friday Roundup, we’re asking for your social networking help. Hands On Charlotte needs you to help publicize our upcoming MLK Service Forum. So here's the question: How many people can you organize in one week? You can ReTweet us. You can link to our blog. You can tell your friends to “Like” our FanPage on Facebook on Facebook.

If our MLK Service Forum is going to be a success, it will be because of a grassroots effort. That means we need you to mobilize your inner circle! There are a few ways to participate in the MLK Service Forum on January 17 at the Grady Cole Center:

• Donation drop off: Folks don’t even have to get out of their cars! From 8 a.m. until 10 a.m., Hands On Charlotte will be accepting donations in the loop around Grady Cole Center. Requested items include: clothing for all ages; hygiene items for all ages; school supplies; office supplies; packaged snack items for school-aged children; first-aid supplies; board games; cleaning supplies; electronic items (including computers, monitors, speakers, microphones and other education-related electronics.) Click here to learn more.
  
  
• Volunteer recruitment fair: From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Hands On Charlotte will bring together more than 20 nonprofit organizations from around the city to recruit and train volunteers for various projects. Volunteer training sessions start at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. For a listing of all agencies involved in the event, please visit our website.
  
  
• Free health screenings and children’s volunteer activities: Carolinas HealthCare will be providing free health screenings between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and during that time, Hands On Charlotte will be providing supervised children’s activities aimed at teaching kids about community service.

Remember, there is no cost to attend the MLK Service Forum. Call 704.333.7471 or visit www.handsoncharlotte.org for more information. Keep following this blog, our Twitter feed and our Facebook FanPage for more information.

Hands On Charlotte is adding a new element to our MLK Week of Service – a Community Cinema.

We all know the power of films. Films have the ability to call up emotions in one’s self that we did not even know we had (which is my excuse for crying during ‘Titanic’). Films allow us to see how we are related to other people and ideas.

At our Community Cinema event, a group of individuals from the community will join together to watch one of three films. After each screening, we will hold a brief discussion on how the films relate to our lives and the broader Charlotte community.

Join us Sunday, January 16 at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte for a double screening from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. We’ll start with A Village Called Versailles and end with Deep Down.

Click here to sign up.


Bryan Schauerte

MLK Week of Service starts January 14

We know it can be tough to get jazzed about volunteering immediately after the holidays. There are bills to pay. Cold weather to deal with. And I’m certain that some people out there have a cold or the flu (if anyone wants to start a support group, let me know).

Well, here comes a spark to ignite your community-service spirit in 2011. From January 14 until January 21, Hands On Charlotte will present its MLK Week of Service.

During the MLK Week of Service, we will offer more than 60 projects at nonprofit organizations around the city. Visit the website to learn about all the projects.

Our MLK Week of Service is our beginning to 2011, our 20th-anniversary year. We need your help to make 2011 our best year yet, and that effort starts with our MLK Week of Service.

2011 begins January 17

Over the holiday season, we talked a lot about service. Of course, during that season, it’s an easy charge to talk about giving back and community engagement.

Here’s the challenge we all face on January 1: How do we sustain the spirit of the holiday season well into the New Year?

Here’s the answer in 30 words: Hands On Charlotte needs to empower our volunteers with new, innovative programming, and we need our volunteers to push themselves to continue serving their community, despite winter’s darkness and monotony.

The first major component of our 2011 programming is on January 17 at the Grady Cole Center, where we will host the first annual MLK Service Forum. The Forum will bring together some 20 nonprofit organizations from around the city to honor the life and ideas of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We will have donation drop-offs, a volunteer-recruitment fair, free health screenings and children’s activities.

At our MLK Service Forum, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the needs of Charlotte’s nonprofits, and with that information, you’ll be able to map out how you want to serve your community in 2011.

We urge you to attend our MLK Service Forum. There is no cost to attend. Click here to learn more.

Starting an exciting, transformative year

Let’s kick off the New Year with a thank you. Thank you to everyone who donated to our holiday campaign in November and December. With your help, we raised $15,000 to support our programming. We said we needed your help to bring back all the dots, and as you can tell, the dots are all there.

In fact, you can see there are a few extra dots in the logo. As we begin 2011, we invite you to join in our 20th-anniversary celebration. We first started serving the Charlotte community in 1991, and 20 years later, we are looking forward to serving you 20 more!

We are going to celebrate our 20th anniversary with events all year long. The first of those events is January 17, when we will host our MLK Service Forum at Grady Cole Center from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. At the MLK Service Forum, we will honor the life and ideas of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with donation-drop offs, a volunteer-recruitment fair and on-site service projects. The MLK Service Forum is part of our MLK Week of Service, which starts January 15 and will feature more than 60 service projects across the city.

Keep reading our blog and following our Twitter feed (@HandsOnCLT) for more updates on the MLK Service Forum and the MLK Week of Service. For all you Twitter users out there, the hashtag for the Service Forum is #mlkserviceforum.