Celebrate Those Who Teach Our Children

Join the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Midlands Education & Business Alliance, and The Community Relations Council as they recognize 10 District Teachers of the Year from Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Fairfield, and Newberry counties. Lonnie Moore will speak.

When: Friday, March 11, 2011

Time: 7:00am

Where: The Zone

Web: www.columbiachamber.com

Winter Weather Impacts Blood Donations

The American Red Cross South Carolina Blood Services Region canceled and postponed several blood drives across the region earlier this week in response to the inclement weather conditions.

Winter weather often causes delays and cancellations for schools, work and community events.  But it also means cancellations of vitally important blood donation opportunities. Since this Monday, winter weather has forced donation centers to be closed and 21 blood drives to be canceled across the South Carolina Region, which means the Red Cross was not able to collect more than 800 units of blood and platelets it was counting on.

Schedule an appointment to give blood through the American Red Cross today at one of the following blood drives and help save lives. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org for more information or to schedule an appointment to donate blood or platelets.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONATION CENTERS IN YOUR AREA:
Columbia Donation Center
2751 Bull St.
Columbia, SC 29201

Blood donation hours:
Monday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tuesday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Friday: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Platelet donation hours:
Sunday: 6 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Monday: 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday: 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Thursday: 6 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Friday: 6 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Saturday: 6 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Sumter Donation Center
1155 N Guignard Dr.
Sumter, SC 29150

Blood donation hours:
Monday: noon-6:30 p.m.
Tuesday: noon-6:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Thursday: noon-6:30 p.m.
Friday: 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Web: www.centralscredcross.org

Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week Activities & Press Conference 11/16

United Way of the Midlands
1800 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29201
tel 803.733.7312 or 803.733.5400
www.uway.org

Media Contact:
Joey Wallace
Manager, Communications
803.748.7282
jwallace@uway.org


UNITED WAY OF THE MIDLANDS AND THE MIDLANDS AREA CONSORTIUM FOR THE HOMELESS TO REPORT THE 2009 HOMELESS COUNT RESULTS

What:
United Way of the Midlands and the Midlands Area Consortium for the Homeless (MACH) are hosting a press conference to report the results of the 2009 Homeless Count.
All members of the media and the community are welcome to attend this brief presentation for a special announcement about the state of homelessness in our community. Anita Floyd, United Way of the Midlands Vice President of Community Impact, will present the results of the 2009 Homeless Count.

Following the press conference, the Midlands Interfaith Homeless Action Council (MIHAC) will hold a prayer service for people who are homeless.

Who:
Hosted by United Way of the Midlands and MACH
Remarks will be made by
• Donny Supplee, Chair of the Board of Directors for MACH
• Allen Tipping, 2009 MACH Count Coordinator
• Anita Floyd, Vice President Community Impact, United Way of the Midlands

These speakers as well as Jennifer Moore, Director of United Way of the Midlands Financial Stability Council, will be available following the briefing for interviews.

When:
Monday, November 16
11:00 AM

The prayer service sponsored by MIHAC will be held in the Keenan Chapel and will begin at 12:00 PM.

Where:
Trinity Episcopal Church
1100 Sumter St
Columbia, SC 29201

The press conference will be held in Satterlee Hall in the administration building. Enter through the wooden doors from the 1300 block of Sumter Street.

Did you know:
• There are over 1,000 people on a given day literally living on the streets and in shelters
• Many more people experience homelessness during the year or live ‘doubled-up’ with family or friends with no other place to call home
• Homelessness in Richland County has increased 16% in the past two years.
• 1 in 5 homeless adults in the Midlands are veterans.

Another way to lend your hand:
In support of Hunger and Homeless Awareness week November 15-21, United Way of the Midlands and MIHAC are also hosting the Hands for the Homeless Supply Drive. Companies across the Midlands are showing their support by collecting toothpaste, toothbrushes, new socks, new washcloths and other toiletry items that will be used to assemble personal care kits and will be distributed to the homeless during the week of Thanksgiving. (Dates of assembly and distribution are TBD.) There is still time to get involved!

How you can help:
• Collect personal care items until November 25 and drop off completed ‘kits’ in quart or gallon size zip-lock bags.
• Drop off bulk items if you are not able to pre-sort.
• Volunteer to help sort and distribute items.

Donations should be dropped off to Trenholm Road United Methodist Church (3401 Trenholm Road) from November 16-25, Monday-Friday between 8 AM and 4 PM.

