In our volunteer era
Thanks to the United Way of the Golden Triangle Region for getting us involved in the allocations process this year! Emily and Lauren are pictured here with our team members Lisa and Lynn, and we wanted to boost some of the incredible local nonprofits we met.
First, we visited 4 Winds Outreach Ministry, a nonprofit operated by a pillar of the community, Ms. Shirley. Every third and fourth Monday of the month, Ms. Shirley takes her food truck to serve free hot meals to families and seniors in public housing. She also provides Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. You can meet her yourself and enjoy her cooking at her food truck near Food Giant.
Next, we went to Last House on the Block. This nonprofit is a transitional residence that supports community members struggling with addiction, offering them a 12-step program, stable housing, transportation to work, and a savings account. Over the past year they served 200 individuals.
Contact Helpline is our regional hotline for suicide prevention. Did you know that if you have a local area code and dial or text 988, you’ll be directed to Contact Helpline for anonymous support through a mental health emergency? Well, now you do!
Emily and Lauren also visited two nonprofits nearby in downtown Columbus: the Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA and the Lowndes County Imagination Library based at the Commercial Dispatch. This year, our local Y is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Aside from the gym we all know and love, the Y also provides after school programs and summer camps to support working parents by providing a safe and affordable place for kids when school is out.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library gives every child under the age of 5 a free book every month. All you have to do is sign your kids up, which you can do at the bookstore! Although it’s free to participate, the program is not free to operate. In fact, funding comes from local donations. If literacy matters as much to you as it does to us, we encourage you to take advantage of what this program offers and support them.
It was such a privilege to get to know these organizations serving our community. If they resonated with you, we encourage you to reach out and volunteer!