How LYNC is getting involved in its community, and why it’s important for everyone to find ways to help others.
It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and forget the true meaning of it all. The holidays are about spreading love and kindness to those in our community by giving back. This year, our LYNC Logistics team wanted to spread holiday cheer by partnering with some nonprofits near our headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To do this, we’ve split up into teams and chosen four different organizations to help: The Chambliss Center for Children, the Humane Educational Society, the CHATT Foundation’s Community Kitchen, and NHC HealthCare Fort Oglethorpe.
Team 1: The Chambliss Center of Children
Team 1 is supporting the Chambliss Center for Children by purchasing needed items from their Amazon Wish List. Celebrating 150 years, the Chambliss Center for Children got its start in 1872 when a group of local church women wanted to support orphaned girls by opening a food and clothing pantry. Now, all these years later, the organization is still committed to supporting children in need. However, they have expanded their services by adding new programs that support their overall mission of “preserving family unity and helping prevent the dependency, neglect, abuse, and delinquency of children by responding to the community’s childcare needs.” Today, they support families through services like 24/7/365 Early Childhood Education and Childcare. They also offer residential services to help children in foster care, and they recently partnered with a nonprofit called the Isaiah 117 House to open the Isaiah 117 House at Chambliss Center for Children where kids and teens can stay while they wait to be placed in a foster home. LYNC was honored to partner with the Chambliss Center for Children on #GivingTuesday this year to help them raise over $20,000 to continue supporting families in our community. You can learn more about this organization by visiting https://www.chamblisscenter.org/.
Team 2: Humane Educational Society
Team 2 is volunteering with the Humane Educational Society (HES). It should come as no surprise that our LYNC team loves animals! In fact, you’ve probably seen photos on our social media pages of our four-legged Chief Happiness Officers Evie and Joe. Our friends at HES care for between 4,000 to 5,000 homeless pets each year. They offer pet adoption services, animal cruelty investigation services, animal protection, pet licenses, and essential care for homeless pets. The incredible folks at HES are also working to teach the next generation about the importance of properly caring for animals through the organization’s humane education programs. Team 2 will be helping HES by volunteering at their physical location and by purchasing items off their Amazon Wish List. You can learn more about this organization by visiting https://www.heschatt.org/.
Team 3: CHATT Foundation
Team 3 is working with the CHATT Foundation, formerly known as the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. This organization recently changed its name because it offers so much more than just food. They also help homeless and low-income individuals and families in the Chattanooga area find shelter, work, clothing, and education. Our team will be volunteering in their kitchen to feed meals to those in need. The CHATT Foundation feeds people three meals every single day. During the winter months, they also open a Cold Weather Warming Shelter where people can have a warm, safe place to escape the elements. You can learn more about this organization by visiting https://chattfoundation.org/.
TEAM 4: NHC HealthCare Fort Oglethorpe
Team 4, which has named themselves “The Missile-Toes,” is partnering with NHC HealthCare Fort Oglethorpe. This assisted living facility in North Georgia is part of the NHC HealthCare Corporation which has been providing senior care for over 50 years. The Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, location is a 24-hour skilled nursing facility. In addition to skilled nursing, they provide continuing care, respite care, rehabilitation care, and hospice care. “Caring in a better way day by day” is the vision that guides all of their nurses and employees. The Missile-Toes will be assisting with purchasing Christmas gifts for the residents. You can learn more about NHC HealthCare by visiting https://nhccare.com/locations/fort-oglethorpe/.
Now, It’s Your Turn
It is truly an honor to be able to help these incredible organizations. Each one is doing phenomenal work every single day to help those in need in our local community. We know that many of you do not live in the Chattanooga area. We encourage you to find a way to give back this holiday season to a special organization where you are located. There are many ways you can help. For instance, you could volunteer your time, purchase gifts off wishlists, donate used items, host fundraisers, etc. Together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of those around us.
From all of us at LYNC, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season!