Under President Ndiva Mongoh’s leadership, SOBA Carolinas has heeded the call to serve. When the Fote administration challenged all chapters to give back to our communities through community service at least once a year, SOBA Carolinas stood up and took the lead. In 2019, the chapter launched its annual SOBA Carolinas Day. This was a day dedicated to giving back to the community through volunteering in the morning and providing scholarships to local kids at an awards gala in the evening. Unfortunately, the current COVID-19 pandemic prevented the chapter from doing this in 2020.This year, SOBA Carolinas was not going to let another year go by without giving back to the community. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create hardship to our communities across the US, SOBA Carolinas felt it is eve more important now to give back. SOBA Carolinas outgoing COO – Dr. Tom Ashu – was charged with organizing the chapter’s volunteer activity for this year. On Saturday August 14th, he led the chapter in volunteering at the Charlotte Food Bank.
Several members of SOBA Carolinas and some of their children helped sort of hundreds of supplies – from food supplies to other basic household needs and even children’s games – at the Charlotte Food bank. These were donations made by several individuals and organizations to help feed the hungry and provide assistance to the most underprivileged in the community. These supplies need to be sorted out and properly packaged before they can be distributed to the recipients. SOBA Carolinas members spent hours at the facility sorting through these and prepping them. Their action will help feed hundreds of families in the Carolinas.
President Fote sent a message of thanks to SOBA Carolinas for this act of goodwill. In his monthly e-mail message to SOBANS in September, he also re-iterated his challenge to all chapters to follow suite and do at least one community service activity annually. We will, as SOBA America, do a community service activity in the city of our conventi0ons during convention weekend. Giving back to our community is a noble act and a good thing. We live in these communities and our children are raised here. It is also helpful to show that we are a part of our community.
