Helping Hands

Want to help your fellow man? This column offers details about benefit fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Lutheran Services of Georgia’s Specialized Foster Care Program is recruiting individuals and couples to provide safe and stable foster homes for children waiting in Georgia’s foster system. Information Sessions are held on the first Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at the Rome Office, located at 336 Broad Street, Ste. 200 Rome, GA 30161. Individual sessions may be scheduled to accommodate families, as needed. For more information, contact Laura Fowler at 706-512-7777 or lfowler@lsga.org.

Lutheran Services of Georgia’s Heritage Adoption Program partners with DFCS to find Forever Families for children waiting in Georgia’s foster care system. Information Sessions are held on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Rome Office, located at 336 Broad St, Suite 200. Individual sessions may be scheduled to accommodate families, as needed. For more information, contact aweaver@lsga.org or call 706-506-0649.

The Northwest Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to do disaster work, office administration and community outreach at health fairs and other events in Barrow, Chattooga, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Walker, and Whitfield Counties. Training will be provided. For more information, call 706-728-3408 or visit redcross.com/ nwga.

Gordon Hospital Auxiliary, a group of men and women of all ages who volunteer their time for the betterment of the hospital, is currently taking applications for new members. To join, simply pick up an application from the Gordon Hospital Information Desk or gift shop. For more information, please call 706602-7800, extension 2256 or 2318.

If you love to read and enjoy the helping others, you are encouraged to come by the Fairmount Library and fill out a volunteer application and background check form. The library is a wonderful place to offer your time and ability to help your community and others. You may call the library at 706-337-3110 for more information.

Are you looking for Volunteer Opportunities? The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission GeorgiaCares program has multiple opportunities to fit your skills and interests. If you are on Medicare, have loved ones on Medicare or simply want to help people with Medicare, GeorgiaCares is the program for you. GeorgiaCares volunteers can help promote the GeorgiaCares program, educate the community about issues affecting people with Medicare or provide individual counseling to beneficiaries. Training, supervision and support are provided. Call Northwest Georgia Regional Commission GeorgiaCares at 1-866552-4464 Option #4 to learn more!

Volunteers make a powerful impact and a wonderful difference in people’s lives! PruittHealth Hospice is looking for people of vision and empathy who wish to make a difference in their community one person at a time. As a hospice volunteer, you will receive training and support for your role in helping those with life limiting illness to have a quality of life during their last days. By being a hospice volunteer, you can gain great personal satisfaction from knowing that you have made an impact in another person’s life. As a hospice volunteer you will be given choices as to how much and what types of things you want to do. If you have a heart for others and wish to be of service, please contact Aspen Bray at (706) 602-9546 or by e-mail at AMBray@ pruitthealth.com. Remember, you can make a difference!

Tallatoona Community Action Partnership is offering assistance for GED testing. Interested participants must meet the income eligibility requirements based on the federal poverty guidelines and must be recommended “ready” for testing by the GED program. Contact the Tallatoona Gordon HRDC, 125 Red Bud Road, Suite 7, Calhoun, at 706629-2333.

Tallatoona Community Action Partnership is offering services to individuals and families, including access to computers for job searches, resume development and training on popular work-related programs. The nonprofit’s Pathways to Empowerment Program supports individuals and their families who are committed to changing their lives. Families will reach their highest potential by setting and achieving goals focused on career pathways, education, financial literacy, job training and life skills development. The services and supports provided give families the tools to succeed in life and empowers them to achieve economic independence and security. Services include access to employment opportunities, access to public benefits and income supports (childcare, transportation, etc.), career development, employment counseling, financial literacy, GED assistance, higher education assistance, life skills and resume development. Contact Tallatoona CAP in Gordon County at 125 Red Bud Road, Suite 7, Calhoun, which is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 706-629-2333 or email gordonhrdc@tallatoonacap. org.

Gordon County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is recruiting new volunteers to serve as Child Advocates/Guardian Ad Litems for children involved in Juvenile Court deprivation hearings. It is the goal of the program to have a CASA volunteer to advocate for the best interests of all abused or neglected children placed in foster care. For more information on how you can become a part of this very important program, please call the Gordon County CASA office at 706-629-4561, extension 6 or email apitts@gordoncounty.org.

