A jewel has grown near the corner of West Boulevard and Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte, serving as a beacon of hope and an example of what is possible in a West Charlotte community plagued with challenges. Since 2012, the Renaissance West Community Initiative has been helping this community thrive through quality housing, education, health, wellness and opportunity.
Now, its residents and students are proud to call this little corner of Charlotte home. But it was far from a singular effort. Dozens of partners – including volunteers from Atrium Health – have been coming to the neighborhood for years to assist in bringing more services and opportunities – helping this community change the direction of its future. This future includes the Renaissance West STEAM Academy, a school that educates more than 400 students -- from kindergarten through 8th grade -- focusing on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
And as a special “thank you” to those students, parents and Renaissance West residents who work hard every day to help build and maintain a healthy, active and vibrant community, Cam Newton, star quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, stopped by the school to show his support.
Newton surprised third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders as a “guest coach” in a teachers-versus-students basketball game. Volunteers from Atrium Health served as referees and cheerleaders during the game.
These kids have no idea they were about to have the best Friday surprise ever. Hey, @CharMeckSchools’ Renaissance West STEAM Academy! 👋🏼 #CamAndAtriumHealth @Panthers@CameronNewton pic.twitter.com/pclUhx1XNn
— Atrium Health (@AtriumHealth) April 12, 2019
Cam helping C.A.M.
Another proud partner of ours is Crisis Assistance Ministry – Charlotte’s advocate for people in financial crisis, helping them move toward self-sufficiency.
Community engagement is at the heart of Atrium Health’s mission to serve everyone, especially in their most vulnerable moments. Crisis Assistance Ministry helps Mecklenburg families with life’s most basic needs: emergency rent and utility assistance, clothing, household goods, furniture, beds, appliances and access to food.
Earlier this year, Atrium Health employees helped collect more than 12,000 blankets, coats and cold-weather items as part of its annual Share the Warmth clothing drive that benefits Crisis Assistance Ministry.
And this spring, Atrium Health is proud to extend its mission to improve health, elevate hope, and advance healing – for all by matching every donation to Crisis Assistance Ministry up to $250,000, now through April 30, 2019.
Cam surprised some of these teammates and helped them sort through donated clothes that will be cleaned and handed out to those in need.
Stop 2️⃣@CameronNewton stops by @CrisisAssistMin to surprise some of our teammates who were volunteering and to sort clothes for those in need in our community. #CamAndAtriumHealth pic.twitter.com/uLfVseewUY
— Atrium Health (@AtriumHealth) April 12, 2019
Connecting with Kids
When Cam Newton stops by to visit the patients and families at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, he definitely creates a buzz.
From playing tic-tac-toe, to coloring to signing autographs, there was lots of fun and games to be had. A lucky few even got some of Cam’s famous bracelets and got to throw a football around with the former NFL league MVP.
Levine Children’s Hospital is a special place and that community spirit that it embodies could not be sustained without the help of more than 500 volunteers contributing more than 18,000 hours.
From reading stories, playing games or coloring with patients and their siblings, to assisting in transport and discharge of patients, opportunities abound for volunteers to give of their time to help do their part to assist in each patient’s healing process.
