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Building Your Community Center’s Website

Tim Mechling July 12, 2021 Community Projectscommunity projects, project marketing 0

So you have a community center and need a website. What do you do to get started? Well that is an easy question to answer. There are many sites that offer free websites such as Tumblr. But what you really need is to invest in a domain name form any reputable domain name company online and set up a self-hosted WordPress site. This can be done by yourself or you can hire someone, but seeing as how you’re a non-profit it would be easier to do it yourself and cost a lot less.

Domain names

Domain names generally run anywhere from .99 to 12.95 for the first year depending on who you purchase form and who is running a special, but remember when the renewal comes around that low cost name could cost you 30-40 dollars for one year renewal so be careful who you use. Domain names is the web address that you type in to direct you to your page. So it’s very important to pick something that reflects your community centers message.

WordPress platform

WordPress is the platform that houses your files and where you login to handle your cpanel and dashboard. This is where you will set up your design and write your articles pertaining to the community centers activities. This can be done with a little CSS coding or you can install a standard free theme and tweak it to how you like it. The CSS coding will need to be done by and expert but the free theme can be done by yourself. It’s a simple download and pick colors, sidebars, footers, and buttons. You will need a header and that can be created through picmonkey.com with a few simple clicks.

Buttons

Buttons are an essential part of blogging or business pages. You will need to go to CSS3 button generator in order to learn how to make buttons for your side bar. Buttons make everything so streamlined and professional looking. You will also need a button for your page to direct people from other sites to your site. This is called advertising.

Design and theme

Once you have set up your page theme and design you will need to start adding an about us page, a contact page, and some basic information about the community center. This requires a competent writer to put into words the great work your community center does for the community. You can also do a schedule of events and price listing for any fee based services.

Writing

Making pages at the top near the header will help you to organize everything into separate areas of the blog. Such as a page about activities for children and adults, or fee services offered, the gym page, or computer lab page, and local events. These are all things that will help the community to keep up to date on activities and functions at the community center.

Advertising

By offering advertising on the community centers page for local businesses you can earn a profit off of the advertising to put back into the community center. This is one way to help your non-profit afford the bills that come along with running a business and a web page.

Ways to help the less fortunate

Tim Mechling July 10, 2021 Community Projectscommunity projects, helping the community 0

Many communities coordinate events to feed the homeless, or collect clothing for the needy. Some even set up play grounds for kids, or build homes like with Habitat for Humanity. Community’s band together to help each other out. That is what is best about a close nit community. They come together to find ways to support the less fortunate and add entertainment and solutions to everyday life needs.

When working with a community outreach program its very rewarding. But sometimes the thanks you get from the smile on the faces of those in need just isn’t enough. So why not do something special for all those volunteers by throwing them a party or movie night.

This can be accomplished pretty affordably. To throw a BBQ you will need a grill or smoker and the best way to find one is http://thankyouforsmokin.com. They offer many options for your needs. If this is out of your price range why not throw a movie night. A movie night can be much more affordable, you can pick up a movie projector from any local store for a pretty affordable price and get movies as low as $1.50 for rental or $5.00 for purchase. Snacks that would be really great to have at a movie night are popcorn, candy, soda, water, and pizza. All these items can be purchased pretty affordable. You don’t always have to go with the most expensive items, sometimes the cheaper option is the better option.

Community BBQs and movie nights are a great way to also give back to the community for all the hard work they have done and to give to the needy for entertainment that they could not otherwise afford. When we give back to the less fortunate we are making a better world for all. This is one of the best things you can do for your community. Many people don’t get but one meal a week or they go to a church soup line and get a meal a day. Some communities have food trucks that come around and provide sandwiches to the poor, but that isn’t in every city.

More cities and communities need to band together to help the needy and offer a little bit more support for those less fortunate. There are so many women and children who are on the streets or need help due to no fault of their own and simply are too shy or proud to ask for help. By throwing movie night or a BBQ and inviting everyone to come you are not only helping them out but you are showing them the kindness in your heart and making them feel better about themselves. Some people will come to a free community event but will not otherwise ask for help on any other day. So doing these type events can really help someone without them having to swallow their pride and ask for it.

There are many sites online that offer stuff for free, these sites are called Freecycle, but if the less fortunate have no access to a computer with internet how are they supposed to know about these sites. So throwing community events can really bring the ones that really need some help the help they need without them feeling uncomfortable about their situation.

Help your community and volunteer regularly because you never know it may be you needing the help next.

