Murfreesboro Post
MURFREESBORO WEATHER

DreamCatchers builds support for special needs kids




Brown

Brown

Are you looking for useful ways to volunteer?  Do you want to invest in your community, but are unsure where your donations will do the most good?  Would you like to know more about the services non-profit organizations in your community provide?  Read on to discover how you can make a difference in Rutherford County.

June Focus: DreamCatchers

(615) 631-6691   | dreamcatcherstherapyservices.org

DreamCatchers Therapy Services, Inc. is a nonprofit outpatient rehabilitation clinic providing occupational therapy, aquatic therapy, and hippotherapy — incorporating the movement of a horse as a treatment tool.  They opened their barn doors in 2004 to provide quality and affordable rehabilitation services to special needs children in a naturalistic, loving environment with the support and guidance of the physician.

DreamCatchers Therapy Service serves children from birth to age 22 who have physical, developmental, emotional, and/or cognitive disabilities, who need assistance with fine motor difficulties, visual perceptual processing, visual motor skills, self-help care, social skills, communication and sensory integration deficits.

With the current economic challenges, more families are faced with the dual challenges of maintaining insurance coverage as that coverage decreases. As a result, many children with disabilities and their families are left to cope with their limitations on their own due to lack of funding. It’s a sad truth that parents of special needs children have to weigh the financial burden of a supportive therapy program against other costly medical bills.

How Can You Help?

Become a DreamCatchers Hero. Make a donation that will go towards scholarships for children and help grow the program. This includes their Patient Fee Subsidation Program, which assures that their unique services will be available to anyone requiring them, regardless of their personal financial situations. Donations will also assist with program needs, such as horse care, animal equipment, and therapy equipment and supplies.

Learn more at www.dreamcatcherstherapyservices.org or email to Dana Cox at danacoxotr@gmail.com.

ATLAS program (for homeless students) Rutherford County Schools

Donations Needed:  Hygiene supplies: deodorant, feminine hygiene products.  School supplies: composition books (not spiral), earbuds, dividers with pockets, dividers without pockets, college-ruled notebook paper, large sturdy backpacks for middle/high school students, flash drives.

Please contact Kim Snell, director of the ATLAS program for Rutherford County Schools at (615) 893-5815 ext. 22225 or snellk@rcschools.net to make arrangements to drop off donations.

GREENHOUSE MINISTRIES | greenhousemin.org  | (615) 494-0499 | 309 S. Spring St.

Donations Needed: Food Pantry-Hamburger Helper, pancake mix, syrup, cereal, canned fruit. Toiletries- toothpaste, razors, shampoo, deodorant.

Volunteers Needed:  Volunteer training will take place July 11 at 10:00 a.m.

Dementia Workshop with Kathy Johnson from Senior Helpers, July 11, 5:30- 7:30 p.m.  Please call 494-0499 to register!

HABIT (Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee)  |  HABITmt@utk.edu  |  (615) 626-0313

As an outreach program of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, HABIT has been working since 1986 to bring volunteers with well-mannered dogs, cats, or rabbits into agencies to “change lives, one visit at a time”.

Volunteers Needed:  If you think your dog would be great at making people smile or if you work somewhere that would benefit from dog visits, this meeting is for you! They will review the program, the requirements, and how the process works. Please contact Bethanie Poe at (615) 626-0313 to register for the next informational meeting, June 22 at 1:30 p.m. at the Technology Engagement Center located at 306 Minerva Drive in Murfreesboro.  Find them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/2175662015822626.

THE JOURNEY HOME   |  lovegodservepeople.org   |  (615) 809-2643  | 308 W. Castle St.

Volunteer Coordinator Needed: The Journey Home is looking for an individual to help coordinate volunteers. This is a volunteer position, and includes maintaining their online calendar of volunteer groups, as well as responding to volunteer inquiries received by telephone and email. Administrative and computer skills required. Interested individuals can reach out to Liz at Volunteer4TJH@gmail.com or (615) 236-6090 for more information.

KYMARI HOUSE  |   www.kymarihouse.org   |  615-956-6106

Kymari House is looking for volunteers to help plan fundraising events. Anyone interested can contact Tonya Hobbs at tonya@kymarihouse.org.

MCHRA MEALS ON WHEELS  |  (615) 895-1870   |  mow.murfreesboro@mchra.com

Volunteers Needed:  Mid Cumberland Meals on Wheels Program is in need of volunteers to deliver meals to elderly homebound folks in our community.  Delivery routes take from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on where the route goes. Come serve up a smile and a much-needed lunch to your neighbors!   If interested, please Call Debbie Willis at (615) 895-1870 or email mow.murfreesboro@mchra.com.

MCHRA Long-Term Care Ombudsman |  (615) 850-3918  | www.mchra.com/ombudsman

Volunteers Needed:  Volunteer applicants must pass a background check and attend a 16-hour in-house training. The next training session will be held August 7 and 8 in Nashville. Deadline for registering is July 22.  Please contact Cindy Rudolph at crudolph@mchra.com or call (615) 850-3918.

MINDFUL CARE ADULT DAY SERVICES  | (615) 542-4371    | mindful-care.org 

Donations Needed to Purchase Chairs: Mindful Care would like to provide new chairs for their participants that offer greater comfort and support. Each chair costs approximately $250, and they hope to purchase 10. If you would like to make a donation, please send a check to Mindful Care, PO Box 332966, Murfreesboro, TN, 37133. Write “new chairs” at the bottom of your check. 

READ TO SUCCEED  |  ReadToSucceed.org  |  (615) 738-READ

Volunteers Needed:  Read To Succeed needs volunteers in Adult Literacy for the new semester. Tutor trainings are scheduled for June 18 and June 25 from 5:30-8 p.m. and again July 23 and July 30 from 5:30-8 p.m. at their offices, located at 415 N. Maple Street in Murfreesboro. They also need volunteers with Family/Youth Literacy to help with Imagination Stations for Pre-K children and parents. Please contact (615) 738-7323 or fill out their volunteer form on their website www.readtosucceed.org.

SPECIAL KIDS    |   (615) 893.4892  |  specialkidstn.com

Special Kids’ Summer Drive is kicking off to grow their annual fund during the typical financially dry months of June and July. Visit www.specialkidstn.com to join today!

Save The Date!  The 2019 Special Kids Banquet will be held September 12 at MTCS featuring musical guest Sidewalk Prophets. 

Contact Kristina Brown at kristinawbrown@gmail.com.

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