The Relatives Family Update
Please ensure you scroll down to read all of the recent stories in this newsletter.
We are Elizabeth Daly (left) and Todd Yaeger (right), and we are weekly volunteers at The Relatives On Ramp Resource Center.
As we celebrate National Volunteer Month, Todd and I want to take a moment to reflect on our experience as regular volunteer concierges at The Relatives.
From the moment we arrive on campus until the time we leave, we are greeted with kindness and gratitude by everyone with words like, “you have been a blessing to me today”.
One of the highlights of our volunteer experience is the “pantry challenge,” where we help the staff create nutritious meals from available pantry items. Our creativity and support ensure that the young adults receive healthy and delicious meals, and our assistance with tasks like washing dishes, organizing cabinets, and checking expiration dates allows our staff to focus on the needs of the young adults.
Each meal is an opportunity to greet the young adults with a friendly face and provide a welcoming environment. Our presence and support help make The Relatives On Ramp a place where clients feel cared for and heard.
There are many ways to get involved with volunteer opportunities at The Relatives. You can check out the opportunities here, sign up for a virtual volunteer orientation, or reach out directly to the Volunteer Engagement Officer, Redia Baxter.
At The Relatives, it’s one big happy family – and we’re thrilled for you to be part of it!
Elizabeth Daly
Volunteer Concierge
Margaret Todd Yaegar
Volunteer Concierge
Easy as 1,2,3
Take the guess work out of meal planning and become one of our not-so-average Average Chefs! You don’t need culinary education or food service experience to make a tangible impact on those served each day by The Relatives.
If you cook at home, you can cook for us; we provide the recipe and the ingredients, you provide the can-do attitude and life skills to prepare easy meals at our On Ramp Resource Center. This is a great opportunity for individuals or groups because it is open to multiple chefs as many hands make light work.
To learn more and register to volunteer, please visit our website.
All’s Fair in Love and Employment
Last month, Employment Readiness Specialist Katie Spence hosted the Spring Job Fair at our On Ramp Resource Center. By bringing together employers from industries like health care, food services, plumbing and HVAC, among others, On Ramp became a one-stop shop for job searching, networking, and on-site interviews.
She Built This City, a workforce training agency for skilled work, also attended to share vocational opportunities with our young adults. Clients who work with them get paid to learn a new trade and get help finding an apprenticeship after successful completion of the program.
Katie shares that a lot of the jobs that our young adults may normally fill are some of the first positions taken by over-qualified individuals when economic downturns occur and layoffs flood the market with job seekers.
To keep our young adults competitive, Katie works tirelessly on resume-building, interview preparation, and workplace etiquette. She’s also supporting young adults by ensuring they have business attire and transportation to their interviews.
The cost associated with helping move one young person towards stable employment is $31.75 a week. You can provide young people experiencing crisis with access to an empowered, stable future by supporting their growth.
Many Ways to Support
Non-cash gifts are an impactful, tax-effective way to support young people experiencing crisis. You may already have an Donor Advised Fund, publicly-traded stock, an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or estate plans to support organizations throughout the future.
The Relatives welcomes any type of support, ensuring that the needs of our community’s most vulnerable individuals are met now and always.
To learn more about any of these options, please click here.
Making A Difference Runs In The Family
The Relatives has lots of volunteers who support our work, like Valerie Cubbage and her son, Jackson.
Valerie and Jackson are members of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL) of Charlotte and have spent many days volunteering at the Youth Crisis Center. From playing bingo to shooting hoops, and baking goodies to making crafts, Valerie and Jackson have brought with them an eager attitude and giving spirit.
One stand-out experience they shared with youth at the Crisis Center was a beautiful fall day painting pumpkins outside. Everyone was engaged, laughing, smiling, and fully expressing themselves through art.
Valerie said, “We always leave volunteering at The Relatives with a positive feeling. It’s contagious and inspires us to do more. Witnessing the gratitude of those we help has profoundly impacted how we both view our daily activities – which we often take for granted.”
Jackson agrees, adding, “Hanging out with the kids and seeing them happy is such a great experience. I love making a positive impact on the kids at The Relatives. I’m thankful that YMSL has given me quality time with my mom while also being able to serve others.”
We are thankful to all our volunteers for their ongoing support of programs at both the Crisis Center and On Ramp. If you’re looking to get more involved with our work at The Relatives check out our volunteer opportunities on our website.
Circle Back and Help Us Hit Our Target!
The Relatives is excited to share that we have been chosen to participate in Target’s community giving campaign through their Target Circle Rewards program. From April 1st to June 30th, all your purchases at Target can help to benefit The Relatives directly.
By signing up or using your existing Target account each time you shop, you can gain rewards points through the Target app just by providing your phone number at checkout. Your rewards points can be donated to support The Relatives and the more points accumulated, the more Target gives to support our critical work.
Each time you shop at Target, make sure you enter your phone number at checkout. Then in your Target App, you can click ‘My Target’ and then ‘Explore Benefits’ to view how many votes you have currently and can use them to vote in their Community Support feature.
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