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Director to discuss how United Way addresses community needs

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Naomi Asher

Naomi Asher

Naomi Asher, executive director of the United Way of Anderson County, will speak at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, October 2. She will discuss how the United Way is addressing needs in the community and how United Way agencies work together to help people in need, a press release said.

The meeting will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

A long-time resident of Oak Ridge, Asher graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 2001. She attended Johnson University, where she graduated with a double major in music and theology. After working in several industries, Asher found her passion for nonprofit work when she served as office manager for CASA of the Tennessee Heartland. She became executive director of CASA in 2010 and received her master’s degree in marketing from King University in 2012.

Asher has served as United Way’s executive director since 2015. [Read more…]

Faith, community organizations to discuss substance misuse tonight

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Oak Ridge Recovery Interfaith Forum July 9 2018

Faith leaders and community organizations will discuss substance misuse at a forum in Oak Ridge tonight (Monday, July 9).

“Addiction and recovery impacts all of us, and the interfaith community plays an important role in recovery from substance misuse,” a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Recovery Interfaith Forum will bring together faith leaders and community organizations across Anderson County, the press release said. ASAP of Anderson partnered with the Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, and United Way of Anderson County to plan and organize the forum.

The forum is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 9, at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

Attendees at the forum will learn about: [Read more…]

First of its kind, Family Drug Treatment Court opening in Anderson County

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Family Drug Treatment Court Ribbon Cutting July 11 2018

A Family Drug Treatment Court, the first of its kind in Anderson County, launched this week, and there will be a ribbon-cutting next week, a press release said.

The Anderson County Family Drug Treatment Court will be called R2: The Recovery and Resilience Program, the press release said.

R2 is a program for juvenile offenders who have substance misuse issues and have not been successful in maintaining drug abstinence. The program is a minimum of nine months and will incorporate treatment, family therapy, and group therapy paired with accountability and goal setting, the press release said.

“By addressing barriers in the home, we will enable adolescents in Anderson County to break free from the grip of generational drug abuse, setting them up to be successful contributors to our society,” said Anderson County Juvenile Court Judge Brian Hunt.

The press release said the program has been a priority for a large number of stakeholders in the community for many years. [Read more…]

United Way has annual meeting on Thursday

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United Way of Anderson County has its annual meeting in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

It’s scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, April 19, in the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

“Please join us to celebrate an incredible year…Enjoy a complimentary breakfast, friendly company, some highlights from 2017,” a press release said. “We are so excited to showcase what we’ve accomplished this past year as well as some exciting plans for 2018!”

United Way said the community helped raised enough money last year to fund 43 agencies and more than 55 programs in Anderson County and Campbell County. [Read more…]

Asher of United Way to discuss community needs, issues, opportunities on Monday

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Naomi Asher

Naomi Asher

Naomi Asher will give the Monday, February 5, presentation at 11 a.m. to the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue of Oak Ridge, to be held at the Jewish Congregation at 101 West Madison Lane in Oak Ridge. The public is invited to learn and bring their questions, a press release said.

She will speak about how the United Way of Anderson County improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community to advance the common good, the press release said. The organization focuses on youth development, self-sufficiency, and senior and health services, all building blocks for a good life and strong community.

Asher, executive director of the United Way of Anderson County since May 2015, has lived in Oak Ridge since 1992, graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 2001, and returned to Oak Ridge in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree from Johnson University. She earned an MBA in marketing from King University in 2012, and left the executive director’s position with CASA for United Way. [Read more…]

CWU presentation to focus on domestic violence

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Church Women United will meet Friday, February 2, at United Way of Anderson County, located at 728 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge. The meeting will initiate the 2018 Blankets+ Campaign to collect bedding and support for those who have lost their homes locally and worldwide, a press release said.

In addition, Rachel Thompson, domestic violence victim advocate for Knox and Anderson counties, will be the guest speaker in a public program, the press release said. Thompson is a culturally specific domestic violence advocate for the African American community. She will talk about domestic violence, how it impacts victims in the African American community, and resources offered through the YWCA for victims of domestic violence, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge free income tax service opens Jan. 30

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The Oak Ridge Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) office will open Tuesday, January 30.

The VITA program is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) initiative to help taxpayers by providing trained volunteers to prepare and electronically file individual tax returns at no cost to the taxpayers, a press release said.

During the 2017 tax season, almost 2,000 returns were prepared at the Oak Ridge site, and taxpayers received more than $2,100,000 in tax refunds, the press release said. The site served taxpayers from 17 Tennessee counties. [Read more…]

Holiday Market is Saturday in Jackson Square

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The Holiday Market is in Jackson Square on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, from 12-6 p.m., and vendors, music, great food, and Santa will be in the Square. This is a fundraiser for the United Way of Anderson County. (Submitted photo)

The Holiday Market is in Jackson Square on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, from 12-6 p.m., and vendors, music, great food, and Santa Paws will be in the Square. This is a fundraiser for the United Way of Anderson County. (Submitted photo)

 

The annual Holiday Market will be in Jackson Square on Saturday, December 2. It’s scheduled from 12-6 p.m. Vendors, music, great food, and Santa Paws will be there, a press release said.

