News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Upper Cumberland Foster Closet is hosting its first major fundraiser, “Chips for Charity,” a casino night at the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport on May 1st.
UCFC is an organization which aids foster families and kinship families by providing them with free clothing and other necessities for children in custody, all donated by members in the community. Founder and Executive Director Amanda Drake said community members can expect food trucks, chips to play at the casino tables, and an abundant silent auction.
“We have some really, really, awesome silent auction items–like really awesome. We’ve probably got twenty to thirty silent auction items. You can come eat, play games, and do the silent auction. We’re gonna have a DJ, probably a dance floor that will be open. It’s just going to be a really fun event,” said founder and executive director Amanda Drake.
The casino night will benefit the organization, run fully by volunteers, by providing them with more funds to operate more fully.
“We’re trying to get to the place where we can have a paid, salaried person so that we can have more open hours and do more things because I do this all volunteer and sometimes I’m putting in 30 or 40 hours a week–which is fine and I’m happy to do that– but I’d love to be able to offer more to the families,” said Drake
In addition to raising funds, Drake says one of her biggest goals is to also raise awareness for the aspects of foster care in our area.
“Specifically how the foster care needs in our area, what the numbers are, how many kids are in foster care, wha the families need and how we’re meeting those needs. Really just raising a lot of awareness with this event in addition to, of course, raising money.”
Tickets for “Chips for Charity” are $60 for one ticket, $100 for a couple. For more information on how to get involved with Upper Cumberland Foster Closet visit their website.
