If you've got a couple of hours to spare, United Way of Greater Chattanooga could use your help.
Representatives of United Way will be at Hamilton Place this afternoon to launch "Do What It Takes To Live United," a volunteer drive with the ambitious goal of signing up 1,000 new volunteers by Aug. 23.
The recruitment drive is seeking volunteers to help children prepare to go to school.
"United Ways across the nation are celebrating Day of Action today," said Eva Dillard, president of United Way of Greater Chattanooga. "Its purpose is that we focus on one of United Way's priorities to advance the common good."
Ms. Dillard said she hopes the volunteer drive will draw attention to the efforts of the 15 agencies that are collaborating on a school readiness advisory board.
Today's kickoff was planned to coincide with a public forum taking place at UTC on what it takes for early success in school. The forum's discussions will consider what government, nonprofits, parents, teachers and county leaders can do to help ensure success for county schoolchildren.
The community forum is one outcome of an Ochs Center study that found one in four children in Hamilton County are at risk of not being ready for kindergarten.
"When children are successful in school, it prevents social problems before they happen, according to research," said Linda McReynolds, senior vice president of organizational development at United Way.
Ms. Dillard said new recruits have their choice of many organizations that focus on preparing children for school whether through health education, developing reading skills or improving family relationships. There are opportunities to help enroll preschoolers to receive a free book each month or to conduct a free learning checkup, which United Way offers preschool children to help parents understand where their children function developmentally.
"We have a lot of volunteers who come in and read to children, do activities with children," said Gloria Miller of the Children's Home/Chambliss Shelter.
"It's really important that children get that one-to-one attention, it's important to their cognitive development, as well as their social and emotional development. If a child is emotionally and socially ready to go to school, that's a big part of the learning process as well. They need all that to be healthy and successful," Ms. Miller said.
Kelly Nave, United Way spokeswoman, said the volunteer drive will also extend to college campuses, local businesses and civic groups.
"Even if we don't make it to 1,000, but come close, what a wonderful commitment that will make for our community to commit those hours to our children to make sure they have the best advantages possible when they go to school," Ms. Dillard said.
If You GO
* What: Do What It Takes volunteer drive
* When: Noon to 3 p.m. today
* Where: Comcast Stage at Hamilton Place
* Sign up online: http://tinyurl.com/whatittakeshamiltoncounty
Susan Palmer Pierce is a reporter and columnist in the Life department. She began her journalism career as a summer employee 1972 for the News Free Press, typing bridal announcements and photo captions. She became a full-time employee in 1980, working her way up to feature writer, then special sections editor, then Lifestyle editor in 1995 until the merge of the NFP and Times in 1999. She was honored with the 2007 Chattanooga Woman of ...
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