Announcements

DUMC Makes Holiday Offering Gift to CAC

DUMC Sr. Pastor Dr. Wiley Stephens, left, presents a check to CAC Board President Bob Levinson, board members Joan Gill Redmond and Judy Lehmann, and
CAC development associate Pam Jones.

Members of Dunwoody United Methodist Church collected $30,935.08 at their Christmas Eve services and donated all of it to CAC. The offerings from 5 services were made mostly in small amounts by the more than 5,000 members in attendance.

"The response was greater than what we typically see on Christmas Eve and I think it's because people love and trust CAC," said Dr. Wiley Stephens, Senior Pastor at DUMC.

The offering donation was planned in advance and promoted by DUMC. They produced a touching video about the work that CAC does helping neighbors in need and played it at their Christmas Eve services. DUMC is one of CAC's original founding congregations and its members are actively involved at CAC as volunteers and on the board of directors.
 
"We have a long-standing commitment to CAC, so the decision to give the offering to CAC seemed like the obvious thing to do," said Stephens.

 

CAC Executive Director Receives Humanitarian Award

CAC’s Executive Director Tamara Carrera was named the 2012 recipient of the Sandy Springs Humanitarian Award.  The award was created to recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions in the area of community service.  

The award was presented to Ms. Carrera during the city of Sandy Springs’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Monday, January 16, 2012.

Ms. Carrera began at CAC as a volunteer in 1992 and in 1997 was appointed as director. Under her leadership, CAC has become a model of community partnership in preventing homelessness, reducing hunger and promoting self-sufficiency for those in need. In addition to staff offices, CAC houses a Food Pantry, Education Center and a Thrift Boutique which Carrera created to serve clients as well as generate revenue to help fund programs. In 2011, the CAC served more than 2200 families and is supported by hundreds of volunteers who devote almost 13,000 hours a year. 

A Marietta resident, Ms. Carrera is also active with other community organizations including Sandy Springs Education Force and Leadership Sandy Springs.

Read more in the Sandy Springs Neighbor

Read more in the Sandy Springs Reporter

 

Free Income Tax Preparation at CAC

CAC is offering free income tax form preparation to any household earning less than $48,000 in 2011.

Appointments are available:
February - April 2012
- Mondays and Wednesday, 4 pm-8 pm
- and on Saturdays, 10 am- 2pm

Please call 770-552-4889 for an appointment or email vita@ourcac.org.

Volunteers are needed to work at the CAC reception desk and as tax preparers. To train as tax preparers [basic, intermediate or advanced] or as intake/screeners, training and certification must be completed by January 31, and can be done mostly online. Sign up at online at The Atlanta Prosperity Campaign.

In 2011 CAC prepared more than 200 tax returns for free; saving filers on preparation costs and ensuring they filed correctly. Clients were assisted by our team of trained and certified volunteer tax preparers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), operated by the Atlanta Prosperity Campaign and the IRS.

 

Food Pantry January Needs

We thank everyone for the generous food donations during the holidays. Currently inJanuary 2012 the pantry is low on toilet paper, toiletries and jelly. The Pantry receives an average of 950 visits a month, including about 400 families a month. Please help a local family in need by donating a bag of groceries or holding a food drive at your office or with your community groups this year.

Food Pantry Food Drive List

 

Swim Team Supports CAC!

The Riverside/North Harbor Streaks Swim Team held a Swim-A-Thon in June at the Riverside Pool and raised $2062.80 for Community Action Center's Focus on Kids Summer Campaign. The 40 Sandy Springs youngsters ages 5-15 got pledges for their participation and swam a total of 4375 laps, about 68 miles. The highest fundraiser was Chloe Dinkle (photo, right) who swam 250 laps raising $502.50!

Photo: Swimmers Alyssa Lieberman, left, Sawyer Lanneau, Ryan Belfi and Chloe Dinkle hold a check showing the amount of funds they raised in their swim-a-thon.

 

 

Prepare a Child for School

Every child deserves to be prepared for the start of school with a new back pack and the required school supplies.

Donate to CAC's annual school supply drive and help children be ready to succeed at school! Donate new back packs, supplies or both! About $50 buys a back pack and  required supplies.

CAC works with schools in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody to provide supplies to students and teachers. Back packs filled with required school supplies are distributed to students in need as determined by the schools. Donate Now through August 31. Download a list of needed school supplies.

 

 

Jewish Federation Gives Grant

The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta recently gave CAC a grant for $3,546.65 which is a result of funds that were raised from the 2011 Hunger Walk. The religious organization gives grants to CAC annually.

Dunwoody Teen's Girl Scout Project Helps Kids

Alexis Joy, an 8th grader at Greater Atlanta Christian, is  completing her Girl Scout Silver Award by collecting school supplies for Community Action Center's program to help local children in need.

The young Dunwoody resident is holding a drive for school supply donations at her church, North Atlanta Church of Christ, which is a supporting member of CAC.

To achieve her goal of 125 backpacks and accompanying school supplies, Alexis created an Toolz 4 School board, much like a holiday giving tree, from which donors can select items they would like to contribute. Donors can select from the board at North Atlanta Church of Christ or email wolvenjoy@comcast.net .

Read more about Alexis' project in the Sandy Springs Patch!

Summer is Busy in the Food Pantry

Many don't realize that summer is one of the busiest times of the year for our Food Pantry. With children home from school for the summer, more families come in seeking assistance with food. More than 50 pantry  volunteers, Second Helpings volunteers and interns keep the food pantry running daily. Donations come in from individuals, groups and businesses.