Kits will be delivered to the following agencies: Catholic Charities, The Cooperative Ministry, Good Samaritan Clinic, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Lexington Interfaith Community Services, Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc., Oliver Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, Sistercare, The Winter Shelter and others.

If you have questions about anything in this release, please contact Jennifer Moore at jmoore@uway.org or 803.733.5421.

###

About United Way of the Midlands
United Way of the Midlands is the most organized, efficient and accountable system for investing in the community. With over 80 certified partner agencies, United Way works to identify and respond to the critical human service needs of Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg and Richland counties. Funds are raised through workplace campaigns, grant writing and individual donations. For more information, please visit www.uway.org.

Become a Volunteer Leader with March of Dimes

Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I am excited to be a part of COR.

The March of Dimes has a number of volunteer and leadership opportunities available. We are seeking volunteers for this weekend's Signature Chefs Auction and leaders to be involved in our April 25, 2009 March for Babies event. Interested persons can reach me at lscott@marchofdimes.com or call our office at 252-5200.

Please let me know how I can properly post these opportunities.

Best regards,
LaRonda S. Scott

Volunteer with United Way of the Midlands

The United Way of the Midlands Volunteer Center offers a unique way to find and share volunteer opportunities in and around the Midlands. You can register and search for volunteer opportunities with their partner agencies based on your interests:
http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/uwotm-2/volunteer/

As a user you will be able to find opportunities that you feel passionate about, log your hours and find unique alternatives to give back to the community.

Volunteer with Project Pet

There are many opportunities to give your time volunteering with Project Pet.







Just a few of their needs are:

-Adoption Event Volunteers
-Volunteers to socialize the cats and clean the cat rooms at area Petsmart stores
-Dog socialization and training classes at the interim facility
-Cat socialization at our interim facility
-Washing and grooming animals at the interim facility
-Administrative Help
-Fundraising Assistance
-Publicity Assistance
-Graphic Design Assistance

They hold volunteer orientations twice per month so that you can become acquainted with the organization and begin donating your time in an enjoyable and meaningful way. All volunteers are required to attend the orientation before starting their volunteer work.

If you would like to sign up for this orientation or would like further information, please contact their office at 803-407-0991 or email them at petinfo@projectpet.com.

In order to be a step ahead of the process, please download and complete the Volunteer Application and take it to the orientation with you or fax it to their office at 803-407-0996.

Volunteer at The American Red Cross of Central SC

Give Time

The American Red Cross of Central South Carolina Chapter could not function without its force of volunteers. This is a wonderful team of people who have dedicated their time to assisting others.

A Red Cross Volunteer is an individual who, beyond the responsibilities of paid employment, freely and without expectation or receipt of compensation, and for personal, humanitarian, or charitable reasons, contributes time and service to assist the American Red Cross in the accomplishment of its mission. Volunteers serve at all levels of the Red Cross, from governance, to management, to direct service to support services and in advisory capacities.

As an organization founded on and operated through volunteer efforts, they would love your commitment to this 150-year humanitarian tradition. With approximately 1.2 million volunteers nationwide, the Red Cross depends on the work of volunteers to provide its services and programs to our community - they are counting on people like you!

Types of Volunteer Opportunities Available:
http://www.centralscredcross.org/volunteer_opps.asp

For more information on becoming a volunteer, call the Office of Volunteers at the Central South Carolina Chapter at (803) 540-1242 or visit their website at www.centralscredcross.org.

Volunteer at St. Lawrence Place

Ways to Give to St. Lawrence Place

Adopt-A-Home Program
Maintaining 28 homes for 28 families is not an inexpensive endeavor, especially when you consider 30-year-old buildings that have called St. Lawrence Place home, and the wear and tear is obvious.

The Adopt-A-Home Program is a way for companies and organizations across the Midlands to actively participate in a proven approach to the homeless situation. Your monetary donation will be applied towards the maintenance and upkeep of our 28 apartments.

By adopting a home at St. Lawrence Place, your company can directly improve the living conditions for our residents. Most importantly, your financial support in renovating and maintaining the apartments will help us continue our mission for years to come.

Monetary Donations
Beyond corporate gifts, St. Lawrence Place has a real need for individual donations.

Your tax-deductible donation will be used to provide housing and programs to the residents at St. Lawrence Place.

