In its four-county service area of Forrest, Lamar, Marion and Perry counties, the United Way of Southeast Mississippi works to connect individuals with needs to the resources available to meet those needs, for the purpose of creating positive change across Southeast Mississippi.
To that end, the organization on September 15 hosted its annual Day of Caring, during which United Way staff members visited seven locations in the Hattiesburg area to help paint, sort food for distribution, serve meals, bag rice, landscape and more.
One of those sites was Christian Services in Hattiesburg, where members of the Area Development Partnership helped prep food for the upcoming lunch service and sort items in the adjacent Bargains & Blessings thrift store.
“Some of us were organizing clothes and other miscellaneous items from donations they’ve (received), and then we have some of our Pine Belt Young Professionals here, who are helping in the kitchen,” said Vanessa Henson, director of communications and events at the ADP. “Christian Services in particular does so much – they feed thousands of people every week, and they use money from their donations to support the work that they do.
“So it’s really important for us to take a minute … and re-invest, and spend time, with organizations who are on the ground doing this work.”
In addition to Christian Services, other stops on the United Way of Southeast Mississippi’s Day of Caring included:
- The Domestic Abuse Family Center, where the staff of Citizens National Bank helped lay pine straw;
- The Edwards Street Fellowship food pantry on Edwards Street in Hattiesburg, where the staff of Priority One Bank helped to repackage bulk food, stock shelves and fill grocery bags;
- The Edwards Street Fellowship Center thrift store on Lincoln Road in Hattiesburg, where the staff of Anderson Design Center sorted donations, hung clothing and displayed donations on the sales floor;
- The ARC of Southeast Mississippi on Bonhomie Drive in Hattiesburg, where the staff of Grand Bank trimmed hedges and tagged pottery;
- The Children’s Center on Fraternity Drive in Hattiesburg, where the staff of Mississippi Power sorted and organized toys and materials;
- The Born Learning Trail at Optimist Park in Oak Grove, where the staff of Hancock Whitney cleaned and repainted signage.
“Christian Services was one of the first United Way agencies – we’ve been around about 35 years, and we’ve been a United Way agency that whole time,” said Maggie West, executive director of Christian Services. “We’ve been partners with United Way for a really long time, and we wouldn’t want to do it any other way, because United Way not only helps us to recruit volunteers and get our word out, but they also help hold us accountable to know what’s going on in the community so that our service can get the most bang for its buck.”
West said the Day of Caring was a huge help for her organization, as the biggest needs were in the kitchen and thrift store.
“In our thrift store, it’s a never-ending influx of things that come in either from the truck or from the community,” she said. “So it’s really hard for our few staff to stay on top of sorting them and pricing them and getting them in the best shape to either sell or give away.
“So to have extra hands in that, it makes the work lighter, and it definitely helps to get those items to the people that need them.”
Henson said the ADP group of volunteers gained a learning experience from the Day of Caring.
“For some of them, they didn’t know all of what Christian Services does, so not only is it an opportunity to give back, but it’s also an opportunity for those who may not be exposed to the works of Christian Services to find out what they do and how they can be a part of it,” she said. “There is a volunteer who was riding around with clothes in her car that she realized she could give to this, so it’s an educational opportunity as well.”
