’Tis the Season for Team Charlotte Giving
By: Nicole Eaton, Charlotte Communications & Marketing
As we deck the halls and haul out the holly, the holidays bring joy and happiness to many. It’s also a time of year where we light up the holidays for those in need. Whether it’s giving a holiday meal, a toy or warm winter coat, Team Charlotte has a way for you to give back to our community this holiday season.
How you can get involved
CLT250 Winter Coat Drive
In the spirit of CLT250, the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) and Housing & Neighborhood Services (HNS) are committed to collecting 250 winter coats. Want to help reach the goal? Drop off a new or slightly used child or adult winter coat at any CFD station, HNS Code Enforcement Service Area Office or Old City Hall (600 East Trade Street) by Monday, Dec. 10. All coats will benefit Crisis Assistance Ministry and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
CMPD Explorers Christmas Project
Since 1974, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has collected and delivered gifts to community members through the CMPD Explorers Christmas Project. The program provides toys and a Christmas dinner to children and families experiencing unforeseen crisis situations in Mecklenburg County. This event has been very successful because of the support of our community. If you would like to donate a toy, you can drop it off at any police or fire station in the city, the Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway or the South Park Winter Wonderland ice rink. Also, you can grab a name from a Salvation Army angel tree. You can find more information or make a monetary donation at cmpd.org/christmasproject.
Charlotte Water Spirit of Giving
Every year Charlotte Water employees hold a Spirit of Giving campaign. The program helps children at Reid Park Academy by collecting money to buy clothes, toys and school supplies. Employees also volunteer to wrap the gifts.
Team Charlotte efforts so far
Some holiday fundraisers and events have already passed. Here are a few highlights of how we have given back this season.
Clean Corridor Campaign
The Clean Corridor Campaign kicked off Dec. 2 at Johnson C. Smith University. As part of a neighborhood matching grant, the Historic West End Neighborhood Association (HWENA) wanted to light the corridor for the holiday season. Decorative wreaths with lights were hung up on light poles stretching from Beatties Ford Road to Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road. Another part of the project is ensuring that the corridor is clean, meaning no signs in the rights of way, no litter on the sidewalks and streets and all trash cans removed from the sidewalk. That’s where Solid Waste Services comes in. They are helping HWENA keep the corridor clean by removing trash and litter. Although this started as a holiday project. HWENA plans to keep the corridor clean 365 days a year.
Bike Build
On Dec. 1, employees built 75 bikes for students participating in the Right Moves for Youth, a school-based dropout prevention and support program for Mecklenburg County middle and high school students. The Spokes Group donated the bikes and city employees helped put them together at the Atando Avenue fleet shop.
Holiday Food Drive
Human Resources held a Holiday Food Drive to help our community members have a happier holiday with meals for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The food drive ran from Nov. 1 to Dec. 5 with HR employees collecting non-perishable food items and money to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. The first round of donations was delivered for the Thanksgiving holiday and the second delivery is just in time for the Christmas holiday.
Salvation Army Angel Tree and Silver Bells Program
The City Clerk’s Office hosts an angel tree/silver bells program every year and opens it up to all City of Charlotte employees to participate. This year, there were 70 participants. The angel tree provides a child with a present or toy and the silver bells provide a senior citizen with basic necessities that a fixed income cannot provide. All gifts were due on Dec. 5 and will be delivered to recipients within the next couple of weeks.
The City Clerk’s Office is not the only angel tree host, some divisions of Engineering & Property Management (EPM) host an angel tree program too.
Spreading joy through Sounds of the Season
Choirs and special guests will fill the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center atrium with their gift of song and holiday cheer during Sounds of the Season. During this celebration of holiday music, enjoy performances the week of Dec. 10–14.
- Monday, Dec. 10
10 a.m. Olympic High School Jazz Band - Tuesday, Dec. 11
10 a.m. Bria Alexander, North Mecklenburg High School
11 a.m. Hope Robinson, HNS — CharMeck 311 - Thursday, Dec. 13
10 a.m. Alexander Graham Middle School
11:30 a.m. Northwestern School of the Arts Orchestra
12:15 p.m. City-County Holiday Singers - Friday, Dec. 14
10 a.m. Selwyn Elementary
11:30 a.m. University Park Elementary.
