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Local hospital workers lend a hand during Day of Caring Laughter and smiles filled the air as colleagues from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital supported Up Center Books during the Day of Caring on Sept. 9th. The initiative, established by the United Way of South Hampton Roads, links participants each year to local charities to promote the spirit of volunteerism and to demonstrate how our community can accomplish great things. "The group was tasked with daily bookstore operations, such as sorting book donations and adding new inventory into our database," said Lindsay Jackson, Up Center Books' program manager. "Each assignment mirrors what our trainees complete during the 4-month job training program," added Jackson. "We enjoyed learning what happens behind the scenes at Up Center Books," said Robin Valure, volunteer coordinator at Sentara Norfolk General. "Their trainees develop a wealth of hands-on experience and confidence, which is invaluable in helping them return to the workplace." "We are pleased to help such a worthy cause in Hampton Roads," Valure added. Read more on how you can help.
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Featured Highlights  Author Connie Sage Gives Back To Up Center Books Author Connie Sage captivated book lovers with insights of the life of Frank Batten, Sr., the founder of The Weather Channel, at a book signing Aug. 30th. Proceeds of her book were donated to Up Center Books to support the job training program.
The event is the first of many monthly book signings. Mark your calendar on Thursday, Oct. 20, for Earl Swift, author of The Big Roads: The Untold Story of Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways.
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(From Lt. to Rt.): Dia DuVernet, Jean Lamkin, Connie Sage and Linda Hyatt Wilson at the Connie Sage Book Signing.
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(From Lt. to Rt.): Andria McClellan, Dick Barry, & Frank Batten, Jr., at the Connie Sage Book Signing.
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Team Up Honors Its Mentors  Nearly 90 attendees, including WAVY-TV 10's Don Roberts, Chesapeake Mayor Alan Krasnoff and Mariah Soliv of Congressmen Scott Rigell's office, came to the Westin Hotel on Sept. 22 to say "thanks" to the mentors of Team Up.
The volunteer appreciation dinner highlighted the year's successes. Team Up has added 80 new mentees to the program, serving a total of 195 children. Ninety-nine percent of children who have participated for one year showed an improvement in one of the three areas of school performance, behavior or social functioning. The dinner also featured speeches from matches, which proved that the benefits of mentoring are reciprocal. Foster care mentor Ross Thompson ended the night with emotional remarks that stated he gained much more than he anticipated from his 17-year-old mentee, Justin. |
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Donations Making a Difference
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Thanks to
corporate,
foundation and
individual donations, those in need can
continue to
receive our
services.
Pictured Left: Steve Moffett of The Knights of Columbus of Virginia Assisting Citizens with Mental Retardation (KOVAR) presented a plaque to Executive Vice President Dia DuVernet to signify KOVAR's $20,000 grant, supporting the agency's Disability Services.
The Up Center's Parents as Teachers (PAT) program received $4,000 from Landmark Foundation and $2,000 from the Target Foundation. PAT uses home visits and group meetings to help parents and their children meet their full potential.
The agency's Families and Schools Together (FAST) program received $20,000 from the Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation. FAST is a model prevention and parent involvement program designed to address alcohol and drug abuse, violence, delinquency and school failure and assists in reducing causal factors related to those problems.
The Up Center also recently received a $2,500 grant from the Rebekah L. Huber Family Charitable Fund 3 of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. This grant was awarded to the agency as a donor advised contribution to be used for general purposes.
With donations such as these, we can strengthen our community one family at a time. So, what are you waiting for? Make a difference and donate today! | |
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In The News
See what the press says about The Up Center.
September 15, 2011
Foreclosure Activity Falls in Hampton Roads
Virginian-Pilot
John Allen, vice president of Housing & Financial Counseling, offers a compelling status of foreclosures in the region.
August 29, 2011
The story behind this bookstore is uplifting
Inside Business
Juanita Rivera-Gordon, warehouse supervisor, turns her life around with the help of Up Center Books.
August 14, 2011
Frank Batten, a man of means, a life of meaning
Virginian-Pilot
Delve into the life of Frank Batten through this Virginian-Pilot book review. Up Center Books hosted a book signing with Author Connie Sage on Aug. 30.
July 29, 2011
Wednesday's Child
WAVY-TV
Jakwon, a Team Up mentee, may not have a prominent father figure in his life, but he does have big dreams. Board member Chuck Melcher helps those dreams come true.
July 29, 2011
First Person: Devan MacConnell
Inside Business
Learn what drives Devan MacConnell in her non-profit work and what she plans on contributing as The Up Center's new Director of Development.
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UPdates
SEPT. / OCT. 2011 | | The bi-monthly newsletter of The Up Center |
Event & Class Calendar
For event times and additional info, click here.
Art of Debt Mgt.
10/6 & 10/19 Norfolk Up Ctr.
Annual Meeting
10/12 Norfolk Botanical Garden
Active Parenting of Teens and PreTeens
10/12 Norfolk Up Ctr.
First Time Home Buyers Workshop
10/18 & 10/20 Norfolk Up Ctr.
Earl Swift Book Signing
10/20 Up Center Books
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Did You Know?
7.4% of our workforce is unemployed, and over 1,300 people in our community are homeless.
Through your support, Up Center Books provided training and transitional jobs to 42 hard-to-employ people last year, including prisoners reentering the community.
Buy a Book, Build a Life.
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How You Can Help
2012 Step Up for The Up Center. Begin training for our annual stair climb March 25th.
Donate. Financial donations are tax deductible. Book donations are needed to fuel Up Center Books' job training program.
Volunteer. From light clerical duties to community book drives, volunteers really
make a difference.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Become a Foster Parent
If you have ever considered fostering a child, visit our Foster Care FAQ page.
Mentor a Child. Help out a child by becoming a positive role model.
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