donation - T-V-S Overcoming Challenges | Feeding Our World

A ‘PAW’-fect donation drive benefiting the shelter animals.

Apr 6, 2021 | News

In another successful donation drive, Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) spent the last couple of weeks collecting food, treats, and toys for the Transylvania County Animal Shelter.

“We chose to donate to the Animal Shelter because of the pandemic causing a high rate of displaced animals and people in need,” said TVS HR Administrative Assistant Kayde Hopkins. “Because of this we felt a great need to help the shelter meet their demands with donations of food and toys.”

TVS employees donated over 330 pounds of kibble for cats and dogs, 243 cans of wet food, 94 toys, and 74 bags of treats! Other items such as pet beds, food and water dishes, leashes, dog collars and cat litter were also donated.

“This is why we do what we do, it is to help our community and to help the animals,” said Transylvania County Animal Shelter Manager Sara Laboe. The shelter is always accepting donations but has not seen this magnitude of contribution in the past.

Over the past year, the pandemic left individuals in hard places and the animal shelter began offering free cat and dog food to anyone who needed the assistance. “We don’t want anyone to have to surrender a pet because of the hardships brought on by the pandemic,” said Laboe.

Last year’s quarantine also affected the shelter. At the height of the pandemic, the shelter was closed to the public with only staff taking care of the animals and an available animal control officer when needed in the community. As the county began to open, the shelter adjusted and began adopting animals out by appointment.

As restrictions continue to loosen, the shelter is open to anyone looking to adopt and has welcomed back TVS INTERACT participants who enjoy volunteering to help with the shelter cats and dogs.

Since the beginning of 2021, the shelter has rescued and adopted out an average of 100 animals a month and as restrictions began to lift the shelter is back operating on a more normal schedule.

This is TVS’ first donation in 2021, but is expecting more donation drives to offer more opportunities for employees to give back to the community. TVS began ramping up donation events as a way to give back to the local community affected by the pandemic.

For their contributions to the donation drives, TVS employees are rewarded with raffle tickets to win gift cards to other local businesses. This donation drive included prizes for O.P. Taylors, Downtown Chocolates, Elements Spa, Rockin’ Bowl, and the Co-Ed Theatre.

At the end of last year, TVS donated food and clothing to the Life Changers Outreach located in Pisgah Forest and filled over 50 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child to be distributed worldwide.

To learn more about the shelter please visit https://www.transylvaniacounty.org/departments/animal-services.

TVS packs 50 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child

Nov 20, 2020 | News

For the final donation event of the TVS season of giving, TVS employees collected over 700 items for Operation Christmas Child. Toys, health and hygiene items, and school supplies were all collected and stuffed into shoeboxes for children in need around the world.

TVS requested that the shoebox donation items were all for children ages 10 to 14. This is the oldest age group in Operation Christmas Child, and it is also the group that normally receives the least amount of gifts.

TVS had preordered 50 shoeboxes directly from the Operation Christmas Child site and by the end of the two-week donation period all the boxes were filled. The collected items remaining were donated to help fill more boxes.

“I have never done this project before,” said INTERACT participant Taylor. “I think my favorite toy that I put in a box was the Hot Wheels cars.”

All the boxes were stuffed with health and hygiene and school supply items by Human Resources (HR) staff before being having the “Wow” items added by INTERACT participants. These “Wow” items are the larger items such as toys, dolls, and sport balls.

At the end of the box stuffing, all boxes had around 10 to 15 items.

INTERACT participant Laura said, “It’s fun to help the children. I love it.” Not only did Laura help stuff the boxes, she also donated personal care items for the donation and prayed over the boxes for their safe travels and the joy they are bringing to the children.

To help cover the costs, an anonymous TVS employee donated the nine-dollars per box fee needed for shipping and other project costs.

“Those who donated truly gave with their full hearts for this donation,” said Kayde Hopkins, Administrative Assistant. “I personally love Christmas and the thought of children being excited as they receive these gifts is what this is all about.”

All the shoeboxes were dropped-off at Brevard Wesleyan Church on Thursday, Nov. 19.

The Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 178 million shoebox gifts around the world since 1993 and collected more than 10.5 million shoeboxes for the 2019 initiative.

They collect shoebox gifts and deliver them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. For many of these children, the gift-filled shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.

If you are interested in donating requested items, the Operation Christmas Child national collection week is from Nov. 16-23 and donations can still be locally dropped off at Brevard Wesleyan Church or Little River Baptist Church.

