Volunteer Opportunities
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Consider joining the over 150 CAC volunteers this year who are helping to make life a little easier for those in need. Opportunities are numerous and varied. Day and evening hours can be accommodated.   Drivers, food pantry workers, thrift shop volunteers and client counselors work regular daytime hours. Those involved in fundraising, computer projects, newsletter production, or CAC historian may determine their own schedule or work from home. Visit us at 1130 Hightower Trail, see us in action, and then become a part of CAC, helping our neighbors through difficult times. With your heart, our hands, we can accomplish much.

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Needed Now
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VOLUNTEER NEEDS

• Thrift Boutique and Food Pantry Workers
• Drivers to pick up food locally and drivers with pickup trucks or large vans to make trips to the Atlanta Community Food Bank
• Individuals to answer phones, conduct client interviews
• Groups to assist with mailings
• Data entry volunteers
• Attorney with background working with nonprofit agencies
• Individuals and business to conduct food drives

Email volunteers@ourcac.org if you are interested in volunteering.

CAC is planning to open the Thrift Shop during evening and weekend hours so that our clients who work during the day can shop at the Thrift Shop without taking time off from work. Each 4 hour shift requires a minimum of 3 volunteers in the Thrift Shop. Think you might be interested, or perhaps you have a group that might like to work together as a service project, on a regular basis? Contact Mitzi O'Connell at thriftshop@ourcac.org to explore possibilities.

Pantry volunteers are needed to staff the food pantry.   Help stock and organize the pantry and distribute food to clients between the hours of 10am and 2pm week days. In addition, CAC is always looking for a few strong volunteers with large trucks or SUVs to help with trips to the Atlanta Food Bank to purchase food when our shelves are bare. Contact Susan Franz at volunteers@ourcac.org for more details.

Client and telephone interviewers are always needed.   These positions involve direct contact with clients as volunteers seek to assess the needs and eligibility of both current and prospective clients.   Patience and attention to detail are important. Bi-lingual capability in these positions, in particular, is helpful, although not required. Contact Susan Franz at volunteers@ourcac.org for more details.

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Individual
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Summer and Holiday Volunteer opportunities abound for teens wanting to earn community service hours.   Opportunities exist for work in the Thrift Boutique stocking items and assisting shoppers in their purchases. Special projects are also available.  See below for more details. Email volunteers@ourcac.org to volunteer.

• Telephone Intake Desk:   Volunteers are needed to answer phones, complete emergency request assessments, make appointments.   Minimum 4 hours per month.   Contact Susan Franz at volunteers@ourcac.org

• Client Intake: Volunteers are needed to interview clients, assess need, collect appropriate documentation and recommendations to the Director.   Minimum 4 hours per month from 10:00 am to 2 pm.   Contact Susan Franz at volunteers@ourcac.org

• Thrift Shop:   Volunteers are needed to sort donations, price items, and staff the shop.   The Thrift Shop is presently open two days a week - Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 am to 4 pm and the first and third Saturday 10: am to 2 pm.   As soon as more volunteers can be trained, the shop will be open more often, including one evening. Contact Mitzi O'Connell at thriftshop@ourcac.org to volunteer.

• Food Pantry:   Volunteers are needed to organize food drives, stock shelves, pack food bags for clients and re-package oversized dry goods.   This is a good opportunity for school groups, scout groups, Sunday classes, etc.   To volunteer to work in the food pantry contact Susan Franz at volunteers@ourcac.org.   For help in organizing a food drive contact Pat Hartigan at fooddonations@ourcac.org.

• Office Help:   Volunteers are needed for data entry, filing, correspondence and mailings. Contact Tamara Carrera at director@ourcac.org.

• Pick Up:   Volunteers are needed to pick up donations from local bakeries, pizza restaurants or the Food Bank. People with access to a pick up-truck are especially needed for large food collections on occasional basis. Contact Tamara Carrera at director@ourcac.org.

• Bilingual Help:   Bilingual volunteers are especially needed, particularly in Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. Contact Contact Tamara Carrera at director@ourcac.org.

• Holiday Programs:   At Thanksgiving, CAC needs many volunteers to collect, sort, and pack holiday meals. This is another excellent opportunity for youth groups, scouts, high school and church groups.   During the holiday season we organize a Holiday Shop for our clients to shop for new toys and clothes for their children. Many volunteers are needed to: 
  • Assist with client registration, filing and entering data  
  • Collect and sort new toys and clothes  
  • Setting up of shop  
  • Assist clients with shopping  
  • Gift wrapping  

This is an excellent opportunity for those needing service hours.   It is also a great way to get into the Holiday Spirit!   Contact: director@ourcac.org

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>Individual   >Businesses  >Community & Groups  >Congregations  >Seasonal

Businesses
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Throughout the year there are many opportunities for businesses to support CAC events and programs.

