October 2023 Newsletter

As the holiday season approaches, numerous opportunities to serve the community emerge, offering moments of connection and compassion. While this time of year tends to get busier with festivities and obligations, there is an abundance of joy found in slowing down and extending a helping hand. Whether it's volunteering with the food bank, wrapping gifts, or helping prepare a beautiful Thanksgiving meal at JRC, these opportunities not only benefit others but also enrich our own spirits. As you read through this month’s newsletter, I invite you to consider where your heart skips a beat and then link arms with us in that work. Amidst the hustle and bustle, taking a moment to contribute to the community can bring immeasurable joy and create lasting impacts.

Finally, I want to personally invite you to join us on December 14th for the key ceremony celebrating The Ron Wilkof Legacy Build and the Hinton family. This evening promises to be filled with joy and celebration.

With gratitude,

Sonja White

Executive Director

"No School-Serve" Days are very quickly becoming an extra special tradition for CAST and we are excited for our next chance to gather everyone together in December to serve with Project KARE!

No School Serve Day at The Akron Canton Regional Food Bank!

This October, CAST students converted their day off school into a "no school-serve day" at the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank. Together with Adult CAST, we had intergenerational volunteers from age 10 all the way to age 80! Together, we set a CAST record, processing 8,918 meals for our neighbors in need. The day culminated in a visit from the ice cream truck which was enjoyed by the Food Bank staff and volunteers!

2023 Holiday Opportunities with CAST:

Project KARE

We are so excited for this extra special holiday "No School- Serve Day" with

Project KARE!

Thursday, December 21st 10am-2pm

Team up with our #CASTkids and spend a day being "Santa" as we help Project KARE case workers wrap Christmas gifts for foster children in Stark County!

We are looking for about 5 adults to come alongside 10 students as they kick off the start of their Christmas Vacation with Project KARE! Please use the button below to email Taylor if you would like to volunteer for this awesome holiday opportunity!

Email Taylor & Sign Up to Serve!

Love The Children Ministries!

Our #CASTkids are so excited to help Love the Children Ministries Christmas Gift wrapping! If you are feeling extra holly-jolly this holiday season and would like to join the students, please use the button below to email Taylor for more information!

We will be wrapping gifts with Love the Children:

Saturday, November 18th 10am-12pm
Saturday, December 9th 10am-12pm

Email Taylor to volunteer with Love the Children!

Thanksgiving at JRC

The annual Thanksgiving Feast at JRC Adult Day Center is right around the corner! We are so excited to see full plates and smiling faces once again as our CAST family pulls together to love on all in attendance with a beautifully set table and a delicious homemade Thanksgiving dinner.

If you would like to assist in making this years Thanksgiving Feast one to remember, please use the button below to Email Lesley Venturella to find out how you can help!

Email Lesley

Cookie Jars with Student CAST!

Our #CASTkids are SO EXCITED to build cookie jars for the 3rd year in a row! Cookie jars allow all of our #CASTkids (from 2nd grade all the way up through high school) to come together to bless our community in a really sweet way!

This year our goal is to build 100 Cookie Jars! 70 of these jars will go to The Children's Toy Fund where they will be paired with some awesome games and given to foster families within Pathway Fosters Network.

Our students are really excited to deliver the remaining jars to local first responders as a "Thank You" for all that they do for our community!

If you would like to buy cookie ingredients to help the #CASTkids achieve their goal of building 100 cookie jars this holiday season, please click the button below to email Taylor!

Email Taylor to help build Cookie Jars!

Help #CASTkids Purchase Blankets for this school year!

Did you know that our #CASTkids cut and tie over 100 tie blankets every school year? Add in Blessing Boot Camp during the summer and we come close to assembling 200 blankets in a calendar year! Blanket building days are a fan favorite for all of our #CASTkids no matter the age..and we can simply never have enough fleece sets to assemble and send out into our community. Check out our blanket wish list below and send Taylor an email if you would like to help!

Monetary donation to purchase blanket supplies
Fleece blanket making, pre-matched kits
2 yard fleece pairs (head to Joann's and pick a pair of fabric that makes you happy)
Fabric Scissors! (Our scissors go dull SO fast when they cut through fleece set after fleece set)

Email Taylor about Blankets

Annual Golf Outing

This year’s golf outing was a great success raising nearly $25,000! A HUGE thank you to our co-chairs, Jeff Ford and Tony Berni for leading such a great day…filled with friendship and fun.

Habitat Key Ceremony

We are SO EXCITED to invite you to the Hinton Family Key Ceremony where we will honor both the Hinton Family and Ron Wilkof. Please join us Thursday, December 14th, 7pm at Habitat for Humanity.The Hinton Family will be home for the holidays and we are so excited to celebrate with them.

The Legacy Project of Stark County!

Every child needs a mentor--and that's exactly what The Legacy Project tirelessly works to accomplish!

Help Legacy fill their remaining mentor spots within Canton City Schools!

STEAMM Academy on Wednesdays: 10:36-11:12. 11:25-11:57, 12:10-12:42, 12:55-1:27
Crenshaw on Tuesdays: 11:05-11:32, 12:00-12:27, 12:27-12:55
The One Center on Wednesdays: 4:00-6:00PM

Email Heather!

To sign up to be a mentor or for more information regarding becoming a mentor, please use the button to email Heather Berens.