Prevent Child Abuse Georgia announced that the 1-800-CHILDREN Helpline is not taking calls. In partnership with the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, the Helpline operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can provide callers with information about parenting support, community resources, counseling services, referrals for legal needs and can address other concerns about the well being of a child. Note: Unlike the Department of Family and Children Services statewide centralized intake number, the Helpline is not a number to call in crisis or when making a report of child abuse or neglect.

Transitions Hospice Care is looking for volunteers. If interested, please contact Redonna Branton and 706-378-2273, or email rbranton@ transitionshc.com.

The Gordon Hospital Auxiliary, a group of men and women of all ages who volunteer their time for the betterment of the hospital, is currently taking applications for new members. To join, simply pick up an application from the Gordon Hospital Information Desk or gift shop. For more information, please call 706602-7800, extension 2256 or 2318.

Have a special gift or talent? Needing a place to use it? Why not consider sharing them with Morning Pointe Assisted Living and The Lantern at Morning Pointe. We are always appreciative of loving volunteers. Please contact Beth at 706-629-0777.

Regency Hospice’s volunteer program strengthens and extends its capabilities into the communities in many ways that benefit patients and their families. All that is required is a loving heart, commitment and a willingness to learn to become an active link supporting our team of hospice professionals. Prior experience is not required, and the amount of time you give is up to you. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Kim Davidson at 770-382-7175.

The Calhoun Pregnancy Center Inc., located on the corner of Peters Street and East Belmont Drive, is open every Monday, Tuesday and Friday from noon until 4 p.m. The center is also open each Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday available by appointment only. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays. The pregnancy help center offers free pregnancy tests and Biblical lay counsel regarding abortion risks and procedures, development of the baby, adoption, sexual purity, and the risks of STDs. The center also offers practical helps for mom and baby with maternity and baby clothes, diapers and baby care products, and even some baby furniture when available. The center is pleased to announce that through its new project, “Baby Sleep Safely,” it will be offering new bassinets and cribs to loan out to parents in deepest need, returned and used again by more clients later. To visit the center, call 706-625-5768 to make an appointment. Walk-ins are always welcome during operating hours.

TREK, the foster care program of Lookout Mountain Community Services in Chickamauga, is expanding their foster care services to meet the needs of the residents in the following 12 counties: Gordon, Gilmer, Floyd, Fannin, Murray, Whitfield, Bartow, Cherokee, Haralson, Polk, Paulding and Pickens. TREK, therapeutic resources and environments for kids. If you want to help make a difference in the life of a child by being a foster care parent, call Jan at the TREK office today. TREK offers free training in the comfort of your own home, and provides reimbursement to foster care parents who are approved for placement. For more information, call 706-217-6819 or 423-208-1259.

Want to make a difference in the life of a child? Caring adults and families to serve as foster parents are needed – opportunities for full-time fostering or for respite care. Call Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers for more information at 770-748-1500, extensions 223 or 224.

Adventa Hospice is looking for very special individuals or groups who can visit hospice patients in homes or nursing homes. Activity volunteers support hospice patients through running errands, reading to the patient, sharing a devotional, playing board or card games, or just making friendly visits. Volunteer by yourself or as a group and as often or as little as your schedule allows. Individual or group training is available at your convenience. You can make a difference. Call Sheila Cameron at Adventa Hospice at 706-259-2518 or toll-free at 1-866353-5915.

LifeLink of Georgia, the agency which coordinates organ and tissue donations in Georgia, has speakers available for civic and community groups, churches, schools, corporations, etc. Speakers are trained to provide information and dispel myths about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Presentations are free to the public and tailored to the specific audience. To learn more about the Speaker’s Bureau or organ and tissue donation, contact Terri Medina at 770-225-5465 / 800-544-6667 or visit the website at www.lifelinkfound.org.

Volunteers needed at Heartland Hospice. Flexible hours and a great opportunity if you need school credit or just want to help others. Clerical work and friendly visitors for our patients. Call 770-382-0721.