“During this market, there will be a picture opportunity with the magical Santa Paws, for all your furry friends to enjoy!” a press release said. “There will also be a puppy parade with a prize for the best dressed or best cart (for our smaller furry friends). The market will also feature last-minute gift shopping from local crafters, live music all day from choirs and trios, activities for the whole family, and a tree lighting to end the evening! Come out and support your community while having a blast doing it.”

This is a fundraiser for the United Way of Anderson County, which provides services and funds to those in need in the area. Admission is free, and the portion of the proceeds from the day’s activities that will benefit United Way will help support more than 36 local nonprofit programs in the community, the press release said. [Read more…]

More than 400 attended Taste of Anderson County

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eighth-annual-taste-of-anderson-county

A file photo showing a previous Taste of Anderson County in Jackson Square. (Photo courtesy United Way of Anderson County/Taste of Anderson County)

 

More than 400 people attended the Ninth Annual Taste of Anderson County in Jackson Square the last week of September.

“Thanks to the volunteers, vendors, sponsors, and over 400 attendees, the event was a great success!” a press release said. “The whole evening was full of food, fun, and friends.”

This year, 11 restaurants from around Anderson County showcased some of their most delicious treats and eats, the press release said. Among them were Aubrey’s, Burchfield’s, Centennial Golf Course, Hot Bagel Company, Panda Express, Pizza Inn, Razzleberry’s Cafe, Riverview Grill, Smoothie Patch, and The Soup Kitchen.

McAlister’s, McDonald’s, Kroger Marketplace, and Panera donated the tea and lemonade at the event, the press release said. [Read more…]

United Way funds discretionary grants

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United Way of Anderson County awarded nearly $50,000 in grants to local nonprofits as part of its first Discretionary Grant cycle last month, a press release said.

United Way of Anderson County awarded nearly $50,000 in grants to local nonprofits as part of its first Discretionary Grant cycle last month, a press release said.

 

United Way of Anderson County awarded nearly $50,000 in grants to local nonprofits as part of its first Discretionary Grant cycle last month, a press release said.

While UWAC’s standard grant cycle focuses on programs that will have a long-term impact on clients’ lives, the Discretionary Grant offers funding for one-time, project-based requests that will enable the organizations to improve or expand the reach of existing programs and provide better service to their clients, the press release said. [Read more…]

United Way of Anderson County relocates

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United Way of Anderson County

United Way of Anderson County has relocated to 728 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

The offices are now in a section of the former Daniel Arthur building that was recently vacated by the Emory Valley Center. This move will help United Way to not only maintain, but further drastically reduce, its low overhead costs, allowing more of each donation to go directly to individuals and families in need, a press release said.

“United Way of Anderson County thanks their board, volunteers, and the staff of Emory Valley Center for their help and support during the move,” the press release said. If you have any questions about the new location or the services offered by UWAC and its partners, call (865) 483-8431 or send an email to [email protected]. You can also visit www.uwayac.org for updates.

This press release was submitted by Naomi Asher.

Secret City Festival: Seven days of celebration

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Two weekends, counting Fridays. Two weekdays. Seven days of celebration, from June 2 through June 10, 2017, mostly at A. K. Bissell Park. And admission to all events is free of charge. (Photo and caption courtesy Celebrate Oak Ridge and Carolyn Krause)

Two weekends, counting Fridays. Two weekdays. Seven days of celebration, from June 2 through June 10, 2017, mostly at A. K. Bissell Park. And admission to all events is free of charge. (Photo and caption courtesy Celebrate Oak Ridge and Carolyn Krause)

 

Two weekends, counting Fridays. Two weekdays. Seven days of celebration, from June 2 through June 10, mostly at A. K. Bissell Park. And admission to all events is free of charge.

The new Secret City Festival, brought to you by Celebrate Oak Ridge, will be bookended by two special weekends. The first weekend will celebrate Oak Ridge and World War II history. A free family movie will be shown on Tuesday, June 6; the arts will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 7; and music and art are the focus of the second weekend, June 9-10.

Celebrate Oak Ridge June 2017 Schedule Web

On Friday, June 2, tours of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with shuttles running to and from the American Museum of Science and Energy and New Hope Center. U.S. citizenship and pre-registration are required for tours. Graphite Reactor tours at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will also be held then on a first-come, first-served basis, with departure on buses from AMSE.

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch will officially open the festival, and the crew of the U.S.S. Oak Ridge will present and ring the U.S.S. Oak Ridge bell at 8:30 p.m. At 9 p.m., the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” will be shown free of charge.

Overnight, approximately 200 re-enactors will be setting up an overnight encampment with World War II-era tents in Bissell Park. [Read more…]

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