help tastes good

I recently sat down with a group of students at UGA who are offering their time and talents to help Community Connection of Northeast Georgia better serve the community. They asked me why I am passionate about the organization. Here's why - because Community Connection serves literally everyone in this community. It is a community lifeline in a way that no other community organization is.

For those in need, our 2-1-1 referral line connects them to the services they need and the organizations that provide those service, including basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. Sometimes, when those calls come to us, it's someone's last resort. The end of the line. And at the other end of the line is help.

For those who are part of those organizations that provide services, Community Connection helps them do more with less. We help build capacity through strategic planning assistance, staff development, technical assistance; by strengthening nonprofits, we strengthen the community.

And for those who want to help, we connect them to opportunities to improve the community. HandsOn Northeast Georgia allows volunteers to browse the needs of community agencies and find meaningful ways to serve.

Community Connection is connecting the community in marvelous ways - it's a lifeline to a better community.

I'm in my second year on the board of directors, and prior to that, I was volunteering through HandsOn. I met some amazing people through the organization, and made some lifelong friends.

Photos courtesy of Zoomworks

This weekend is Taste of Athens. The weekend's events - a 10K race Saturday morning and Sunday's eat-travaganza benefit Community Connection. It's our biggest and most important fundraiser. If reading this blog has made you feel the least bit moved by what our organization does, I'd love to see you chugging along at the race Saturday or gnoshing among the 60 restaurants and beverage suppliers who will be making Sunday night extra delicious. Or if you can't make it, consider buying a $5 raffle ticket that could win you one of four weekend packages that include hotel nights, entertainment and dining in the Classic City.

So eat up. Help is delicious. And calorie-free.