Ca$h For A Cause: Elizabethton non-profits among top winners of annual Mall event
Published 8:56 am Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Star Photo/Abby Morris-Frye
The Mall at Johnson City General Manager Tembra Aldridge, at left, and Marketing Director Kalonn Roberts, at right, present a certificate and $6,000 check to representatives of Assistance Resource Ministries, a non-profit organization based in Elizabethton that provides support services to families in need in Carter County.
Two Elizabethton-based non-profit organizations were among the top winners for The Mall at Johnson City’s annual Cash For A Cause competition.
On Tuesday, The Mall at Johnson City hosted an awards luncheon and presented monetary donations and special certificates to Assistance Resource Ministries, The TLC Community Center and Kari’s Heart Foundation.
“We try to give back to the community,” said Tembra Aldridge, general manager of The Mall at Johnson City. “In the Spring we do Cash For A Cause for the non-profits and then in the Fall we do Earning for Learning and that is for the schools.”
This year, the Mall donated a total of $12,000 to area non-profit organization through the Cash For a Cause, dividing the money between the three agencies that earned the most points during the six-week contest.
During the contest period, shoppers at The Mall could take their receipts to the guest services desk and ask to have their purchases applied to the non-profit of their choice with each dollar spent worth one point in the contest. Certain stores provided double points while The Mall gift cards were worth triple points.
After all the points were tallied, ARM captured first place, earning the agency $6,000. Kari’s Heart Foundation came in second place, garnering them $4,000. The TLC Community Center earned third place honors and received $2,000.
ARM is a non-profit agency based in Elizabethton that provides assistance to families in Carter County in a variety of ways. The agency operates a food pantry that provides clients with not only non-perishable food items and staples, but also fresh produce and dairy items. ARM also helps families by providing emergency assistance with utilities, clothing, household items, vouchers for school supplies, employment counseling and referrals for other needed services.
For more information on the services available through ARM, contact the agency at 423-542-0919. Nikki Jones serves as the Executive Director for ARM.
Star Photo/Abby Morris-Frye
The Mall at Johnson City General Manager Tembra Aldridge, at left, and Marketing Director Kalonn Roberts, at right, present a certificate and $4,000 check to representatives of Kari’s Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Johnson City that provides support to families with children facing a major medical issue.
Kari’s Heart Foundation is a non-profit based in Johnson City that helps provide a wide range of personal, financial and social resources to families currently experiencing a healthcare crisis. Among the services the Foundation provides are “Karing Bags” filled with items to make long hospital stays more comfortable for the family as well as assistance with the costs of transportation, temporary housing, clothing and food that families incur while having to travel to receive medical treatment.
Dr. Jeff Schoondyke and his wife Jennifer Schoondyke created Kari’s Heart Foundation in honor of their daughter Kari, who died at the age of 7 months as a result of congenital heart disease.
For more information on the services available through Kari’s Heart Foundation, contact the foundation at 423-913-1171.
Star Photo/Abby Morris-Frye
The Mall at Johnson City General Manager Tembra Aldridge, at left, and Marketing Director Kalonn Roberts, at right, present a certificate and $2,000 check to representatives of The TLC Community Center, a non-profit organization based in Elizabethton that operates several programs to assist local families in need.
The TLC Community Center provides a variety of community support and education programs throughout the community. Among the programs available through the TLC Community Center are the Abortion Alternatives & Women’s Center crisis pregnancy program, the Summer Food Program for children, Little Feet Children’s Ministry, Grandparents Matter support group and the Guard Your Heart abstinence program.
For more information on The TLC Center or it’s programs, contact the center at 423-895-8601. Angie Odom is the founder and director of The TLC Community Center.
