A Volunteer’s Perspective on the 100,000 Homes Campaign

Posted on by Jennifer Bosk

Photo from conform-safety.co.uk

The following blog post was written by Corey Miller, an NC State intern, for United Way partner agency Triangle Family Services.

After having a couple of days to reflect on the 100K Homes street canvassing, I was able to think back on how important this project was for the Wake and Orange county communities. I feel very honored that I was able to be in the heart of it all. Waking up at 2:50 AM for three mornings in a row was definitely exhausting but our team (which consisted of people from Triangle Family Services, an employee from the VA, and a volunteer just wanting to be a part of something great) was able to see the rewards on our final morning. Continue reading →

Jennifer R. Bosk is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at United Way of the Greater Triangle. Jennifer believes people read her blog posts because she is a pop culture diva, a survivor and thriver of single Mother/Grandmother-hood and the biggest cheerleader for education as a solution to most problems. These areas/topics of passion allow Jennifer to share her thoughts from her heart.




The Great Balancing Act

Posted on by Meg Buckingham

photo courtesy of old-picture.com

 As the daughter of a baby boomer, I grew up with the constant reassurance that I could be anything I wanted, do anything I wanted to do and be highly successful as a mother, wife and in any career I chose. It was a great message and was always a voice in my  head pushing me to strive for something more, to work harder, to keep moving.
 
I don’t want what I am about to say to be misconstrued, so don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for and applaud women’s liberation and what I am able to do now because of it. But I think perhaps that there was a disclaimer missing – something in the fine print that we should have read. Maybe something like this:
 
As a woman, you can be successful and powerful in any career, and you can be loving, supportive and caring as a mother and wife!*You may not be able to do it all at 100%, studies show that something will have to give. Continue reading →




Thanks to the volunteers who helped with the 100K Homes Campaign

Posted on by Stan Holt

OK. I’m hitting the wall. Not literally, but I am pretty tired right now. It is Thursday afternoon and for the last three mornings, I’ve gotten up at 2:30 am to drive over to Raleigh and help with our local Registry week and the 100,000 Homes Campaign. At this point, I don’t have any data to share, but that will be forthcoming. We have had some great media coverage that you can take a look at that explains alot of what went on these past three days.  

However, what you don’t see, is the willingness and commitment of many volunteers who took the time to help make the Triangle’s Registry Week a huge success. We had volunteers help with the street count, administering the surveys and entering data. It was a huge success. Those who did street outreach were up at 3 am and meeting with their outreach teams at 4 am and on the streets by 4:30 am. They walked through the woods, along railroad tracks, across parking decks, and under bridges to see if we could find folks who were sleeping outside during the week.

Each volunteer came for a wide variety of reasons. Some had been homeless and wanted to give back, others had loved ones who had been homeless at some point. Many felt as if it is part of a larger “calling” to work with those who are hurt and suffering. Regardless of the reason, they all made a huge commitment and they deserve a big  ”thank you” for the work they have completed.




29 Ways to Help Your Community on February 29th

Posted on by Lacie Lindstaedt

Every four years, our calendar gives us one extra day. Why not use that extra day to help your community? Here are 29 ideas to do just that.

  1. Help Cook and/or Serve a Meal at a Homeless Shelter
  2. Gather clothing from you and your neighbors to donate to a local shelter
  3. Pack and hand out food The Food Bank
  4. Visit Senior Citizens at a nursing home
  5. Deliver meals to homebound individuals with Meals on Wheels
  6. Teach a senior friend how to use a computer
  7. Organize a Canned Goods drive
  8. Plant flowers in public areas that could use more color
  9. Bring toys to children in the cancer ward of a hospital
  10. Contact your local representative about key issues
  11. Register people to vote
  12. Create a campaign to encourage biking and walking
  13. Visit Volunteer Solutions for opportunities to serve
  14. Send a letter to one of America’s veterans or overseas soldiers
  15. Participate or Sign up for a race that supports a local charity
  16. Hold a door open for someone
  17. Donate your old computer to Teaming for Technology
  18. Give Blood
  19. Volunteer on a hotline
  20. Write a letter to the editor about an issue you care about
  21. Shop at local, family owned businesses
  22. Get CPR and First Aid certification
  23. Hold a Suitcase drive for foster children
  24. Coordinate a book drive
  25. Donate Money to United Way
  26. Bake cookies and bring them to your local fire or police station
  27. Volunteer at Hospice
  28. Teach a young person to read
  29. Clean up your neighborhood. Go for a walk and bring a plastic bag!




“50 Cents Just Might Make Their Whole Day”

Posted on by Reah Nicholson

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, I rode down to Sowell Street in Durham, N.C., to do a video interview with Mr. Jerome as an assignment for my job. To me, Jerome was a stranger, a man who I knew nothing about, a man who had hit hard times and was once living on the street. But when I left his little white house, I realized he was more than that, he was the man that had just changed my life. Continue reading →

Reah Nicholson is a Marketing Associate at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She says people read her because she's the biggest sports fanatic, who knows more about sports than most guys, an independent woman, a passionate writer and a supporter of those less fortunate than herself.