Women Helping Others again have had a busy October, beginning with the Sock Hop fundraiser for The Nest Empowerment Center – The Georgetown Project, which serves students who are at-risk, homeless or living in transition and enrolled and attending a Georgetown ISD high school. The event was a great success, raising $10,565.
WHO ladies have also been working hard on the organization’s annual fundraiser, which benefits Sun City and Georgetown’s senior clients of Opportunities for Williamson and Burnet Counties.
Opportunities for Williamson and Burnet Counties is the area’s official Community Action Agency. The group administers social service and economic opportunity programs, including Meals on Wheels and Head Start. The programs and services provided by the community services department help transition low-income community members out of poverty through financial assistance, education and coaching.
What makes Opportunities special is that the group never says “no” to feeding a person in need. Some other counties in Texas that have this program have to turn people away due to inability to serve all requests at certain times of the year. It is hard to imagine turning an individual down for a meal when they are hungry.
The local Meals on Wheels program for seniors was established by the 1965 Older American Act, Nutritional Program. This act helped seniors remain living independently for as long as possible. Income is not a program requirement to be eligible. Seniors are also welcome to participate for short term meals when major recovery from surgery is required. The home deliveries of meals are made up 40 percent of volunteers that help with this service.
One great feature of this program is that every recipient receives a daily wellness check when the meal is delivered to their home.
Meals on Wheels prides itself on not having a waitlist for services over the past 10 years.
The three-month fundraiser ends in October, but so far the ladies have raised $34,600, plus matching funds from St. David’s Foundation up to $35,000, making the total $69,600.
The final event of the month will be held at Mulligans Restaurant in Sun City. Nels Johnson, owner of Mulligans, will again donate the use of the restaurant and patio for people to come have dinner and contribute by donating a $10 cover charge. Executive Director Marco Cruz and his senior staff will be in attendance.
Last year there were 800 children in the Head Start program and each child received a book and a blanket for Christmas. True story: One day during the Christmas season, when hygiene kits were being handed out to families, a little boy got his and he looked in the bag and saw that there was a toothbrush.
He asked, “Does that mean I don't have to share a toothbrush anymore?”
To donate, go to www.OWBC-tx.org and click “Donate.”
Anne Marshall is a member of Woman Helping Others, a Georgetown- based club that works to help area nonprofit organizations. Each month, the group meets to assist and spotlight the efforts of a local nonprofit.