Volunteer Spotlight:

Two of the Arc’s residential homes in Bowie received a springtime renewal in April thanks to the local Prince George’s County chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a mother-child service organization.

The volunteers spent the morning and afternoon pulling weeds, laying mulch, and planting flowers at the Needlewood and Starlight homes. The thirty individuals were more than happy to roll up their sleeves to show support for the individuals and families that The Arc serves.

“We were delighted,” Lisa Chick, service chair for Jack and Jill, said. “Our volunteers gave rave reviews about the hands-on experience they had. We’d like to do it again.”

Jack and Jill of America is an African-American organization of mothers who nurture future leaders by strengthening children ages 2-19 through chapter programming, community service, legislative advocacy and philanthropic giving.

Volunteering at the residential homes allowed the children to take part and see that The Arc is a live organization working for actual people in their community. “We wanted the activity to be real to them, ” Chick said.

Penny Green, Associate Executive Director, Residential Services, was very pleased with the outcome of the project. “Both homes look wonderful, and we couldn't be happier with how the event turned out,” Green said.

To learn more about how to coordinate a volunteer project like Jack and Jill’s, contact Sarah Logar at 301-925-7050 ext. 230, or email her at slogar@thearcofpgc.org.