Brownieland’s volunteer service project for the month of June was Empowerment Resource Center’s 16th Annual Take Charge. Get Tested Event. We had the honor of working alongside an incredible organization whose seminal event started 16 years ago in Atlanta. 

Ever since 2003, ERC has serviced our city’s community with a deeply meaningful and service- oriented event, open to all. On June 29th, ERC provided a free healthcare screening for HIV/AIDs, as well as behavioral health services by trained professionals, Hep C testing, free food, music, snacks, and most importantly fun.

The sweltering summer heat didn’t slow down ERC employees and volunteers one bit. We tested approximately 200 community members between the hours of 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The most special aspect of the event was truly its atmosphere, as recruiters with bullhorns and pom-poms made their way around Woodruff Park to welcome anyone and everyone with open arms.

Seeing ERC truly embody its values was heartfelt and meaningful above all else. Their mission is to provide programs, services, and community-level solutions that improve the health-related quality of life for communities. Doing work on the ground is certainly not easy; in fact, they work hard to make it happen because they care about the people they serve. We want to thank the ERC for hosting such an impactful event, and we encourage all our partners to connect with such a wonderful organization. As we grow our networks and share our resources, we can improve people’s quality of life.

At Brownieland, our job is to tell great stories, and in doing so, we hope to share a message of encouragement and support to our readers. You too can join the conversation with ERC on their website and social media. You can also get involved by giving your time at one of their volunteer events or sending in a donation of support that helps ERC continue their work.