LOCAL NON-PROFITS PARTNER FOR NATIONAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY

TROY, OH (October 6, 2011) Troy Community Works! and fourteen  different non-profit organizations around Troy have joined together to participate in the largest national day of helping others, Make A Difference Day.

Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing community service project in the nation – a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.  Created by USA Weekend Magazine, the 20^th annual Make A Difference Day will occur on October 22, 2011 from 8:30am – 12:00pm with a volunteer recognition lunch immediately following.  On this day, across the nation, corporations, government leaders, charitable organizations, and everyday Americans will join together to make a positive impact in their communities.  The headquarters of Troy’s event will be at the First Place Christian Center located at 16 W. Franklin Street.

Volunteers will be assigned to a project at one of 14 different sites including Troy Community Works!, Partners in Hope, Bruckner Nature Center, the Troy-Miami County Library, WACO Historical Society, St. Joseph’s House, St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen, Family Connections, Troy Main Street, Lincoln Community Center, the Miami Valley Veterans Museum, Hospice of Miami County, the Miami County Animal Shelter, and the Miami County Recovery Council.   These organizations have teamed up to host Make A Difference Day- Troy Fix It along with many other partner groups and businesses. Our Make A Difference Day project is a “Fix-It” Day centered on providing assistance with small repairs or landscaping projects for these area non-profit organizations that give so much to our community. All projects are listed on our website, www.troycommunity.com, under the “Fix it & MDD” tab. Individuals can view projects and download a volunteer form there. For individuals who are unable to volunteer on October 22, there will be a food drive held in conjunction with the Fix It day projects.  Canned food items can be dropped off at First Place to benefit the First Place Food Pantry and the St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen.

We encourage all Trojans to come out and volunteer on October 22^rd.  Volunteers can receive a free volunteer breakfast at Panera Breads from 7am-9am and volunteer from 8:30am -12:00pm.  A volunteer lunch prepared by the Troy Altrusa Club will then be served at First Place.  Funding for this Make A Difference Day is provided by generous grants from the Troy Foundation and the Honda Foundation.  For more information on Troy’s Make A Difference Day event and how to participate as a group or individually, please contact Allison DeHart at contact@troycommunity.com.  All information on Make A Difference Day-Troy will be posted on the website: www.troycommunity.com.  Come join the fun and make a difference!