NEW! Now accepting donations online

In-kind Donations
Because the families at St. Lawrence Place have lost their homes, they no longer have the basic household items needed to furnish and maintain a home. St. Lawrence Place will gladly accept the following items:

New blankets, pillows, mattress covers, sheets and towels

Dressers, small kitchen tables and end tables
TV’s, VCR’s and DVD’s in working condition
Cleaning items, laundry products and paper goods
Personal hygiene items, diapers, etc.
To schedule a donation drop-off, please call St. Lawrence Place at 256-3999. St. Lawrence Place does not currently have a way of picking up donations.

Volunteers at St. Lawrence Place
If you are willing to donate your time and talent to SLP, please call 256-3999. Our organization offers the following opportunities for volunteers:

Mentoring children, teens and adults

Homework help
Teaching Life Skill Classes (to both children and adults)
Light yard work such as planting flowers or mowing grass
Light administrative work such as answering phones and filing

Creative Donations
Please contact St. Lawrence Place if you wish to donate your time to photograph, paint, write or design for St. Lawrence Place.
Creative Donors include the following:

The CreateAthon by CC Riggs brought us our new brochures whose graphics were integrated into the design of this website.

Margaret Ravenel Alpert contributed some photographs that are on this website.

For more information about volunteering for St. Lawrence Place, please contact:

Lila Anna H. Sauls
Executive Director
lasauls@stlawrenceplace.org

WIS Looking for "People to Count On"

WIS looking for "People to Count On"

STATEWIDE (WIS) - One of our new segments is called "People to Count On." It's a short profile on someone in the community who does something special or is giving of their time and talents to help others.

It can be anyone in the community - someone well known, like a doctor who really has a wonderful bedside manner. Or perhaps you know a teacher who goes above and beyond her job description to take care of students? It could be a police officer who makes a special effort to connect with kids, and it could be a person who helps keep our parks clean. It can literally be anyone that we "Count On" to make our community a better place to live.

We're accepting nominations right now. If you know some great "People to Count On," send us their name, phone number, email address and a brief description of what they do to make our community a better place.

Nominate someone today!
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?s=6731553

Volunteer at Harvest Hope

Volunteers are always needed and welcome at Harvest Hope!

There are many ways in which you or your group can help at Harvest Hope. Dedicated volunteers allow them to operate efficiently and maintain a minimally paid staff. Volunteers are always needed Monday through Friday, and on some weekends. Please go to their calendar of events and see where your help is needed. Their volunteer opportunities are fullfilling and numerous. They can always find a place for you to help.

Some Types of Volunteer Activities:
- Sort, clean, and repackage food in Product Rescue
- Conduct client interviews, answer phones, and package food in the Emergency Food Pantry
- Participate in special events and food drives in your community

For individual and group volunteer opportunities in Columbia, please contact Edna Bowers at 803-254-4432 ext. 115.

Volunteer with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands gladly accepts individuals and groups interested in volunteering to work with their members.


Individuals/Interns

You can assist their program staff in one of their scheduled programs, help members with their homework, or work with their staff to teach the members a special talent that you have. Some examples special classes are science class, digital photography, and fine arts. This is a great way to gain valuable experience working with kids.


Groups

They welcome large groups that want to volunteer either long term or as a one time event. Some of their corporate partners have signed up groups of 10 to 15 volunteers to share tutoring responsibilities, committing to have 5 volunteers tutor one or two days per week. They have also worked with groups that want to put on one day events for their members including end of the summer cook outs, and Thanksgiving meals for the community.

All volunteers have to go through a local and national criminal background check and orientation prior to having any contact with the members.

Contact Vanessa Hall to sign up to volunteer at 231.3300.

WIS looking for "People to Count On"

WIS looking for "People to Count On"

STATEWIDE (WIS) - One of our new segments is called "People to Count On." It's a short profile on someone in the community who does something special or is giving of their time and talents to help others.

It can be anyone in the community - someone well known, like a doctor who really has a wonderful bedside manner. Or perhaps you know a teacher who goes above and beyond her job description to take care of students? It could be a police officer who makes a special effort to connect with kids, and it could be a person who helps keep our parks clean. It can literally be anyone that we "Count On" to make our community a better place to live.

We're accepting nominations right now. If you know some great "People to Count On," send us their name, phone number, email address and a brief description of what they do to make our community a better place.

Nominate someone today!
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?s=6731553