HandsOn West Central Ohio Walks the Walk

The staff members of HandsOn West Central Ohio don’t just talk the talk… They also walk the walk. Four staff members from HandsOn West Central Ohio, including the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, shared their time as volunteers on Monday by volunteering for Tipp Needy Basket in Tipp City. Staff members from Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby Counties came together to assist the all-volunteer run Tipp Needy Basket with sorting donated cereal and collecting of Box Tops for Education that will ultimately benefit Tipp City area school districts.

HandsOn West Central Ohio, a program of Council on Rural Services, inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. The program assists area residents with finding volunteer opportunities that will benefit up to 200 local nonprofit organizations locally, and more than 1,500 individuals volunteered their time and talent through the organization in 2010. The program serves residents of Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby Counties. Key events include celebrations of Martin Luther King Day, National Volunteer Week and Make a Difference Day.

“Our staff chose three years ago to volunteer together during the holidays rather than giving each other gifts,” says Nicolette Winner, HandsOn West Central Ohio Director. “Not only is it a great way for us to learn more about organizations doing amazing work in our community, but volunteering has become a great team-building experience for members of our staff.”

Sherry Baker, volunteer coordinator for Darke County, adds, “Even knowing how difficult the current economy has been for members of our community, we were surprised to learn that Tipp Needy Basket is serving over 50% more families this year than they did last year. So many of our nonprofit partners who run soup kitchens and food pantries have reported similar increases, and nearly all of these organizations rely heavily on volunteers to deliver these critical services. It just makes our own program all the more necessary.”

To learn more about one-time and on-going volunteer opportunities available through HandsOn West Central Ohio, visit www.handsonwestcentralohio.org or call (937) 778-5220. Additional information may also be found by visiting www.facebook.com/handsonwestcentralohio.