FMF Volunteer Corner
Spotlight – Bridie McDonough, AmeriCorps VISTA
In August 2017, Bridget McDonough, “Bridie”, joined Families Moving Forward as the Workforce Development Associate VISTA. After spending two years serving in the Peace Corps in Venda, South Africa, Bridie decided to continue her service by joining AmeriCorps VISTA. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is a national service program dedicated to fighting poverty. VISTA members spend one year serving at non-profit or government organizations building programs, raising awareness, leveraging funds, recruiting volunteers, and more. During Bridie’s 12-month service, she served 1954.50 hours and took up the charge to fight homelessness and poverty by connecting FMF adult guests and aftercare participants to the workforce and going back to school. Here is an overview of Bridie’s accomplishments:
- Formalized partnership with community organization StepUp Durham
- Brought StepUp training onsite to FMF
- 15 individuals completed soft-skills employment training through StepUp Durham (since August 2017)
- 17 individuals created or updated their résumés
- Formed ongoing partnership with Durham Tech Community College
- 6 individuals gained access to high school equivalency program
- 3 individuals passed certification courses to become certified in medical careers (recruited tutors for these guests)
- Established partnership with Kramden Institute
- 18 participants (8 families) received laptops and 5 weeks of computer basics training
- Formed partnership with new organization, Hope Her Way to provide single parents with an opportunity for higher education
- Established relationship with Duke Temp services as an avenue for possible employment for guests and aftercare participants
Backpack 2 School Event
Heartfelt thanks to the 201 volunteers who helped make the Backpack 2 School event a huge success! This year, we partnered with Urban Ministries of Durham to give 254 individuals who are in families currently or recently experiencing homelessness a one of a kind experience in preparation of the new school year, including 160 school-age kids.
Special shoutouts to the Duke Athletes, The Bouncing Bulldogs, Jezzie Belle (the clown!), Casey's Laugh and Learn, face painting, Wool E Bull, and Jatovi as Emcee making the afternoon fun, interactive and entertaining! We appreciate all of you who volunteered!
Volunteer Need: Food Shuttle Volunteer
We are in need of a volunteer to help out every other Friday at FMF. This volunteer will help by unloading food donations from the Interfaith Food Shuttle and dispersing it to the FMF families.
Pictured is Jenna, who dutifully met the Food Shuttle twice a month for a full year and would help distribute over 250 lbs of food (from fresh fruit to frozen meats) to our families' refrigerators and pantry shelves. If you have two Fridays a month available to help, please contact Tasha Melvin, Director of Partnerships at Programs, at tasha@fmfnc.org!
July's Birthday Party
Kaleisha Council and her Sistahs Who Care planned and put on a birthday party last month for our July birthdays. All of our guests were invited and for those who attended, many laughs and smiles were shared. There was great food and fun had by all. Celebrating the lives of those living at Families Moving Forward strikes to the core of who we are. Many thanks to Kaleisha and her Sistahs who joined in our mission in their own creative way! If you or your group is interested in hosting one of our monthly birthday parties, please let us know!
Westminster's Cookout
Huge thanks to Dawn and Robert from Westminster Presbyterian Church, who coordinated a cookout for our guests last week. Not only did they bring the food and cooked it onsite, but they had to actually assemble this giant grill in order to do it! One mom shared, “This was our first dinner at FMF. It was awesome! I couldn't believe it!” |