• Become involved in the Community Action Center's major fundraiser, The Vintage Affair, by becoming a financial sponsor, food or beverage sponsor, or in-kind sponsor. Click here to find out more about this signature event.

• Contribute to the Capital Campaign by establishing a challenge grant or matching gift program with your employees and/or community. Naming opportunities are available for substantial donations. Please contact De Cutshaw, Capital Campaign Chair at the Community Action Center for further information by email: capitalcampaign@ourcac.org.

• Invest in local youth by supporting CAC's Youth Enrichment Program. Through this program, area children are able to go to summer camp and participate in after-school enrichment programs.   Consider having your company or a department within the company "Adopt-a-Youth" and fund the cost of sending them to a summer enrichment program for a truly valuable and memorable experience! Contact Janice Haddock, Program Coordinator for more information by email at programs@ourcac.org.

• Participate in CAC's Holiday Activities by donating Thanksgiving food baskets in November.   Provide toys and new winter clothing for the Holiday Gift Shop or Adopt-a-Family for holiday giving in December. Contact Janice Haddock for more information by email at programs@ourcac.org.

• Conduct a food drive at your place of business, involving your employees, clients or patrons.   For example, Curves in Sandy Springs offers incentives to members by waiving the monthly membership fee when a member brings in a large brown shopping bag filled with canned food for CAC.   Some employers offer a "jeans day" which employees can "purchase" by making either a cash or canned goods donation at the office, to benefit the CAC. Contact Pat Hardigan at fooddonations@ourcac.org for more ideas.

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Community & Groups
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Please call ahead (770-552-4889) if your group would like to help, so we can arrange for one of the CAC volunteer leaders to be available to work with your group.

Community Service Hours

• Groups may work at Community Action Center helping to transport, sort, shelf, bag or distribute groceries, clothing and holiday presents.   This service is particularly needed between October and December when the Holiday Programs require a lot of extra work.

• Spring-cleaning and sprucing up the CAC facilities at the end of the season when we clean and re-stock our pantry and clothes closet.

• Bulk mail preparation for quarterly newsletter. Includes putting on labels and bundling by zip code.

Special Projects

Groups such as Schools, Scouts, Civic or Business groups may choose to:

• Sponsor a drive to benefit Community Action Center.   Groceries are needed year round to provide basic needs to clients.

• Special food drives such as a peanut butter and jelly drive or a Holiday Season drive to provide a festive meal. coats or toys are also great projects.

• Theme drives such as a toothbrush and toothpaste drive associated with health week at schools.

• Gift exchanges with gifts benefiting the Holiday Shop.

• Mitten and hat trees.

• Holiday parties with a canned food item or other suitable donation as entry tickets.

• Building shelving for the pantry or clothes closet.

If your group decides to work on a special project, CAC will work with you to provide information and coordinate the project to best suit your needs.

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>Individual   >Businesses  >Community & Groups  >Congregations  >Seasonal

Congregations
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By channeling your efforts through the Community Action Center each congregation...

• Can be certain that their aid is given to carefully screened applicants confirmed to be residents of our community.

• Will have a seat on the Board of Directors , as a member or advisor, influencing the future direction of CAC to help address your needs.

• Will have it's members be able to take advantage of volunteer opportunities at a nearby location that is ideal for the young and old, at a location that is convenient and offers on-site parking.

• Will be able to coordinate your programs with other congregations.

Memberships are available at various levels and involve participation in food drives, holiday activities, volunteer recruitment, board position and annual pledges.

• SPONSOR:   Donation of $5,000 + per year.   Sponsors have a voting seat on the Board of Directors as well as a congregational representative to sit on the Advisory Board.

• MEMBER:   Donation of $1,000 to $4,999 per year.   Members may have a congregational representative on the Advisory Board.

• ASSOCIATE:   Donation of up to $1,000 per year.  

Have a young adult or singles group looking for a project or activity?   Perhaps they want to host a golf or tennis tournament?   Make it a fund raiser to benefit CAC and we can help promote the event on our website and in our newsletter!   For information, contact Tamara Carrera at director@ourcac.org.

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>Individual   >Businesses  >Community & Groups  >Congregations  >Seasonal

Seasonal
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• Businesses, social organizations, schools:
  Adopt a Family for the holiday. Email holidayscac@aol.com or call the center at 770-552-4889.

• Collect holiday wrapping paper to be used to wrap items from the Holiday Shop.  
  Partial roles of paper are welcome.

• Be a Holiday Elf: Volunteer to sort and display donated gifts or to wrap gifts at the Holiday Shop.

• Purchase new toys, clothing, sports items, watches, and teen items for our Holiday Gift Shop. Email publicity@ourcac.org for a suggested list of Holiday items.

• Help the homeless through the winter by donating hand cream, pop-top food items, sweaters and coats.

Please note, CAC is closed December 24 until January 2.

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