Technology that helps the community

Tim Mechling July 10, 2021 Community Projectstechnology and community, technology in the community 0

Technological advancements have come a long way in the recent years. Many inventions have come out in the past few years that would be a great asset to the community. Some community centers need to be updated and brought into the 21^st century. To do this you have to know what the cool gadgets of the 21^st century is and add them to the local community center. Some gadgets that will help the community center be more technologically advanced would be tablet computers, laptops, cell phones that function as walkie talkies also, and maybe some new age watches that can be used for communicating between the community center workers.

Community centers are the epicenter of your community and lots and lots of teens visit community centers on a daily basis. The community center needs to have modern technology for the teens and kids to stay up to date with what is going on in the world and to help them with their homework assignments. Many people use the community center for a refugee from the outside world that can be harsh and cruel. Not all families can afford a computer or internet and some homes don’t even have a car to go to the library which could be all the way across town, so when kids come to the community center they are having access to something that they may not necessarily get at home. This makes community centers the most important environment for children and teens.

Not only do community centers help children and teens it helps the elderly and the unemployed. With access to the internet and computers that don’t cost for use the unemployed can access job search sites and possibly find a new job or even go back to school online so that they can advance their careers. The elderly use the community center for meeting other elderly in the community and playing games such as chess and card games. They also use the community center for exercise when the center has a gym or a pool, many do provide these types of areas. With all the advantages of a community center technology is definitely something needed to help people.

Many people volunteer at the community center and build relationships with the children and elderly that come there on a daily basis. Volunteering can be a very rewarding thing for both the center and the children and elderly. Volunteers need ways of keeping track of the kids that come to the center and they also need ways of keeping track of the inventory that the center purchases. One way to do that is with hand held PDA’s, they help organize everything into lists so that you can keep track of things that are important. Keeping a daily tally of every child that enters the center will help the parents to know where their children are and what activities they are participating in during their time at the center. Computers can help the centers directors plan activities and field trips for the kids during summer break and organize the budget of the center.

Using technology to build a thriving business is a great way to invest in the future of your business and a community center is a business that needs to be invested in.

Refreshing the community with new business opportunities

Tim Mechling July 8, 2021 Community Projectsbringing new business, community projects 0

The most current trends in boutiques and shops are the fresh market type stores and the specialty stores like candy stores, toy stores, and unique mom and pop stores. One type of store that would be an ideal store to add to a small community would be a vitamin and nutrition shop.

Vitamin and Nutrition shops provide many different types of products. They have all natural supplements, pre-workout supplements, post workout supplements, women’s supplements, and vitamins that help with all different types of things. To find out more information on supplements they could offer check out whichsupplementswork.com or feel free to check out this article here.

Clothing Boutiques are a great way to add character to a community. They can have unique architecture, beautifully decorated store fronts, and colorful doors. Fashion boutiques provide an insight into fashion that wouldn’t otherwise be offered at a local store or local Wal-Mart. Fashion boutiques bring fashion from bigger cities and foreign countries to smaller communities. They introduce you to the world through the clothing items they sell.

Specialty Toy stores are also a great way to add new businesses to the community. Specialty toys can be anything from hobby toys to eco-friendly toys. Some communities have remote control boat races, well where do you think they get the boats from for those races? They acquire them at specialty hobby stores. Specialty hobby stores specialize in RC boats, RC cars, RC helicopters, and other items like car kits and similar items. One other type of Specialty toy store could be a handmade eco-friendly toy store. These are stores that are just starting to come out and provide a unique option for the eco-friendly parent to purchase toys for their kids. There are many artisans that build toys from pieces of wood and sell them at craft fairs and such but what if you could go to a toy store in your local community and pick up a cool new and handmade toy without having to wait for the next craft fair. This would be a really interesting store to shop at.

Candy Stores are also a great way to add a specialty store to your community. The old school candy store is a staple to history. Since the 1940’s children have spent their allowance at the local candy store. Every Friday after school let out the local children and the teens would head to the local candy store and pick out the most delicious candy in all varieties of flavors. This is a very profitable business since many people love candy and have a sweet tooth often.

An ‘Old Timey’ soda shop is something that would be a great addition to a small community. It gives the local teens a place to hang out and stay out of trouble. They can order milkshakes and burgers and listen to popular music at night and during the day the shop can be used for lunches for the workers in the neighboring stores and town visitors. Soda shops have been around for years and are always a great place to come see friends and get a great cup of coffee or a delicious milkshake.

These are just a few was to brighten up the community with new businesses that add jobs and activities for the whole family.

