February 2014

Dear Volunteers,

Welcome to the February edition of the Hands On Asheville-Buncombe e-newsletter. Have you ever thought about volunteering as the ultimate Valentine's Day gift? This year, why not say "Happy Valentine's Day" to:

Yourself: Did you know volunteering is good for your heart, mind and spirit? A report from the Corporation of National and Community Service, "The Health Benefits of Volunteering", shows volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, and lower rates of depression. Volunteers even have less incidence of heart disease. So (in honor of National Heart Awareness Month!)... love yourself, and volunteer!

Those You Love: Volunteering is a fun (and free) way to spend time with someone you love. Just think about the memories you can make with your kids, friends or even a new love interest when you help clean a local stream, provide a helpful hand to a home bound senior, or knit baby caps for preemies. Awww!

Your Community: Did you know 2,700 Hands On volunteers provided more than 22,000 hours of service last year? These outstanding volunteers saved our Asheville-area schools and nonprofit partners more than $488,000 in labor. That's a whole lot of love that you could be a part of - Right Now!

Hero Crafts

While you're making your list of special Valentine's this month, consider including Asheville's first responders!

Hero Crafts

Brighten the day of our hometown heroes, the City of Asheville's first responders that work hard year-round to protect and serve our community. This project is designed with kids in mind, and is great for both individuals and groups. Draw pictures, and write poems or special notes of thanks to local firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel. Be creative...have fun! Who knows? He/she might write you back! Find out more.

Building Budgets Family Night

Get a fresh money start in 2014! Our Community School at Enka Middle is hosting a "Building Budgets" Family Night in collaboration with OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling and the Literacy Council. The event will be Tuesday, Feb 4 from 6:00 -8:00 pm in the Enka Middle School Media Center (30 Asbury Rd, Candler). Enjoy a free meal, and gain tools to create a successful (and realistic!) budget. Childcare provided for ages 3+. Register Today!

Welcome New Volunteers!

We are so glad that you have subscribed to our monthly volunteer newsletter! Hands On, the volunteer center of United Way, makes it easy to lend a hand and help others in our community by volunteering with Buncombe County nonprofits & schools.

Click here to learn more about Hands On.

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In This Issue

Hands On Managed Projects

Premium Partner Projects & Events

More Volunteer Opportunities

Project Calendar

Find Us On

MLK Jr. Day Event Recap

Special thanks to Land-of-Sky Regional Council's Senior Corps Programs and everyone who participated in our 2014 MLK Inter-generational Day of Service event! A record 323 individuals, groups and families celebrated the day with us. Check out the amazing impact to support local nonprofits:

48 no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus children in crisis
145 bookmarks to be inserted in donated books distributed by the POP Project
155 "adopt me" bandannas and toys for Asheville Humane Society's shelter pets
200 math skills games for Buncombe County elementary school students
266 handcrafted cards of encouragement for local Veterans and home-bound seniors.
120 notes of thanks to local first responders - our hometown heros
127 flashcard sets to help preschoolers learn shapes and colors

Also - Thank you to the volunteers and Volunteer Leaders who celebrated the day/weekend at our Knit-n-Give and OnTrack Flex projects. Overall, it was a tremendous day of service! Check out pics of MLK Day volunteers in action!

Hands On Managed Projects

Flex Projects

- Flex Projects are done-in-a-day projects led by a Hands On Volunteer Leader.

- Most Flex Projects take place on evenings or weekends and last 1-3 hours

- Many Flex Projects are family friendly

- Flex Projects don't require an ongoing commitment or any advance training

Learn More & Sign Up For Flex Projects

Portable Projects

Can't make it to one of our scheduled Flex Projects? No problem!

- Portable Projects allow you to volunteer any time or place you want.

- They're easy to do on your own or with a group.

- Consider getting your family, friends, faith community, or co-workers together to help with a Portable Project.

Learn More & Sign Up For Portable Projects

Upcoming Partner Projects & Events

Our Partner Agencies offer great ways to get involved each month. We've highlighted a few below. Click to learn more and express interest or sign-up!

Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Help keep the Blue Ridge Parkway clean and green! Volunteers are needed to collect litter, and maintain the natural and pristine beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway, particularly along the busy commuter corridor between the NC Arboretum (Hwy 191/MM394) and the Folk Art Center (MM382). Litter removal also protects local wildlife by reducing unnatural foods and smells that attract them to this high traffic roadway. Volunteers bag litter and toss small fallen limbs from the shoulder to behind the tree line along the assigned section.

Ongoing/To-be Scheduled

American Red Cross

New Disaster Orientation is an introduction to the Disaster Services Cycle and the volunteer opportunities within each part of the cycle. This includes an overview of the services Red Cross provides, the regional structure, volunteer expectations, volunteer opportunities and online resources. This orientation is intended to give volunteers an idea of what's available and how to get involved.

Wednesday, 2/19

North Buncombe Middle School

Help serve North Buncombe Middle School's 2nd Annual Chilly Challenge! This fun event includes a 5K run and a chili cook-off. Volunteers are needed to man stations for sign-in, possibly judge chili, and support various areas throughout the course. This is a major fundraiser for North Buncombe Middle School. This project is great for groups of 5-8 volunteers. Wear warm comfortable clothes!

Saturday, 2/22

Community School At Enka Middle

Enka Middle Community School Coordinators recruit and manage volunteers throughout the year to support student success and parental/family engagement programs. The Community School Initiative's ultimate goal is to improve educational/life skills of Enka Middle students, their families and nearby neighbors. Check out all the ways to get involved in this amazing initiative!

Ongoing/To Be Scheduled

More Volunteer Opportunities...

Hands On is pleased to list more than 200 volunteer opportunities managed by our Partner Agencies.

* Search for projects based on your skills, interests and availability

*
View the monthly online project calendar

* View family-friendly projects: Children (under age 13), Teens (ages 13-17)

Thanks for giving back to our community through service! We encourage you to spread the word about Hands On. Tell your co-workers...share on facebook...invite your friends to join your next project. Take a moment and sign up for a project today. Be the change. Volunteer!

Sincerely,

Charlie & Michelle

Hands On Asheville-Buncombe Staff

United Way Resources Special Thanks to Our Platinum Underwriter