Summer Interns: Kids Helping Kids

This summer CAC is pleased to have a dozen students from a variety of backgrounds and schools working at the center to help their neighbors in need. Our interns range from middle school through college and are working throughout the center in financial assistance, youth programs, development, the food pantry and the thrift shop. Many have contributed to the summer youth programs that provide local children with summer camp opportunities, summer lunches and back packs with school supplies for the start of school.

The Spring 2011 Action Report Newsletter is Here!

The newest edition of CAC's Action Report printed newsletter is now online for our email friends. Printed copies are available at the CAC Office.

In This Issue:

• CAC Focus on Kids
• Tax Program a Success
• Second Helpings Feeds Many
• Jump Starting Careers
• Cresa Partners Volunteers
• Volunteer June Hayden
• Helping Mary
• Thank You 2010 Donors

 

 

 

Groups Get Involved with Focus on Kids

Businesses, congregations and local groups are getting involved in CAC's Focus on Kids summer campign to help local children in need.

Among the contributers: UPS donated to the Summer Lunch Box program, St. Andrew Presbyterian, Dunwoody United Methodist Church and St. Lukes Presbyterian held food drives and assembled lunch bags. A local swim team The Riverside/North Harbor Sharks held a swim-a-thon in June to benefit the Send-a-Kid to Camp program.

CAC's Fashion Show Fun!

CAC's Fashion Show & Sale on May 26 was a great success! Gals of all ages enjoyed the fashion show and shopping for "new" designer apparel and consignment quality clothing at amazing prices. Fashion jewelry, hand bags, Jafra beauty products and Stella & Dot Jewelry rounded out the girls night out event.

Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped organize the event and also to One River Place for hosting CAC.

The Teachers' Closet!

CAC is expanding its School Supply Program for students to include teachers! Soon teachers may request free School Supplies for students of low-income families. Coming for the 2011-2012 school year. Supplies may vary depending on availability. The all new supplies are donated to CAC. This program is in cooperation with the Sandy Springs Education Force.

St. John United Methodist Donates More than 5000 Meals

St. John United Methodist Church in Sandy Springs in April collected enough food for more than 5000 meals to be distributed to local families in need by the Community Action Center.

For the second year, St. John held Project Feed 5000 during the Lenten season. The project set out to collect enough food for 5000 meals. The congregation surpassed its goal and donated 150 boxes of food containing 5400 meals.

The project began on Ash Wednesday, in which congregants were asked to make a $30 donation to fill a box with enough food to feed a family of four for three days. The Lenten program refers to the miracle of Jesus Christ feeding 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish, in the book of Matthew.

The boxes were blessed in the St. John sanctuary on Easter Sunday and delivered to CAC on April 27.    - Photo Gallery -

Curves Makes Annual Food Donation

Curves fitness centers in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody donated to CAC more than 2200 pounds of food that was collected during their annual food drive in April. This year marks Curves' 13th annual food drive at the women's fitness centers nationwide.

Curves members from left, Barbara McCoy; Stephanie Vogel; Julie Buckley, manager of Curves Sandy Springs; Pat Hood and Joan Smith of delivered food to the CAC Food Pantry.

Free Tax Return Program Helps Many

CAC prepared more than 200 tax returns this tax season for free; saving filers on preparation costs and ensuring they filed correctly. Many thanks to our great team of trained and certified volunteer tax preparers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), operated by the Atlanta Prosperity Campaign and the IRS. The annual program is available to households earning less than $48,000.

Donate Your Gently Worn Summer Clothing to CAC

Donate your gently worn summer clothing for men, women and children in need.

We are also in need of children’s toys. Please help us by cleaning out your closets and donating any of the following:

Children
Summer clothing & shoes
Clean socks & underwear
DIAPERS - Sizes 4, 5, and 6

Women
Summer clothing for casual and dress

Men
Outside work clothes & running shoes
Clean grey and/or white socks & underwear
Jeans

Bric-A-Brac
House hold goods – pots & pans, glasses, dishes, etc.
Linens – sheets, blankets, towels, etc.

   Become a CAC Volunteer!

More than 200 volunteers keep CAC operating on a daily basis. Additional volunteers are needed in all areas of the center. Volunteers would ideally be able to work on a regular basis such as once a week. Contact Liza at volunteers@ourcac.org.

FOOD PANTRY: We need volunteers to work in the pantry and drivers to pick up food on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from multiple locations.

CLIENT INTAKE: Volunteers are  needed to answer calls for assistance and work with clients to gather information.

ADMINISTRATION: Volunteers are needed to staff the reception desk and do data entry.

ADULT EDUCATION: Seeking volunteers to teach Intro to Computers in Spanish.

Click here for a complete list of volunteer opporunities at CAC.

Local Musicians Play for CAC Pantry

Hungry Ear Coffee House
First Saturday of the month, 7 pm - 9 pm
at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Sandy Springs

The Hungry Ear Coffee House features some of Atlanta's best local talent and also serves as a food drive for the Community Action Center in Sandy Springs. Please show your generosity by bringing canned goods, peanut butter, and other non-perishables for CAC's food pantry. $5 suggested donation, BYOB.

NUUC, located at 1025 Mt. Vernon Highway, N.W., Sandy Springs, GA 30327, is one of CAC's 28 supporting congregations in the Sandy Springs/Dunwoody area. For more information contact hungryearcoffeehouse@gmail.com.

Read an article on this event in the Sandy Springs Reporter.

Organize a Food or Clothing Drive for CAC


You can get involved with helping our neighbors in need. Organize a food drive or a clothing drive with your office, school, neighborhood, scout troop or other organizations to benefit CAC. We accept gently worn clothing for men, women and children and are always in need of shoes and jackets. We also accept linens and small home goods. Contact Jacqui at jacqui.brinson@ourcac.org.