Networking with Local Nonprofits in Central Virginia
Read the Transcript Hugh Ballou: This is a special edition today of The Nonprofit Exchange. I am attending a nonprofit trade show and networking event, Central Virginia Business Coalition. I’m here with Heather Alto. Heather, what’s your vision for this event today?
Heather Alto: Basically, our vision for this event, we decided to put about a community event focused on nonprofit organizations because they don’t really have the avenue to get out and do bigger business expos due to the cost. We wanted to have a one-stop shop where people could come in and learn about the nonprofits in our area. A lot of this is about awareness, but also it’s a place where people could bring donations today, whether it’s food or coats or household items. Anything like that. This is the place to do it. A one-stop area where you can learn, volunteer, and donate.
Hugh: We’ve just gotten acquainted. I’m going to go around and visit with some of the nonprofits here. Thank you, Heather.
Heather: Thank you.
Hugh: I’m going to let them tell a little bit about what they do and why they’re doing it. Here’s Tracy. Tell them who you are and what this organization is that you represent.
Tracye Dixon: I’m Tracey Dixon. I’m executive director at Lynchburg Daily Bread. Hugh is my friend from the rotary club. My real job is a soup kitchen in downtown Lynchburg. We are looking for canned sweet potatoes, green beans, and gravy for our Thanksgiving meal. If anybody would like to help with that, we would love and appreciate it.
Hugh: Tracey is a legend here. She’s very active. We happen to be in the city that’s got some of the highest poverty in the commonwealth of Virginia.
Tracey: It’s true.
Hugh: We have a lot of hungry people. She and her team and a whole lot of volunteers are very active all the time.
Tracey: Every day. We are open every day of the year. We’ll be open on Christmas because people need to eat on Christmas, too. Grateful for your support, Hugh. Thanks for being here.
Hugh: Blessings. We have people watching from all over, wondering what’s going on here.
So we’re going to go to another one. Hope for today. Help and Hope. Tell us who you are and what your organization is. This is our first time we’ve met. What is this organization, and who are you?
Sam: This is World Hope. I’m Sam.
Sarah Johnson: I’m Sarah.
Sam: And we are a humanitarian organization raising money to sponsor kids, get them education, clean water, clothing. We help build churches and schools, bring clean water to villages.
Sarah: Our biggest thing that we do is child sponsorship. People can rescue a child out of poverty and get them education, clean food, and water for $35 a month. We have children in over 20 countries. 11,000 children right now.
Hugh: How many?
Sarah: I think it’s between 10 and 11,000 children in our programs around the world.
Hugh: Around the world?
Sarah: Yes.
Hugh: We’re in central Virginia. This is Lynchburg. We are reaching out to the world. SynerVision Leadership Foundation supports charities all over the world. We support with the infrastructure of leadership development, board development, funding. I’m going around the trade show and giving you some exposure. This is a show we do every week called The Nonprofit Exchange. Thanks for sharing your ideas. Somebody somewhere will know somebody in one of your areas. Where do they find you? what’s the URL?
Sarah: WorldHelp.net
Hugh: WorldHelp.net. Thank you for sharing. Let’s see who else is here and what they’re doing.
I talked to you all before. These couple charming ladies. Tell me about this charity. It’s really special. Claire Parker Foundation.
Bethany Egland: I’m Bethany, and I’m the director of programs and family services at the Claire Parker Foundation. We support families that have children with cancer and have partnered hospitals all across the region. We’re in 15 different ones from Tennessee to Texas, which is pretty incredible. We have different pr