Earlier this year, President Obama announced the "United We Serve" initiative, a nationwide call to service challenging all Americans to volunteer this summer and be part of building a new foundation for America. This includes individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and government.
The official kickoff was on Monday, June 22, whereby members of President Obama's administration fanned out across America to participate in service events and encouraged all Americans to join them. Subsequently, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue asked that all North Carolinians take time to participate in this initiative.
Fayetteville State University (FSU) faculty and staff plan to answer the call by participating in a variety of service projects through September 11, 2009. The community service initiatives will include a variety of projects ranging from working in food banks to assisting with the Homelessness Stand Down. There will be three projects on the FSU campus in which faculty and staff will be encouraged to participate.
On August 14, the nationally syndicated radio talk show host Russ Parr will be on the FSU campus. In conjunction with this event, FSU is sponsoring a School Supply Drive. Individuals attending the event will be asked to donate a school item. All items will be given to needy children. On August 19th, the Fayetteville Police Department will be hosting a Homeless Stand Down called "Closing the Gap to End Homelessness." The purpose is to provide services to those in need to ensure a better quality of life for all citizens of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Faculty and staff will be asked to donate travel size personal items, i.e. soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, and lotion that will be given to participants.
Finally, as part of the Two Rivers Football Classic between FSU and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, the campus will host a food drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank from August 26-29th. Collection bins will be placed in buildings on campus and items will be presented during halftime of the football game.
FSU is the second-oldest public institution in North Carolina. A member of the University of North Carolina System, FSU has more than 6,300 students and offers degrees in 67 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. On June 8, 2008, Chancellor James A. Anderson was named the university's 11th chief executive officer.
For more information about "United We Serve" or to solicit volunteers for your organization, please contact Emily M. Dickens, Director of Community and Government Affairs at (910) 672-2101 or edickens@uncfsu.edu.
