Give Blood. Give Life.

No, it isn't Halloween yet! This months Giving Back activity is a repeat, but a much needed one. We've given our time, our hearts, our money, and again this month, we're asking you to give your BLOOD!

We will be hosting a Blood Drive on Wednesday, July 21st from 1-6pm at the EnSite Offices in Millard. If you are unable to give, please recruit at least 1 other person in your place. Our goal is to collect 37 units through the blood drive.

To sign up, go to http://bit.ly/9wKaaQ or  www.givebloodgivelife.org and click "Donate Blood" in the top right hand corner. Search for Sponsor Code 2356 or enter area code 68137. Please do not delay in signing up - we can only host this if we have enough donors!

Why Give? A few responses:

• It's a way I can help others.
• My mother received over 83 units through 6 months of treatment ; I want the same for others.
• I may need it someday; I hope others will do the same.
• Its the right thing to do.

On average, every cancer patient received 50 units of blood. (This will be 3 times more for a leukemia patient.) Each donation can potentially help 3 people - the unit collected is seperated into platelets, plasma & blood.

Volunteers Still Needed for Sand in the City 2010!

Omaha's only gigantic sand sculpting competition is back June 4 through June 6 in downtown Omaha (10th and Capitol streets)and we need your help to make it a success!


Join the fun by being an event volunteer! (Plus, every volunter gets a FREE official Sand in the City shirt!)

Volunteers Opportunities Still Available For:

SATURDAY, JUNE 5
Volunteers shifts available from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

AREAS:
Vollunteer Check-in
Kid Zone
Merchandise Sales
Voting booth
Sand dollar sales (voting)
Site cleanup

SUNDAY, JUNE 6
Volunteers shifts available from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

AREAS:
Volunteer Check-in
Kid Zone
Merchandise Sales
Voting booth
Sand dollar sales (voting)
Site cleanup

INTERESTED? Contact Molly Borgmann, volunteer coordinator, RIGHT AWAY (we need to send you a parking pass) at (402) 451-0787 ext. 350 or email mborgmann@nchsfoundation.org.

PLEASE INCLUDE: Names and numbers of all volunteering, time and date you wish to volunteer, area where you prefer to volunteer, home address and t-shirt size for all volunteering (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)

PLEASE RESPOND BY WED. JUNE 2

THANK YOU!!!!

All proceeds for Sand in the City benefit:
Nebraska Children's Home Society Foundation
4939 South 118th St.
Omaha, Nebraska 68137
www.nchs.org

Gardens for Ridgewood Retirement Community

Our May activity has been planned for months and we couldn't be more excited! 

Ridgewood Active Retirement Community is fairly new to the Bennington area and the staff is working overtime to make sure the residents feel at home.  One thing they are most excited about this spring, is building a garden for the residents!  The Executive Director contacted Giving Back asking for assistance in building a raised garden for residents in wheel chairs... and of course we said YES!

So, mark your calendars for:

Saturday, May 15th at 9:00 a.m.

Ridgewood Active Retirement Community
12301 North 149th Circle in Bennington
(Located on the North side of Bennington at Hwy 36 & 149th Street)

They have been fortunate enough to get all of the supplies, plants and seeds donated except for compost.  If you would like to make a "compost donation", please let us know!

Since the gardens are new to the Community, supplies are limited.  If you have some of the following items at home, you may want to bring them:

Cordless Screwdriver
Hammer
Shovel
Hoe
Work Gloves
Level
Chalk Line
Tape Measure
Skill Saw
Saw Horses

If you are able to attend our May activity, please email emily.andres@gmail.com or karla_bates@hotmail.com.

Everyone has a reason for Giving Back, what's yours?

A little back tracking...

I apologize for the lack of blogging lately. I often forget that everyone is not on Facebook (and some vow to never join! We'll get you there some day Terri...) 


However, Giving Back has been very active!  We had an incredibly successful event in February, helping the Breakfast Club to collect a total of 402 pairs of shoes, which were shipped to Soles 4 Souls for shipment to Haiti! Thanks to Ensite & Anderson Industrial Engines for hosting drop spots. 


March was a hodgepodge month with tons of volunteer opportunities - through the Facebook group, we sent out notices about volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House, Open Door Mission & the Red Cross just to name a few. 


A little good news & then a promise to be better about updating...


First, Giving Back was nominated for a group award for the United Way Volunteers Awards and won!  We will be honored in the Family or Group category for "Making It Happen!" Go us!


Also, many of you know that I have been searching for a job with a non-profit organization for the past year. I am happy to inform you that I have been offered (and obviously accepted!) a position with the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska working in Membership & Volunteerism. I am so excited to start this new chapter in my life & you can bet there will be a project in the near future working with the Girl Scouts!


Thank you everyone for your commitment to Giving Back!


~Karla

Soles 4 Souls

The Giving Back event for February is Soles 4 Souls!  Soles 4 Souls is a non-profit organization trying to make our world better one pair of shoes at a time and we are proud to be making a difference right along with them! 

There are two ways you can help "Give Back" this month:

1.  Make a monetary donation on our pledge page at http://www.soles4soulsfundraising.org/givingback_omaha!

2.  Make a SHOE donation!  Just visit one of our drop-off boxes between February 4th thru 11th located at:
          Ensite
          13750 Millard Avenue

          Anderson Industrial Engines
          5532 Center Street

For further details about the foundation take a look at http://www.soles4souls.org!/

Everyone has a reason for Giving Back, what's yours?

Project Pay It Forward

Deb Holst, a friend of our Giving Back group has created a “Project Pay It Forward”  and is asking for support in beginning this small endeavor.  She is a teacher at Metro Community College and has many students who struggle with financial aid issues and find themselves unable to continue their education because they lack the basic supplies needed to be successful in school.  Many times financial aid is slow to process, for any number of reasons, so students struggle or drop out.  She is asking for donations of school supplies which she will keep in her office.  It would be nice to keep it simple for them, no “red tape.”  The student will sign a contract with Deb to “pay it forward” when they have the means to do so.  Deb’s note to her friends regarding why she wants to do this said “I am so grateful for all the support I have had throughout my life and it has been from many of you!” 

We will be meeting at Panera Oakview Mall on Sunday, January 31st at 4pm to collect any items that you have to donate (AND just to see each other & chat a bit!)

Wish List:

College ruled paper notebooks

Pocket folders

Pencils

Pens

Highlighters

Colored pencils

3 x 5 notecards

Pocket dictionaries

Pocket thesaurus’

Portfolios (black, brown or grey)

Poster paper

 Deb Holst, Faculty

Metropolitan Community College

P.O. Box 3777

Omaha, NE  68103-0777

dholst@mccneb.edu

402.457.2897

Thanks!

Katie Snyder

December Blood Drive

Giving Blood is possibly the best gift you can give this holiday season... Therefore, Giving Back is holding a drive on Wednesday, December 30th - everyone has their reasons for giving, what's yours? Sign up today! http://tinyurl.com/yhsdubo

Also... don't forget to visit us at the following spots for monthly volunteer opportunities!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=229239065505

Twitter: http://twitter.com/givingbackomaha


Happy Holidays from the Giving Back Crew!