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Park Place Outreach, Inc.
514 E. Henry Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401
Author Archive
Bright Idea: A Youth Emergency Shelter Earns Green-Building Certification
December 14th, 2012 | Author: admin
For nearly two decades, Park Place Outreach ran its emergency shelter out of one of Savannah, GA’s signature Victorian homes. Then about five years ago, the organization’s leaders decided they couldn’t stay in the drafty old building any longer.
“We knew energy costs were going to be going up,” says Executive Director Linda K. Hilts. “The goal was to make [our] building sustainable, make it cost-efficient, make it a healthier building for the kids to be in.”
To ensure that it was really meeting those objectives, the organization didn’t want to just switch out a few light bulbs. They chose to raise $500,000 to buy and renovate their next building using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design guidelines, or LEED. The move, Hilt says, has enabled Park Place to triple its shelter’s size while reducing its carbon footprint and cutting utility costs in half.
“We realized that to get the most savings and reduction in environmental impact, it was worth it to us to go the extra distance and become a LEED building,” she says.
The voluntary LEED certification program operated by the U.S. Green Building Council requires applicants to meet certain standards when it comes to the building materials they use and the design choices they make. For Park Place, becoming LEED certified meant installing low-flow plumbing, building skylights to take advantage of natural light, switching to energy-saving appliances, and re-sloping the building’s roof so they could use rain water to irrigate their grounds, among other changes.
Hilts says that taking an environmentally conscientious approach fits well with Park Place’s philosophy of helping the surrounding community.
“We helped restore an area in Savannah that was starting to fall into disrepair so we were part of that community,” she says. “But we’re also part of that community when we’re working with the youth, and we’re trying to help them restore parts of their lives back and helping them restore their connection with their family.”
Smaller Steps for Everyone
If it doesn’t seem like LEED certification is in your agency’s future, there are smaller steps you can take to reduce your environmental impact and, ultimately, save your agency money.
“Every little change helps the environment and cuts operating costs,” Hilts says.
Hilts recommends that agencies considering environmentally friendly changes to their building work closely with their board of directors. More sustainable choices like compact fluorescent light bulbs and low-emissions paint can cost more than regular bulbs and paint, but will lower your utility bills in the long run. Here are some specific ideas you can propose:
- Caulk around windows to reduce the amount of air that seeps in or out.
- Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, like compact fluorescents or halogens.
- Take advantage of natural light as much as possible.
- Use environmentally friendly paint and insulation.
- Switch to energy-saving hot water heaters and appliances.
- Install low-flow toilets and showerheads.
- If you’re due for a new roof, talk to a roofer about changing the slope of your roof to promote better drainage that can help water gardens.
http://ncfy.acf.hhs.gov/the-beat/2012/11/green-building
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Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter Receives $10,000 Grant from Bank of America Charitable Foundation
December 14th, 2012 | Author: admin
| 12/4/2012 | ||||
Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter Receives $10,000 Grant from Bank of America Charitable Foundation SDN Staff Report Dec. 4, 2012 – Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter, a temporary shelter and outreach service that serves youth from Savannah and the surrounding area, has received a $10,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. Linda Hilts, Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter’s Executive Director, said the shelter will use the grant to cover operational costs. Since opening its doors in 1984, Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter has accommodated 6,000 youth who have left home. “Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter’s services are in great demand in the Savannah area,” Hilts said. “The generous Bank of America Charitable Foundation grant will enable us to serve a greater number of at-risk youth in the area.” “As part of our comprehensive lending, investing and giving activities to advance economic opportunity in the communities we serve, Bank of America is addressing critical issues that will help revitalize our neighborhoods,” said Steven Price, Savannah market president for Bank of America. “We know that the challenges facing our communities are great, and it is through partnerships like the one with Park Place Outreach that we can create positive change for youth in our area.” According to the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless, the Savannah area has the second largest homeless population in the state. In 2011, the area’s homeless population was 4,202, 774 of whom were children under the age of 18. The Savannah area also struggles with poverty. In 2011, 26.8 percent of children in the area lived in poverty. “A great number of youth that we serve have been homeless or have grown up in poverty,” Hilts said. “Because of the economy, individual contributions have been slower than usual. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation grant will enable Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter to continue to provide direct services for these kids and others who are at risk.” |
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Couple donate $50,000 to Parkplace Outreach
December 14th, 2012 | Author: admin
Couple donate $50,000 to Parkplace Outreach
Posted: December 12, 2012 – 11:06pm | Updated: December 13, 2012 – 8:39am
http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2012-12-12/couple-donate-50000-parkplace-outreach#.UMt5Ym_HebE
By Savannah Morning News
Park Place Outreach–Youth Emergency Shelter, a temporary shelter and outreach service that serves youth from Savannah and the surrounding area, has received a $50,000 donation from the Joseph & Mary Dobransky Foundation.
The funds will enable the shelter to provide more than 250 nights of care for an individual or 1,800 hours of counseling, said executive director Linda K. Hilts.
“The gift comes at a very critical time for our organization,” Hilts said. “As a nonprofit, we are seeing government funding sources drying up, and many of our donors are struggling with the recession.”
In 2009, the Joseph & Mary Dobransky Foundation donated $50,000 to complete the Dobransky Outreach Center on the lower level of Park Place Outreach’s facility at 514 E. Henry St. The center serves as a haven for youth seeking a safe after-school place to do homework and relax.
Joseph “Joe” Dobransky, a member of the shelter’s board of directors, is a retired regional vice president for UPS. He served in the U.S. Navy after high school and later went to work as a driver for UPS before he worked his way up, serving in key positions in Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey and Texas.
Today, Dobransky and his wife, Mary, live in Savannah and dedicate their time to charitable organizations such as Park Place Outreach and America’s Second Harvest food bank.
The Dobranskys have been married for 58 years and have six children, 15 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.
“Park Place Outreach is a place where they really help young people find the path of life,” Joe Dobransky said. “I like to see children advance. I believe the future of the country is in our hands, and the way to do it is to educate young people.”
Pack the Park
April 6th, 2012 | Author: admin
Bring your family and friends out to watch the Sand Gnats take on the Hickory Crawdads on Friday 4/20 and help support Park Place Outreach! Game starts at 7:05pm.
100% of the proceeds from tickets purchased at any The Savannah Bank location will go to benefit the children of Park Place. Tickets must be purchased at The Savannah Bank to support Park Place Outreach.
Tickets Only $7
LOCATIONS
Downtown – 25 Bull Street
Midtown – 4809 Waters Avenue
Southside – 400 Mall Blvd
Skidaway – 50 Meeting Street
Tybee – 802 1st Street
Whitemarsh – Island Town Ctr
Garden City – 100 Chatham Pkwy
“The Greenest Building” Documentary
April 15th, 2011 | Author: admin
Friend us on Facebook!
December 27th, 2010 | Author: admin
Park Place Outreach, Inc. can now be found on Facebook. Keep in touch with us by “liking” our page.
