A big thanks to all of you who volunteered for the 2nd Annual Serve the City Newport News Big Volunteer Week. We added a sizeable chunk of the southeast community to our service area for home repair for the elderly and disable. In addition to what we affectionately call the Tree Streets (3 homes) we worked on 8 homes between Madison and Marshall Avenues from 16th to 36th Street as part of our Big Volunteer Week. During the week we also continued our engagement with refugees, primarily kids this year, in relational, conversational English and games. We engaged a new non-profit that serves the homeless, Community Action Network, cleaning and organizing their food and clothing pantries (we hope to be part of their food service activities on a regular basis as the year goes on). And we finally made a connection with the Boys & Girls Club on Hampton Avenue, spending a couple of days painting their “conference” room. All told we had over 250 volunteer-days this week.
The residents whose homes you worked on are truly grateful. Everyone we have talked to so far can’t say enough about how much they appreciate what you did for them. The Community Action Network has also given high praise to the work that was done to transform both their food pantry and clothes closet, enabling them to better serve the needs of the homeless. And Newsome Park Elementary is looking forward to what they can do with the garden boxes that were put in. Every small thing you did last week has made a big difference in the lives of many, giving a sense of hope and pride in a community that struggles daily to have both. Serve the City is nothing but empty words without volunteers like you putting action to our values of humility, compassion, respect. courage, love, and hope.
Our intent going forward is to have once-a-month volunteer days to continue these types of repairs and be a consistent presence in the neighborhood. So check out the Events page for our upcoming Big Volunteer Days!
