The Need is Great 

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Habitat for Humanity -- Builds simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with low-income families. Homes are sold at zero interest with 15-20 year mortgages. Mortgage payments are recycled to build additional houses. Material needs: Land to build on and sponsors to underwrite the cost of homes. Volunteer needs: Habitat invites everyone to participate in their Gifts from the Heart Holiday Program. Habitat will send a special holiday card as a gift to people who donate. Also needed are mentors for children in habitat families. To help: Visit www.habitatcharlotte.org or call Judy Smith, 704-376-2054 ext. 14.

Hands on Charlotte -- Addresses Charlotte's most critical education, social and environmental needs. Strengthens community and enriches lives by mobilizing a diverse, committed corps of citizens in direct volunteer service. Material needs: Financial contributions. Volunteer needs: People to participate in Secret Santa program. To help: Call Doug Macomb, 704-333-7471 ext. 103.

Hope Haven Inc. -- Provides life skills for chemically dependent adults and families within a supportive residential environment leading to independence. Material needs: Infant diapers and formula, learning materials (i.e., elementary reading and math material, books on phonics), adult literacy tutors, food servers for lunch and dinner and youth underclothes (male and female). Volunteers needed. To help: Call 704-372-8809 weekdays.

Hospice at Charlotte -- Provides quality health care and support services to individuals and families facing end of life concerns. Material needs: Prepared and unprepared holiday meals for patients and families. Volunteer needs: Volunteers to visit with patients and their families in the home for caregiver respite, to run errands or provide transportation. To help: Call Judy Sidell, 704-335-3577.

International House -- Advocates for and assists people of different national backgrounds and works to promote intercultural understanding and cooperation. Material needs: Roof and gutter repair services, indoor/outdoor carpeting, outdoor security lights, PowerPoint projector, laser printer, filing cabinets, office furniture, traditional upholstered furniture in good condition. Volunteer needs: English tutors, home-hosting for international professional exchanges, coaches and mentors for children's soccer league in at-risk neighborhoods, people to help with house repairs (refinishing hard wood floors & reupholstering furniture), painting, and yard work. To help: Call 704-333-8099 ext. 18, weekdays 9am-5:30pm.

Lifespan -- Education, employment, and enrichment of people who have developmental disabilities. Material needs: Personal hygiene items for teens and adults, multicultural dolls, film, batteries, music tapes (instrumental and classical), radios and tape players, musical instruments, musical toys, Velcro, magazines (teen, sports, auto), nail polish and remover, adult clothing, household items, event tickets, arts and crafts materials, notebooks, flower pots, potting soil, seeds, exercise equipment, and exercise mats. Volunteer needs: Help with painting and lawn and garden maintenance at group homes. People to attend social outings with adults at group homes. Volunteers who can sew (to make sand bags and bibs), lunch buddies and people who will read, play, sing, and attend field trips with children at their preschool and classrooms within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. To help: Call Lori Avery, 704-944-5100 ext. 144, weekdays 9:00am-5:00pm.

Loaves & Fishes -- Emergency food assistance program that provides a week's worth of groceries to families and individuals in crisis. Operates 16 food pantries across Mecklenburg County. Material needs: Financial donations, canned food such as fruit, juice, soup, and meat, and small turkeys. Volunteer needs: Drivers to pick up food donations and help deliver and stock food in pantries. People to help with telephone referral for three-hour shifts, 10am-1pm or 1-4pm, once a week or twice a month. People to assist in administrative office. To help: Call 704-523-4333, weekdays 8:30-4:30.

Lutheran Family Services -- Provides care for children and teenagers in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties through group homes and foster care programs. These children typically are in need of services due to abuse and/or neglect. Material needs: Monetary donations (please write Creative Loafing in memo field), laundry/dishwashing detergent, shampoo, bar soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bath towels/washcloths, cleaning supplies (i.e., Clorox Clean-Up, Comet, Pine-Sol, 409, Pledge, etc.), mops/brooms/dust pans, sheets (twin sized), bed pillows, Christmas and birthday presents (i.e., CD walkmans, football team sweatshirts, NY Yankee baseball caps, video games, footballs, basketballs, etc.), diapers, new toys for children. Volunteers needed. To help: Call 704-569-8322.

Mecklenburg Ministries -- Interfaith coalition of congregations that addresses issues of compassion and justice and sponsors community-building programs. Material needs: Financial donations, in-kind donations of printing services. Volunteers needed. To help: Call 704-347-2404. Ask to be put on the mailing list.

Metrolina AIDS Project -- Combats HIV and AIDS by providing direct services to persons affected. Educates the public and advocates in fighting against the disease. Material needs: Finanacial contributions. Volunteers needed. To help: Call 704-333-1435, weekdays 8:30am-5pm.

Metrolina Association for the Blind -- Reduces or eliminates the daily living problems imposed upon people by blindness or severe visual impairment. Uses cash donations or transfer of stocks to extend services to people who are blind and visually impaired. Material needs: monetary gifts, donations of stock, cars, Braille equipment, low vision devices, postage stamps and office supplies, plastic or paper tableware, and computers with at least Windows 98, Word 97, and 64 megs ram. Volunteer needs: People to drive and escort clients to medical and shopping appointments, help with office tasks. To help: Call 704-887-5118.