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3 Reason Your Community Needs a Plasma Donation Center

Tim Mechling July 6, 2021 Community Projectsblood donation, learn to be a phlebotomist, phlebotomist training center, phlebotomy, plasma donation 0

A plasma donation center is a location where healthy individuals can go and donate their plasma which is then used for patients with a variety of medical illnesses. The process is fairly simple. A person goes into the clinic, fills out the necessary paper work and then is screened for donation. This first step takes approximately an hour and a half depending on the volume and size of the plasma center. Approved individuals are then brought to the donor floor where they can enjoy a movie while a machine withdraws their blood, filters out the white blood cells and then returns the remaining blood.

Reason #1: Job Creation – Plasma centers have a variety of employees which include individuals who work the main desk, distribute payments, screen blood, assist patients on the donor floor, collect plasma, fill out necessary center documents, ship plasma and work in the back storage room. Even a small center can create 30 or more new jobs for a community. Many of the employees will need to visit a phlebotomist training center to learn the necessary skills for their jobs. The guidelines for this profession vary state to state. If you are looking for phlebotomy classes in Texas then you will find that the process is rather quick. You can earn your certificate at a dedicated training center or through a technical college.

Reason # 2: Tax Incentives – Every community struggles with having enough money to take care of the basics such as road repairs. This is why it is important for businesses to exist in communities. They help bring more people and tax incentives into the area which translates into more cash to be used for public works projects. Adding a plasma donation center will open up one of these tax incentives for your community. As the business grows and is able to generate more plasma distributed for medical needs, the center and community will earn more incentives to help keep the business there.

Reason # 3: Income for Donors – The main reason why plasma centers are so successful is because they pay their donors. First time visitors typically receive a higher rate for the first few donations than on-going visitors. First time payouts can range from $20-$50 per session. You can donate up to two times per week. This means that in the first two weeks, a person has the chance of earning up to $200 which is paid out immediately after donation is completed.

To keep people coming back and donating more and more, the plasma center also offers bonuses and monetary giveaways for donors. The more you donate, the more money you are eligible to earn or win. Some promotions offer prize drawings of up to $2000. In an area where individuals are particularly tight on cash, a plasma donation center can be the solution for them.

Plasma centers are most popular in areas where there is at least two colleges. You must be 18-years old and drug and disease free to donate. Blood is tested at each donation to quickly detect any changes in your health. To get started with a plasma donation center in your neighborhood you should contact the nearest plasma center group such as DCI Biologicals and allow them to guide your through the process of petitioning for this type of business in your area.

Showing your true self to the community you’ve been helping with projects for years!

Tim Mechling July 3, 2021 Community Projectscommunity, community projects 0

You’ve been a part of the community for years. Anytime there is a community project, you’re one of the first to throw your hat into the ring. Actually wait, you’ve never thrown your hat anywhere, as a matter of fact you really only take it off when you’re at home by yourself. You have thinning hair syndrome and feel the best way to deal with it is to wear a hat. So anytime anyone in the community you’re so eager to help sees you, they probably think you have a full head of hair under that hat, when in all actuality it’s thinning out slowly.

Now to celebrate the most recent community project, they are doing a formal evening fundraiser next month. This time, there’s no hat to hide behind. You thought about trying a hair thickening product, but you’ve recently gone green for the environment and don’t want to use products that have chemicals in it. These days you try your best to keep your lifestyle organic. So what are you to do?

Time to dust off your computer and hit the information superhighway and see what you can find. There’s got to be an alternative to aid your thinning hair without chemicals, which keeps it on an organic level. Luckily you can browse some of the best shampoos for hair loss, and find an area that’s even dedicated to organic shampoos as well. You know it’s not an overnight cure, but maybe it’ll help keep it from progressing the way it has been the last couple of years. You’re still young and there’s still time to slow down your thinning hair or stop it in its tracks.

You’ve done your part for the community for so long and never realized that no one has seen you without your hat. You’re always in a place where you can wear one or outside working on a project. It’s time to show your community who you really are. Dress up in that suit and be proud. Thinning hair can happen to anyone, young like you or older, male or even female.

To be honest, they aren’t really going to even notice, or probably even care. You’re a hard worker for your community and that’s all they really care about. You’re the one they come to when there’s building projects to be done, or fundraisers that need community involvement. They know they can always rely on you and that makes you a staple in your area.

Who knows, there might be people there that you yourself have never seen without a hat as well. It’s really not a big deal. Thinking about it though helped you find organic shampoos that help slow down thinning hair and thicken up what you have, so you actually gained something from all your worrying. So get yourself suited up for your community fundraiser formal and step in and be proud. It’s not about the hair on your head, it’s about the love for the community in your heart.

