Milledgeville Cares, Inc. is deeply concerned about those who are hungry, homeless, and/or facing huge bills that cannot be paid due to job loss or cut-backs at work.
We are making links among all organizations in Milledgeville that serve those among us who are most in need.
Although we cannot provide direct assistance, we can make referrals to those who may have the means to help and we can provice other services that benefit the recipient.
Sometimes we make referrals to sources that cannot provide assistance for the following reasons:
- Organizations rely directly on volunteer donations and/or grant money, and there is only a limited amount of funding available.
- Grant money is received periodically throughout the year, so sometimes no money is available for a few days or weeks.
- Volunteer giving is down in every church due to the economic downturn, and churches have to pay their own expenses first.
- Those who are in need has grown tremendously; more people are asking for funding, so there is less to "go around".
- People, in general, do not know or understand the needs of many, many people in our community; therefore, they do not share.
Milledgeville Cares, Inc. is committed to publicizing needs as they arise.
We have been actively seeking help for the Cafe Central soup kitchen, Chard Wray Food Pantry (the two community agencies that provide food).
We constantly research grant opportunities, and we have fund-raisers in order to contribute to agencies providing direct help.
We host meetings of service agencies, faith-based institutions, and other non-profits that have similar goals in order to coordinate efforts and avoid duplication of services, when possible.
Through Charity Tracker, we have provided a quick, easy way for agencies and churches to see, at a glance, who has received services or funding, in order to identify those most in need, those who are "using the system" to get more than their fair share, and to post announcements and fraud alerts.
We receive information from United Way and other agencies that we publicize to everyone through e-mail and Charity Tracker announcements.
Future plans include providing an office where volunteers listen compassionately and help as they can. We need volunteers to help raise funds, research grant opportunities, and publicize needs as they arise. We need those with computer skills, time for telephoning a small group of people; and we need compassionate, concerned, and caring listeners. If you would like to join with us in this effort, please contact Louise Sallstrom at 452-7337.
