An open letter from Executive Director Lisa Quisenberry

Dear Hands On Charlotte volunteers,

Some of you may remember that almost 20 years ago a group of 15 concerned citizens came together to found Hands On Charlotte in order to make it easier for people to volunteer their time. While the scope and impact of HOC have grown through the years, our core mission remains to inspire, to equip and to mobilize volunteers to meet critical community needs.

I am blessed to have been able to be part of Hands On Charlotte’s evolution from that original group into one of our city’s most important nonprofits. Our volunteer programs assist hundreds of nonprofits, schools and agencies and engage 12,000 volunteers. Together, we have built HOC into an impactful and sustainable institution.

I was reminded of the importance of sustainability recently when I met a student volunteer at Hawthorne High School named Jasmine. Jasmine looked at my nametag and said, “I remember you and Hands On Charlotte. You used to come to the Boy’s & Girl’s Club and teach us and play with us. You all were so nice”. I was astonished that she would know me, as it’s been at least 10 years since I volunteered there. But what really excited me was that now SHE was volunteering 4 hours of her time on a to help build a memorial garden for a Hawthorne student who was murdered last year.

That’s the legacy of HOC. That a teenaged girl has such a good memory of volunteers who spent time with her that she would joyfully get up early on a Saturday morning and volunteer herself! This legacy would not be possible without the continued support of you – HOC’s committed volunteers.

Helping others is a life-changing event, and I am dedicated to making sure that many, many more people get that chance. I hope you will join me in ensuring that Hands On Charlotte is sustainable next year and many more years to come by making a financial contribution. We’ve made it easy for you – just click this link to give online. If you prefer the tried-and-true method of mailing a check, our address is:

Hands On Charlotte
1616 Central Avenue Suite 200
Charlotte, NC 28205

Thank you so much for all you do for Hands On Charlotte and have a wonderful holiday.


In service,

Lisa Quisenberry
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Hands On Charlotte

A thank you from Lisa Quisenberry

Dear friends of Hands On Charlotte,


Hands On Charlotte Day is now behind us, and I want to send a very big thank you to everyone who participated and donated. With your help, we had an incredibly successful event. From everyone at Hands On Charlotte, thank you for joining us on this year's Hands On Charlotte Day.


We want to share with you some of the results. We sent teams to 19 sites - 10 of which were public schools. At this year's Hands On Charlotte Day, our volunteers:

• donated 1,540 hours of their time,
• cleared 30,315 square feet of land,
• spread 8,580 pounds of mulch,
• spread 6,766 pounds of topsoil,
• planted 369 flowers,
• collected 137 bags of trash,
• spread 117 bales of pine straw, and
• sorted 61 pallets of donations.

Come visit us on Facebook, where you can check out all the pictures from our projects!


The winner of the $1,000 gift card from US Airways is Ben Milam. Ben volunteered with a team from Manheim at Walter G. Byers Elementary School. Don't forget you can still win US Airways gift cards worth $250 each if you update your volunteer information on our Web site by November 10.


We also want to thank the sponsors who supported Hands On Charlotte Day. Charlotte Business Journal was the event's primary sponsor. We are also grateful for the support of The Home Depot, Newell Rubbermaid, UNC Charlotte and Elevation Church, as well as Anne L. Bradley (CPA, PA), Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting, Kola Construction and Rorick Construction.


We'll be sure to keep you updated, but in the meantime, let us know what's new with you! If you have ideas for service projects, we're always looking for ways to grow. You can keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter, but never hesitate to send me an email directly.


Again, thank you to everyone who supported Hands On Charlotte Day. If you weren't able to participate, but wanted to make a charitable donation, just visit our donation page. Until we reconnect, I hope you have an amazing holiday season.




Together in service,


Lisa Quisenberry
Co-founder and executive director
Hands On Charlotte

A note from Lisa Quisenberry

Dear friends of Hands On Charlotte,


I want to thank you personally for everything you've done in support of Hands On Charlotte this year. Without committed people like you, we simply wouldn't be able to serve Charlotte's most vulnerable communities and populations. We know that in these challenging economic times, it's difficult to find time for other people. Thank you for finding that time, and thank you for your support of Hands On Charlotte.


I'm writing to invite you to participate in this year's Hands On Charlotte Day, which is Saturday, October 16. In its 18th year, Hands On Charlotte Day is taking aim at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and local non-profit organizations. We have beautification and construction projects planned at public schools, parks, museums and community centers. We hope you will join us in supporting our community on this inspirational and meaningful day. Please sign up on the HOC web site.


Although you will be serving the community on Hands On Charlotte Day, this event is also a fundraiser for us. Your individual or family contribution supports the year-round work of of HOC, giving people like you--people searching for convenient and effective volunteer opportunities--the chance to take advantage of hundreds of projects each month. So if you cannot make it to Hands On Charlotte Day, but you would like to make a donation to Hands On Charlotte, please visit our donation page.


If you've already signed up, thank you! Volunteering is often even more enjoyable with friends. Perhaps you could mobilize your inner circle and start a volunteer team?


The communities we serve depend on people like you. Hands On Charlotte Day depends on people like you. Please join us October 16 from 9 a.m. until noon for Hands On Charlotte Day.




Together in service,


Lisa Quisenberry
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Hands On Charlotte