Helping the community around you

Tim Mechling July 2, 2021 Community Projectscommunity help, community projects 0

Helping your community is a great way to do some volunteer work. Many communities will get together and build gardens or playgrounds to beautify the neighborhood, but what about building a gym for those who can’t afford to get a membership? One way to help you community is to build something that all people can use such as a community center that is non-profit. Finding the right building and grant can be daunting but once you get the funding you need and find the right building it’s all a matter of getting the community together to make it work. Here is some helpful information that will help you with this task.

Buying equipment for the adults

Adults in a community center will need exercise equipment and these can be purchased pretty affordable. Do your research with keywords such as the best cardio machine, or affordable exercise equipment, you can even check craigslist.org for exercise equipment in your area that is for sale. These are all options to keep it affordable and obtainable.

Furniture

You will need tables and couches for sitting. Community centers need different stations for different activities, such as TV center, relaxation center, and a food court. You can find reasonable prices on furniture that is either at a goodwill or on a classified ad site. Many items that people are selling for affordable prices are still very useable and with a little professional cleaning can look as good as new. An eclectic mix of color pallets and patterns makes for a very interesting design concept.

Children’s play area

You can find many children’s items at second hand shops for very reasonable prices. With a little bit of elbow grease and some bleach and Lysol all toys can be sterilized and made to look brand new. Sometimes adding a coat of paint can make an old toy look brand new. This will help in adding toys and play equipment to the community center without going out of budget.

Playgrounds

Playgrounds can be built with a little ingenuity and some wood and tires. If you can’t afford to buy a playground set then simply draw up plans for an A-frame swing set and some tires swings and maybe a play house and purchase wood at a discount lumber yard or use pallets that are for free from some companies and refinish the wood. You can find all kinds of plans online for free if you search for the right key words. Some companies will donate the tools and supplies needed for a name plate on the grounds.

Community centers are a great way to add benefits to low income communities and provide special places for kids to go after school to stay out of trouble and off the streets. The workers can be volunteers which means they don’t have to be paid. You can offer volunteers college credit for their involvement in the community center and this will help them with their degrees and transcripts. Volunteer work is something we should all do at some point in our lives. You can also work with the police to offer community service volunteer work for teenagers who are assigned community service as a condition of their probation. These are all ideas to help your community be a better place.

Put the summer in summertime with a fun BBQ community project

Tim Mechling June 23, 2021 Community Projectscommunity projects, summer fun 0

Do you live in a close knit community? Have neighbors that wave when they get their mail or walk their dog by your patio and stop to say hi? If so, why not take advantage of that bond you have with your neighbors and throw together a community project you can work on together. Summer is here, it’s a great time to throw together a neighborhood barbeque.

Get together with some of your neighbors and the first thing to start with is a date that most everyone will be able to attend and go from there. Figure out what kind of food that there will be served, make it a great BBQ with pot luck dishes brought from people attending. Set it up at a park where the children can have fun hanging out together on the jungle gym and running all over the place with games like tag and hide and seek.

Then when the day gets here, you’ll be amazed at how things seem to fall into place. Men manning the BBQ keeping eye on the food on the grill while some go out and toss a football with the kids. The women getting together for a little neighborhood gossip and trading recipes about the dishes they’ve brought and what’s going on in their day to day lives.

It’s a great time to pick up on tips and tricks that make their lives easier or happier. One of the gossipy topics women talk about when they get together is any adventures that they are or are not having in the bedroom. Don’t be surprised if you find out that a couple or two have resorted to trying pills to liven things out and have more time to spend romantically with each other. Then you might find yourself hearing a little gossip about how one couple have found a way to spend that time together for longer stretches and by not using pills. You probably think they aren’t serious, but you can find out more information here. It’s just part of the gossip but it’d be great to cut pills out of the regimen. Who needs chemicals to put in your body for something along the lines of private time in the bedroom when it can be done naturally? You can use this link to see if they are right and it’s something worth trying because according to them, it most definitely is.

Good old fashioned BBQ’s in your community are a fun way to spend time with your neighbors outside of the community projects you tackle together throughout the year. Games, food, gossip, and all around fun. Even talks about other community projects that you can plan to work on together next. The BBQ isn’t a project, it’s a get together between a community that is like having a reward, a celebration for all the projects that you have tackled thus far and make ways for new projects that are on the way next,

Housing and Community Adaptations to Accommodate People with Disabilities

Tim Mechling June 14, 2021 Community Projectscommunity activities, community projects 0

As a community project, you could take on the issue of public spaces not being able to accommodate people with disabilities. Many people take for granted the ability to get from place to place easily and access community resources without trouble. For individuals with disabilities curbs, stairs, obstructions, narrow passageways and a lack of ramps can be barriers to getting around the community. Signs, traffic signals and walkways must also be considered as necessities for individuals with disabilities.