You can also build a box online at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/buildonline/. Learn more about Operation Christmas Child at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/.

TVS employees clean out closets for winter clothing drive

Nov 3, 2020 | News

Immediately following our recent food donation, TVS began collecting winter clothing for the Life Changers Outreach. TVS employees cleaned out their closets and collected 200 winter clothing items for the donation. The donation was delivered to Life Changers Outreach on November 2.

With cold fronts moving in and chilly weather in the air, the collection included gently used coats, jackets, jean, and hoodies. Due to COVID restrictions, Life Changers also requested that some of the items be new, such as, gloves, socks, scarves, and beanies.

Life Changers Outreach focuses on helping men and women struggling with various types of bondages or life-controlling issues through Biblical studies, Christian counseling and worship. They offer a non-medical, non-psychiatric approach that focuses on achieving inner-healing for deep rooted issues that are often at the center of addiction.

You can learn more about the program at http://lifechangersoutreach.com/home

TVS donates over 800 items to Life Changers Outreach!

Oct 20, 2020 | News

During the first two weeks of October, TVS collected over 800 items to donate to the Life Changers Outreach program in Pisgah Forest. This is TVS’ largest donation of canned food in recent history.

“The canned food donation was an absolutely overwhelming response,” said Life Changers Program Director Aaron Britt. “It is all about community and what we can do to help each other.”

The items included boxes of macaroni and cheese, soups and broths, rice and beans, cereals, and much more. Even as the last day for donations was ending, employees were still showing up with items to donate leaving an exact number unavailable.

The event was organized by TVS, Benefits and Recruitment Specialist Catherine Tinsley and TVS Administration Assistance Kayde Hopkins.

“It was so great seeing the employees of TVS come together in just two short weeks to support such a great cause,” Tinsley said. “I am so thankful to be a part of such an amazing company that gives back to the community I am excited to see how our next few drives go!”

Life Changers Outreach is located in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina at the River Church and has been in operation since 2015.

These donated items will be use to feed the men and women that are currently housed and enrolled in the program to better their lives and build a relationship with Christ.

Life Changers Outreach focuses on helping men and women struggling with various types of bondages or life-controlling issues through Biblical studies, Christian counseling and worship. They offer a non-medical, non-psychiatric approach that focuses on achieving inner-healing for deep rooted issues that are often at the center of addiction.

From now until the end of October, TVS will be collecting slightly worn winter clothing, along with new scarfs and gloves, to donate to the nonprofit as well.

You can learn more at http://lifechangersoutreach.com/home

Dogwood Health Trust grant allows for TVS Pre-ETS teachers transportation

Mar 23, 2020 | News

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) is thrilled to announce that their organization has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Dogwood Health Trust. The Immediate Opportunities and Needs (ION) grant has been used to purchase a new vehicle to transport TVS Preparation for Employment Success program teachers to multiple high schools.

“We are grateful for the generosity of Dogwood Trust in supporting our efforts to assist students in Transylvania and Henderson counties,” said TVS Program Director Carla Hill. “This grant will help in better preparing students to transition from high school to secondary education or into a career.”

This program offers services designed to aid students with disabilities, ages 14 – 22 with an IEP or a 504 plan, transition from school to career pathways. Classroom and work-based instruction and training is provided in Transylvania and Henderson County High Schools.

The TVS program, Preparation for Employment Success, is in partnership with the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) program Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), and with local participating high schools. Since TVS initiated its program one year ago, it has grown to serve 140 students in seven high schools.

The goal of the program is to provide students who experience barriers to employment with skills and knowledge to attain living wage employment and to help them transition successfully from high school to post-secondary options or into the workforce.

The two TVS Pre-ETS instructors, Jessica Casey and Montana McPherson, teach job exploration counseling, self-advocacy, work-based learning experiences, counseling on post-secondary training options, and workplace readiness training.

The purchase of a new vehicle will allow TVS teachers to travel safely and reliably between the high schools.

The ION grant program from Dogwood Health Trust, has awarded more than $3.7 million to a diverse range of 259 nonprofit and government agencies over the past year. The program reaches every county and the Qualla Boundary in western North Carolina.

Dogwood Health Trust is a North Carolina Nonprofit corporation with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and well-being of all people and communities of western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust became operational upon the sale of Mission Health’s assets to HCA Healthcare and is the recipient of the net proceeds of the sale.

To learn more about the Dogwood Health Trust please visit https://dogwoodhealthtrust.org/