GET INVOLVED AND GET BACK. LOUISVILLE’S NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SOS CONTINUES TO BE A MEDICAL PILLAR IN THE COMMUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC. THAT’S WHY MAYOR GREG FISHER CALLS IT THE IDEAL PLACE TO KICK OFF HIS MONTH-LONG VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION GIVE A DAY SOS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT REALLY TO ME EMBODIES WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE SAY ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES AS A CITY IS COMPASSION MAYOR GREG FISHER BEGAN THE FIRST DAY OF THE 10TH ANNUAL GIVE A DAY AT THE SOS WAREHOUSE HERE VOLUNTEERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO COLLECT SORT AND DELIVER CRITICAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES LOCALLY AND AROUND THE WORLD. SOS VALUES ARE VOLUNTEERS GREATLY. THEY’RE THE BACKBONE OF OUR OPERATION AND THEY’RE ONE OF THE MANY NON-PROFIT AGENCIES PROVIDING HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER PROJECTS AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION FOR THE NEXT. 30 DAYS YOU OR A SMALL GROUP CAN WORK A THREE-HOUR SHIFT AT SOS THERE. SO A VIRTUAL OPTION BY ORGANIZING A FIRST AID SUPPLY DRIVE AT HOME AND COLLECTING ITEMS TO MAKE KIDS YOU ARE TRULY SAVING LIVES THAT YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE GRANT GRATITUDE THAT THEY HAVE WHEN YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME. THAT GRATITUDE WAS GIVEN RIGHT BACK TO SOS BY ORGANIZATIONS WHO BENEFITED FROM THEIR COMPASSIONATE? ONE OF WHICH IS HEALTH CARE ESSENTIALS TRAINING INSTITUTE WEST LOUISVILLE’S FIRST, MINORITY-OWNED NURSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOUNDERS, LISA WALTON AND MELISSA COLEMAN AND STILL VOLUNTEERISM AND IMPACT INTO THEIR STUDENTS THROUGH HEALTH CARE. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE TEACH WE ARE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AND OUR CORE FOUNDATION IS SERVICE EVEN AMID A PANDEMIC WHEN ACTS WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE. GIVE THE DAY IS THE ANSWER. WE’LL DOING THAT FOR AS LONG AS IS NECESSARY TO NOT COMPROMISE OUR ABILITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO THOSE WHO NEED US TO BE OF SERV
Mayor Fischer kicks off month-long ‘Give a Day’ community service celebration
Updated: 6:46 PM EDT Apr 1, 2021
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is kicking off the new month with more ways to participate in his annual Give A Day volunteer service opportunity.Now in its 10th year, Give A Day started as a one-day service opportunity, then grew to a week, 10 days, and now a full month of giving in 2021. The expansion is to allow non-profits and volunteers more time to plan and participate in safe service projects amid the pandemic.Fischer joined volunteer agencies like Metro United Way at SOS, the Louisville-based non-profit organization that meets critical healthcare needs by collecting, sorting, and distributing medical supplies and equipment locally and internationally.“SOS values our volunteers greatly,” said Shari Baughman, the director of development and marketing at SOS. “They’re the backbone of our operation and we would not be able to do the work that we do here in the community and around the world without their help.”SOS is one of many non-profit agencies providing hundreds of volunteer projects as part of Give A Day. For the next 30 days, individuals or a small group can work a three-hour shift at the warehouse. A virtual option is also available where participants can organize a first aid supply drive at home and collect items to make kits.“You are truly saving lives,” said Tonya Steyn, Volunteer Coordinator at SOS. “You will never understand the gratitude that they have when you volunteer your time.”That gratitude was returned to SOS by organizations who benefitted from their compassionate acts. One of which is Healthcare Essentials Training Institute, West Louisville’s first and only minority-owned nursing assistance program.“SOS has allowed us to start our business in the midst of COVID-19 with their help of giving over $10,000 of healthcare donations and supplies,” said co-founder Melissa Coleman.Coleman and her co-founder Lisa Walton instill volunteerism and impact into their students through healthcare.“We are very proud of the students that we teach, we are proud of the work that we do and our core foundation is service,” Walton said.The program, which teaches hands-on training skills and soft skills such as interviewing, started the first class in September 2020 and educated 20 students. They put their compassion to work in long-term care facilities, hospitals, and other health care buildings.“To become members of our society that produce and are productive, it’s very important to be able to give back and to train them to give back,” Walton said.Even amid a pandemic, when asked what you can do for the city of Louisville, Give A Day is the answer.This year’s projects and initiatives include but aren’t limited to:Thousands of volunteers will join together throughout April to pick up litter and beautify the city through the Brightside Community-Wide Cleanup and Metro Parks and Recreation’s Clean-a-Thon. Register here for a Brightside cleanup and register here to participate in the Clean-a-Thon. To support Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, Play Cousins Collective and the Louisville Coalition for Black Maternal Health are holding a fundraising drive for newborn, infant and self-care essentials. More information can be found here. The 9th Annual WE Day Kentucky Celebration will take place online, April 14. This year’s call to action will focus on food insecurity, encouraging all participants to collect and donate food to local organizations of their choosing. Join Wellspring at one of its properties in Parkland, Smoketown, Deer Park, etc. to beautify a property that houses adults with mental illness who are working toward recovery of healthy and hopeful lives. More details here. American Red Cross Blood Drives: The Red Cross has an ongoing need for blood and platelet donations. Make an appointment to give blood or platelets during Mayor’s Give A Day at org. Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) will offer a variety of projects to help residents who are experiencing food insecurity. Visit com for details on each project.To find a full list of volunteer opportunities visit mygiveaday.com.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is kicking off the new month with more ways to participate in his annual Give A Day volunteer service opportunity.
