November 17, 2016
by: Guest Contributor
Giving Back Group 2016
By: Laura Hruska, Development Intern
For the past six years, UCP of Greater Cleveland’s Giving Back Group has shown us that there is always an opportunity to help people and nothing can hold us back from doing that. Clients of UCP’s Oakleaf Job Training Program work together to do everything they can to help people in times of need. The Giving Back Group consists of a rotation of clients who get involved on a per-project basis; if they are interested in the current project and have the time available, they will help out. There are, however, some clients that are involved in every project, including Amy Hook, who is the lead when it comes to planning and organizing these projects. Although the group is mainly client run, they do have some guidance from the helpful staff in OakLeaf Services.
The Giving Back Group organizes fundraisers and other events to raise money to give back to the community. The group started making their impact by simply making lunches and blankets to pass out to the homeless. After seeing their success, they were eventually given the large project of UCP’s Annual Harvest for Hunger Food and Donation Drive. This year, they raised $1,600 for Harvest for Hunger!
In addition to Harvest for Hunger, the Giving Back Group takes on a special holiday project every year. With the holidays are fast approaching, the group wants to make sure everyone can enjoy this special time of year. In the past, the Giving Back Group elected to pass out turkeys and gift cards to deserving families so that they could enjoy a nice Thanksgiving dinner. However, this year the group decided to host a holiday party at the Eliza Bryant Village, an organization committed to providing a healthy and stable place for seniors to live. To raise money for this project, the group has already had three bake/lunch sales where they raised more than $300.
The group chose Eliza Bryant Village because a few clients have been volunteering there, doing crafts and playing Bingo with the residents, and have really made a connection with them. The clients go there as a way of connecting with people and visiting residents that may not have family in the area. The group decided that a holiday party would lift everyone’s spirits and really give the residents a true holiday experience. The group is not only funding this event, but will be there to organize and run everything as well.
The Giving Back Group really loves to get involved and help others out in so many ways that there is always a project in the works. In addition to Harvest for Hunger and the Eliza Bryant Holiday Party, this year they have also collected toiletries for Cogswell Hall; hats, scarves and gloves for Warm Hearts Warm Hands; and are planning to collect blankets to pass out to the homeless this winter. So if you have any new or gently used blankets, you know where to drop them off!
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