Changing the Physical and Social Character of Your Community

Community projects can be created to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to buildings, bathrooms and passageways used by the public. Access to employment, education, and other amenities goes hand in hand with physical access to community spaces. By creating barrier-free environments for people with disabilities you are changing not only the physical space, but also the political and social components of a community as well.

How Do You Ensure Access for People with Disabilities?

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) which passed in 1990 is there to ensure that people with disabilities have the right to accessible amenities within their communities. ADA guarantees physical accessibility as well as counteracts discrimination in employment and the delivery of goods, services, programs, and education for individuals with disabilities. One area of concern is ensuring that individuals with disabilities can exit buildings safely in the case of emergencies such as fires. If elevators are not functioning properly, can people in wheelchairs exit a building safely? Creating ramps, accessible emergency exits, wider access, and automatic doors, your community can become more accessible for people with disabilities.

Renovations for Accessibility

To increase accessibility, one can recommend bathroom renovations in Perth. For example, public washrooms can be made wider and be made wheelchair accessible. For community centres with pools, showers can be made wider and support devices can be put in place such as bars and seating. Other things to consider include the height of hand driers, sinks and soap dispensers. There are also some great eco-friendly options for these projects as well. Reusing and recycling to make ramps and other things can be great for our environment and for the disabled.To seek out information on bathroom renovations, see PerthRenovationsGroup.com.au to find out more.

Why Ensure Access for Individuals with Disabilities?

In most cases the ADA states that it is the law to ensure access for people with disabilities. Ensuring access is also a matter of respect and providing fair opportunities for all. People with disabilities are smart, capable and talents. These talents would be wasted if they were denied access to community resources due to physical constraints. Ensuring accessibility also makes sense economically and financially in the long run. It can increase the number of customers for a business and therefore increase sales and profits. Adding to the diversity of a community is always a positive thing. Also, when areas become more accessible for people with disabilities they really become more accessible for everyone in the community.

Bring it Together for a Ladies Spa Night

Tim Mechling June 12, 2021 Community Projectscommunity events, consultanting businesses, ladies spa nights, pure skin tone 0

If there is one thing that the average mom doesn’t have time for, it’s a spa night. Getting away from the kids for a few hours of solitude and pampering is often an unattainable dream for women. Coordinating a ladies spa night for the women in your community is a great way to help grow independent businesses and bring everyone together in a low-stress atmosphere.

Presenters

A ladies spa night is the perfect opportunity for independent business consultants to showcase their products and helpful information. Reach out to consultants in your area who are affiliated with direct marketing companies like Arbonne, Perfectly Posh, Jamberry Nails and Mary Kay. Remember that some of these consultants have products that overlap. In order to eliminate any sales envy, and anyone stepping on each other’s toes, you should have each person focus on one particular product line.

For example, Arbonne can focus on facials using their natural skin care products. Perfectly posh can focus on manicures sans the polish. Then those women who got a facial can head to the Mary Kay section for some professional makeup tips and free samples while those who got the manicures head to the Jamberry Nails table to learn about these long-lasting nail polish stickers. Each guest should talk about the benefits of their products, proper usage and why they are so great. Find more skin care tips and great products at PureSkinTone.com.

Every consultant is able to have their own cash and carry items on hand for guests to purchase. Presenters may even want to have a raffle to help build their leads and give away a free item at the end of the night.

Location & Refreshments

Any type of community center which is free to use is a great option for a ladies spa night. Ask consultants to bring their own tablecloths to help give the environment a welcoming feel. For refreshments you can offer soda and water for purchase. If you there is a consultant who works with food products such as Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple or Wildtree then invite them to present their products and samples for guests. Alternatively, you can ask the local cupcake lady if she wants to display her baked goodies at the event for purchase as well.

How it Works

Start by inviting the ladies in your community. You may want to reach out through local organizations such as book clubs or churches. Have all vendors arrive 45 minutes before the start of the event. Remember that guests will begin trickling in during the 15 minutes prior to the event starting.

Guests start by perusing the tables and seeing what each vendor has to offer. Get everyone settled at tables and divide them into two groups. You will want to have everyone switch around. The first group will start with facials and makeup while the second group starts with manicures and polish. Depending on the expected turn out, you may want to have consultants invite other members of their downline team to help keep everything running smoothly.

Finally, guests take some time to purchase any cash and carry items they are interested in before the vendors draw the raffle winner and then thank everyone for a wonderful night. The raffle slips give vendors the opportunity to reach out to new customers and plan home or catalog parties or simply build their customer base.