Ambassadors Needed

On July 4 Common Heart is hosting the inaugural Common heart Firecracker Run in Lake Park, NC.  The run features a professionally timed 10K & 5K race as well as a 1K and Kids Firecracker Dash.   Lake Park provides us with a great flat course circling the village area with its greens and lakes.  It will be a wonderful day.   We are hoping for a good showing for this event. The public is encouraged to register and join us. There is more information and online registration at www.CommonHeartFirecrackerRun.com.

But there other ways to participate in the race and support the work we do through our food pantries, thrift store, free tax service and referral network. We need plenty of volunteers to work on July 4th. We need others to help organize and plan. But there is yet another way to help!

We are looking for some Ambassadors.  Ambassadors are runners/walkers that will participate in the race, plus they go the extra mile. Instead of paying a registration fee, they ask their friends, relatives and co-workers to sponsor them.  They tell our story and invite others to help.  We have some great prizes for participation too.  Ambassadors can win Gold Passes to Carowinds, an iPad or a vacation for example.

Ambassadors do not work by themselves.  Our Ambassadors are part of a team.  They get support, training and tools to help them spread the word and collect donations.  Right now we are looking for team captains and team members.  A captain recruits other ambassadors and encourages them.  Contact Keith@TheCommonplace.org for more information about being an Ambassador captain or team member.  Captains are recruiting Ambassador team members right now.

The Ambassador Kick Off Meeting is just around the corner on June 5 at New Covenant Baptist Church Indian Trail.

Big Day Planned for June 18

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C., - Local nonprofit, Common Heart, will team up with Speedway Children's Foundation and Feed the Children, to provide groceries to 800 families in Union County on the afternoon of Tuesday June 18.  The distribution will be just in time for summer when many local low income families find it difficult to make ends meet.

 

 "We got a call from our friends at Speedway Children's Foundation asking if we could distribute two trailer loads of food in one day," Keith Adams, Executive Director of Common Heart shared.  "Because we distributed 525 turkey baskets to families last fall, I felt like we could do it. There are a lot of families in our area in need right as schools let out.  It comes at a good time."  

Food Lion parking lot on Independence Blvd in Indian Trail will serve as the distribution point for the two tractor trailers filled with boxes of can food.  During the next 30 days Common Heart volunteers will be working with local schools, nonprofits and agencies to identify the neediest families in the community.  Each family will receive a box and information about how to access local services during the three hour distribution time.

Unlike our Great Turkey Countdown which delivers Turkeys and fixins in time 

for Thanksgiving. This  distribution will see  800 families come to us. "I am expecting 600 cars to come through the distribution line on the 28th." Keith said, "So we are going to need about 60 people to direct traffic, work with the families, unload the trailer and pack the cars." 

The other volunteer need will be for caring people to get on the phone with schools, churches, and families to find the need and coordinate distribution.   We also need some detailed oriented volunteers to serve in planning and organizing this event.  

To sign up to help please use this link.

Common Heart Firecracker Run - July 4

The inaugural Common Heart Firecracker Run is an event for everyone on July 4th in Lake Park, NC. This small village built around scenic parks with a hometown feeling is the setting. Professional timing is provided for both the 10K and 5K race by Charlotte Sports Timing. Two additional races will include a 1K and the Firecracker Dash for children. Enjoy the Fourth of July festivities after the race that Lake Park has to offer.

Common Heart is a nonprofit organization promoting personal action to address hunger and poverty. Encouraging a "small revolution of kindness" is Common Heart's mission. Through Common Cupboard, a hundred volunteers each month gather and pack groceries then deliver them to hungry families. An additional pantry invites families to come and choose from fresh produce and baked goods, along with meat and canned goods. Through these two pantries over 15,000 people are provided a week's worth of groceries each year.

Common Heart also operates Common Things Thrift Store, a free tax service, and a referral network to meet the needs of low income families at 116 Business Park Dr, Indian Trail.

This benefit race hosted by Common Heart will support its work mobilizing volunteers to bridge the gap, transforming lives and our community.To register go to www.CommonHeartFirecrackerRun.com

A Heartfelt Thank You & Update

Dear Friends,

I would like to take a moment to thank all the people who helped make the Feinstein Challenge an amazing success.  You and all of our supporters mean a lot to this small nonprofit, its volunteers and staff.  Because so many people give donations, both large and small, we are able to help over 15, 000 families a year.  As you know March and April were Million Dollar Challenge months.  Gifts of groceries, pledges and cash for the two months equaled $45,594.  This is substantially more than we have ever collected in 2 months.  Thank you so much for helping make this campaign a success!

The summer is gearing up to be very busy with opportunities to serve the community and to get the word out about Common Heart’s “small revolution of kindness.”

• I am scheduled to speak at two churches thus far.  We are excited about our partnerships with two local United Methodist congregations – St Francis and Mill Grove. I will be sharing our story during three services at Mill Grove on May 19^th and at the Crossroads series at St Francis on June 30^th.  I am sure they wouldn't mind a few guests. I would love to share at your church, Sunday school or men’s/women’s group.
• We will be at the Indian Trail Family Fun Day on June 8^th letting people know what we do and how they can get involved.  Stop by and visit our booth or sign up to volunteer.
• Tuesday June 18^th, we have the privilege of partnering with Speedway Children’s Foundation and Feed the Children. Two tractor trailers full of food will be delivered here to feed 800 families just as school gets out.  It is going to be busy here arranging the logistics to get all that food out to families in 3 hours!  If you want to help, there is a lot to do between now and the day of distribution!
• June 24^th is the rescheduled date for the 3^rd Annual Golf Tournament, and just 10 days later we will be putting on the first Common Heart Firecracker Run in Lake Park on July 4^th.

As you can see, I need your prayers and so does every member of our team! Good stuff going on.  

Thank you for sharing and giving!

               

Together, Bridging the Gap,

Keith Adams

Executive Director