Volunteers will participate this week,June 21 in five different projects in two locations as part of the Onslow County Chapter of the United Way’s “Day of Action.”
As part of Day of Action, which will be held Friday, June 21, volunteers will take part in a school beautification project at Dixon Middle School, as well as hold a seminar on college financial aid and a project to fight hunger in lower-income homes through the C.H.E.W. Food Drive, which gives underprivileged students backpacks full of food to help them get through the weekend.
Lauren Welch, Volunteer Onslow director at the Onslow County United Way, said hunger — especially childhood hunger — is a major problem in the area. According to Action for Children North Carolina, more than 47 percent of students are on free or reduced lunch.
“If they need help getting food over the weekend, they’re certainly going to need help with food over the summer,” Welch said.
Literacy will be the word of the day for Day of Action’s second location at Onslow Pines Park. Onslow County United Way will team with the North Carolina Partnership for Children for Literacy at the Park. Children ages 6 to 12 will hear a story and receive a book as well as partake in reading comprehension activities. Volunteers will also partake in the Story Walk Project, a series of posts along a trail that will tell a story. The story will change every month. This month’s story will be “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds.
Projects will start around 9 a.m. on June 21, though some may start earlier. At 12:30 p.m., a lunch will be provided at Onslow Pines Park by Texas Roadhouse and music will be provided by local acoustic band She Said Box.
For more information, contact the Onslow County United Way at 910-938-HELP (4357) or log on to volunteeronslow.com.
Christopher Thomas is a staff writer for the Jacksonville Daily News. If you want to contact him, call 910-219-8473 orchristopher.thomas@jdnews.com