Dining to Donate - Tuesday, August 16th

The Community Outreach Committee has set up three easy wasy for everyone to raise funds in order to grant our next child's wish, all in one night!  It's called Dining to Donate on Tuesday, August 16th at the Westfield Applebee's from 5-9 pm.  The details are as follows:

· Print the Dining to Donate flyer and pass it out to family and friends. Present the flyer to your server or with any Carside to Go order and the DOZ Charitable Foundation will receive 15% of your order.  DOZ employees - click here to print the flyer

· Give a cash contribution at our donation table located in the foyer of the restaurant. Contributions of $5 or more will receive a $5 coupon for your next visit to Applebee's.

· Order an Applebee's gift card from the Scrip program to pay for your meal. DOZ Charitable Foundation will receive 8% of the gift card value. Holly will submit the order on August 1^stto ensure delivery by August 16^th.

Proceeds from this event will be given to the DOZ Charitable Foundation and will be set aside to grant our next child's wish!

Westfield Applebee's is located in the Village Park shopping plaza along Highway 31.  So be sure to grab dinner on  your way home from work and support our next wish child!

Sorting School Supplies!

On Thursday afternoon, July 21st, a group of 8 DOZ employees visited the warehouse in downtown Indianapolis to help sort the school supplies donated by hundreds of companies throughout the city (including DOZ) in conjunction with Backpack Attack. The volunteers helped sort, count, and organize the supplies donated. The total amount of supplies donated by DOZ has not been tabulated as of yet, so stay tuned for the final number! Check out the pictures from the event below:

Victoria, Katie, and Jenna opening boxes of notebooks

The group counting supplies

 All of our DOZ volunteers (minus Katie!)

Backpack Attack!

Did you know:

• 83% of the families in the IPS school system can't afford the basic school supplies that their children need to go back to school.
• Students with inadequate supplies suffer an unnecessary struggle to keep up with their peers.
• Many IPS teachers spend their own money to purchase supplies for students.

I know it seems too early to think about going back to school, but the Backpack Attack school supply drive begins on Monday, June 20th!  Next time you are at the store, pick up a few school supplies for an Indianapolis area child in need.  Here is the list of supplies needed:

• Backpacks
• Pencil sharpeners
• Spiral notebooks
• Erasers (pink)
• Calculators
• Rulers (12 inch)
• Crayons (24 count)
• Art boxes
• Scissors (safety tip)
• Markers (8 count)
• Alarm clocks
• Ink pens (blue or black)
• Pencils (#2)
• Colored pencils (12 count)
• Pocket folders
• Glue sticks
• Notebook paper

Last year DOZ collected nearly 2,800 supplies, let's beat our record this year!

Landscaping at Coburn Place

On a Saturday in May, a group of DOZ employees traveled downtown to Coburn Place Safe Haven women's shelter to plant flowers and do some landscaping around their building.  Take a look at the before and after pictures below!

BEFORE

 AFTER

Great job!

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful

A small group of DOZ staff participated in the Keep Indianapolis Beautiful event on May 7th, planting trees in a neighborhood near Geist Reservoir on the north side of the city.  Thanks to all who participated!

Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention

In April 2011, DOZ collected enough monetary donations to provide 208 care kits for the Indy Homeless Connect event held at the convention center in downtown Indianapolis, sponsored by the Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention (CHIP).  Thanks to all who donated!

Race for the Cure 2011

A DOZ team comprised of 45 staff and family members participated in this year's Komen Race for the Cure on April 16.  The team raised nearly $700 to donate to breast cancer research!