Now in its 10th year, Give A Day started as a one-day service opportunity, then grew to a week, 10 days, and now a full month of giving in 2021. The expansion is to allow non-profits and volunteers more time to plan and participate in safe service projects amid the pandemic.
Fischer joined volunteer agencies like Metro United Way at SOS, the Louisville-based non-profit organization that meets critical healthcare needs by collecting, sorting, and distributing medical supplies and equipment locally and internationally.
“SOS values our volunteers greatly,” said Shari Baughman, the director of development and marketing at SOS. “They’re the backbone of our operation and we would not be able to do the work that we do here in the community and around the world without their help.”
SOS is one of many non-profit agencies providing hundreds of volunteer projects as part of Give A Day. For the next 30 days, individuals or a small group can work a three-hour shift at the warehouse. A virtual option is also available where participants can organize a first aid supply drive at home and collect items to make kits.
“You are truly saving lives,” said Tonya Steyn, Volunteer Coordinator at SOS. “You will never understand the gratitude that they have when you volunteer your time.”
That gratitude was returned to SOS by organizations who benefitted from their compassionate acts. One of which is Healthcare Essentials Training Institute, West Louisville’s first and only minority-owned nursing assistance program.
“SOS has allowed us to start our business in the midst of COVID-19 with their help of giving over $10,000 of healthcare donations and supplies,” said co-founder Melissa Coleman.
Coleman and her co-founder Lisa Walton instill volunteerism and impact into their students through healthcare.
“We are very proud of the students that we teach, we are proud of the work that we do and our core foundation is service,” Walton said.
The program, which teaches hands-on training skills and soft skills such as interviewing, started the first class in September 2020 and educated 20 students. They put their compassion to work in long-term care facilities, hospitals, and other health care buildings.
“To become members of our society that produce and are productive, it’s very important to be able to give back and to train them to give back,” Walton said.
Even amid a pandemic, when asked what you can do for the city of Louisville, Give A Day is the answer.
This year’s projects and initiatives include but aren’t limited to:
- Thousands of volunteers will join together throughout April to pick up litter and beautify the city through the Brightside Community-Wide Cleanup and Metro Parks and Recreation’s Clean-a-Thon. Register here for a Brightside cleanup and register here to participate in the Clean-a-Thon.
- To support Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, Play Cousins Collective and the Louisville Coalition for Black Maternal Health are holding a fundraising drive for newborn, infant and self-care essentials. More information can be found here.
- The 9th Annual WE Day Kentucky Celebration will take place online, April 14. This year’s call to action will focus on food insecurity, encouraging all participants to collect and donate food to local organizations of their choosing.
- Join Wellspring at one of its properties in Parkland, Smoketown, Deer Park, etc. to beautify a property that houses adults with mental illness who are working toward recovery of healthy and hopeful lives. More details here.
- American Red Cross Blood Drives: The Red Cross has an ongoing need for blood and platelet donations. Make an appointment to give blood or platelets during Mayor’s Give A Day at org.
- Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) will offer a variety of projects to help residents who are experiencing food insecurity. Visit com for details on each project.
To find a full list of volunteer opportunities visit mygiveaday.com.
