I made box labels after sorting clothes. My heart feels good about what I did here today.
Memphis and the surrounding community answers the Catholic Charities of West Tennessee’s call to action by donating clothes for Operation Bare Necessities.
It was my goal to aid in Catholic Charities’ empowering cause for meeting the needs of many people in the Memphis community.
During my Volunteer Odyssey I’ve discovered more about buildings that I’ve passed a million times; however, I didn’t realize that the building that housed an empowering community resource. I was introduced to Catholic Charities of West Tennessee on Jefferson Avenue. Christine Hash, Manager of Supportive Services, gave me a tour of the organization’s facilities, which formerly a school. Catholic Charities has started receiving donations to fill Christmas wish lists. The room that was once a gymnasium, now looked like a toy store and it’s only September! Looking at the toys that had were in the process of being arranged by category, big girls and boys as well as little kids. I could only smile at Memphis, after being told that the toys had been donated by local charities, schools and businesses.
Today, I sorted clothes to benefit the Mobile Clothing Outreach program, which just started this past August. They have started incorporating the clothing outreach into their mobile food outreach. With this program, Catholic Charities was able to provide clothing for an additional 290 people. They have delivered to Birthright, Neighborhood Christian Center, St. Mary’s and other locations. My heart smiled again knowing that the clothing I boxed up will be taking a future mobile clothing outreach.
I also learned that they just launched their new program Bouquets of Hope. With this project they will receive donations of flowers previously used at events such as weddings. These flowers will be converted into fresh arrangements to be sent to every hospital, hospice or nursing home patient, to brighten their days. Being a creative visual artist myself, I took interest in volunteering to help with flower arrangements.
My service today was a benefit for Catholic Charities of West Tennessee and they were the same to me in return. I met some awesome people like Volunteer Coordinator, Peggy Stehling. I told them about my career interests and experience; in turn, they asked for my resume with intentions to check on possible positions with them. They also said that they will be forwarding my resume to other opportunities that should correlate with what I do in public relations and communications.
Thank you for reading! Like what you read? With more than 10 years experience, Cristalynne Dupree is searching for a job where she will use her marketing, public relations and communications skill to coordinate strategies and tactics that will reach and engage the organization’s target audience. Contact her at 1225Cristalynne@gmail.com or jobleads@volunteerodyssey.com.
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