Leadership Columbia Class of 2022 finalizes class project at Transitions
May 25, 2022
Finished Project Represents Combined Community Effort
The Leadership Columbia Class of 2022 (LC22) recently completed its ambitious class project at Transitions Homeless Center. Since February, LC22 has been helping Transitions undertake significant physical improvements to its facilities, solicit donations of bikes, helmets and locks, enhance its career development resources, and raise awareness of its Midlands Helping Arms Adult Day Care Center. The class of 61 local leaders has leveraged more than 1,000 combined hours of volunteer time and approximately $50,000 in in-kind donations to complete the project.
The LC22 class project included physical improvements to Transitions’ courtyard, Day Center, and Midlands Helping Arms Adult Day Care Center. LC22 class members pressure washed sidewalks and exterior walls overlooking the courtyard, repainted and replanted existing garden beds, and installed a new basketball court. The basketball court was a particularly welcome upgrade.
“We are so impressed with LC22. They have tackled a wide variety of projects that have helped our clients with better surroundings and activities,” said Craig Currey, Transitions CEO and President. “Their efforts will draw more people to Transitions for help, especially the elderly and medically fragile. In our opinion, they are the best Leadership Columbia class ever.”
The LC22 class also painted the walls of the Day Center where Transitions clients take meals, take shelter from inclement weather during the day, and access career development services. LC22 classmates provided new training materials to support the Day Center’s workforce readiness initiatives and solicited bike donations to help Transitions’ clients get to and from jobs and services off site.
Transitions’ Midlands Helping Arms Adult Day Center (MHA) also received a new coat of paint and updated interior design. New pastel tones with repeating rainbow features, indoor plants, and acoustic ceiling treatments enhance a sense of calm. A new TV and Wii add to Midlands Helping Arms’ activities for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
The LC22 class project also helped Transitions solicit donations of bikes, helmets, and locks. Through partnership with neighboring nonprofit Cola Town Bike Collective, LC22 secured 15 bike donations, three new bike racks, and several helmets and locks for Transitions clients.
A key component of the LC22 class project was raising awareness of Transitions’ services. The LC22 class undertook two distinct marketing campaigns to spread the word about Midlands Helping Arms and to promote Transitions’ Bike and Lock drive.
“The basketball court was certainly a big hit as expected, and it has been encouraging to hear comments of approval on our paint color selections in the Day Center and the fresh new colorful flowers in the garden beds,” said Nic Collins, LC22 Project Lead. “But more than anything it has been validating and impactful to receive the overwhelming gratitude of Transitions’ clients. We finish our project knowing it had a positive impact on the people we set out to serve.”
Generous in-kind donations from local businesses made the LC22 class project possible: Echerer Painting, Thompson Turner, Sound & Images, Seven Oaks Plant Shop, CMC Steel, Owens Steel, AOS Specialty Concrete, Lockers By Design, Rose Talbert Paint Company, Sherwin Williams, Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, WXRY, COLAtoday, MidlandsBiz, Grace Outdoor, BlueCross BlueShield, Find Great People, and Garvin Design Group. Individuals donated the bikes, helmets, and locks collected.
Transitions will continue to solicit donations of bikes, helmets and locks throughout the year. Those interested in making a donation can purchase a bike from Cola Town Bike Collective for donation to Transitions to maximize local impact. Helmet and lock donations can be purchased via Transitions’ Amazon Wish List here: https://amzn.to/36NZqBp
About Leadership Columbia
Leadership Columbia is an educational program offered through the Columbia Chamber. The 10-month program provides emerging and existing leaders in the Midlands area with an opportunity to enhance their civic knowledge and network. For over 40 years, Leadership Columbia has helped participants better understand the local community, while building relationships with the region’s current and future leaders.
For more information on Leadership Columbia, visit www.columbiachamber.com/leadership-development/ or contact Leah Kelly, Director of Leadership Development, at 803.733.1146.
About Columbia Chamber
The Columbia Chamber is a private, non-profit, partner-driven organization comprised of 1,200 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals in Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland counties. The Columbia Chamber serves as the voice of its Partners and the business community at large on matters of economic, educational, social, cultural, and political concern, as well as supports and promotes the success of its partners through networking, professional development, advocacy, and leadership. The organization has represented the interests of the local business community since 1902.
To become a Partner or to learn more about the Columbia Chamber, as well as its events, programs, and initiatives, visit www.ColumbiaChamber.com.
About Transitions
Transitions Homeless Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to engage and equip homeless adults of the Midlands to transition into stability and permanent housing. Various strategies and types of housing are used to help stabilize individuals living on the street and enroll them in services designed to improve their lives, increase their income, and help them secure permanent housing.
The organization is the Midlands Largest Homeless Center providing homeless men and women ages 18 and older access to our day center, hot meals, showers, service providers and housing.
Transitions serves the following counties: Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Chester, Lancaster, Newberry, York, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Bamberg, Allendale, Barnwell, and Aiken. Client referrals are ONLY accepted from local partnering agencies.
For more information about Transitions, contact Elise Burrows, Community Outreach and Event Coordinator via email at [email protected].
