Go Month 2008

Cleveland, OH – The Ronald McDonald House of 10415 Euclid Ave. has been selected as the recipient of the 2008 Get Organized Month Service Project of NAPO-North Coast Ohio, a local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

"We chose RMH for our 'GO' event because the organization is such an important entity within the Cleveland community. RMH provides a much needed sense of encouragement and support to the families of sick children. By welcoming families who need shelter, RMH helps lift a burden which enables them to focus on what’s important, their child. It was a unanimous decision to give back to an organization that gives so much to families in need of comfort," says Tamara Spotts, this years GO Month coordinator for the NAPO chapter of organizers.

The Ronald McDonald House will receive organizing assistance in their two kitchens, two main storage spaces, supply closet, and receiving area. This is the third GO Month project this local chapter of Professional Organizers has given their time and skills to. This is all volunteer and this year 99% of the chapter membership will be participating.

For more information you may contact the GO Month coordinator Tamara Spotts of Truly Organized at 216-376-0045. To find a Professional Organizer in your area, go to the NAPO-North Coast Ohio website at www.naponorthcoastoh.com

Cleveland, OH - On Wednesday, January 23 NAPO-North Coast Ohio, a local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers, will be giving their organizing services to The Ronald McDonald House of 10415 Euclid Ave to increase their storage capabilities and create more user-friendly systems for the families they serve.

Mark Destino and Linda Peters of RMH met with co-chairs of the organizing project Tamara Spotts and Patty Clair to determine which areas were in most need. Spaces targeted for the organizing makeover are two kitchens, two main storage rooms, receiving, and two supply closets. "It was a unanimous decision to give back to an organization that gives so much to families in need of comfort," says Spotts. January is National Get Organized Month and the local chapter of NAPO has chosen to give back to their community by offering their time and skills to The Ronald McDonald House as their "GO Month" project.

It all starts at 9:00am Wednesday morning with approximately sixteen organizers from the chapter. By 3:00pm, The Ronald McDonald House will be enjoying some extra space, streamlined systems in the receiving area and kitchens, and better organized supplies. These newly organized spaces will better suit the needs of the RMH staff, volunteers, and the families they serve.

For more information you may contact the GO Month coordinators Tamara Spotts of Truly Organized at 216-376-0045 or Patty Clair of Keeping It Simple at 216-214-3596. To find a professional organizer in your area, go to the NAPO-North Coast Ohio website at www.naponorthcoastoh.com.

Thirteen Professional Organizers from the North Coast Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) celebrated GO (Get Organized) Month as they gathered on January 23rd at Cleveland's Ronald McDonald House to give something back to an organization which provides so much to so many.

"Their t-shirts read 'I came, I saw, I organized' and this phenomenal group was tireless in their efforts to rid our storage areas of unnecessary clutter and make the heart of our House, the kitchen, more user friendly for our families and for volunteer groups preparing meals for them," said Linda Peters, Volunteer Coordinator at the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, Inc. By day's end, the house guests, volunteers, and staff were able to navigate the two newly organized kitchens with ease, while large storage and receiving areas of the house also took on a completely new look.

Participating in GO Month, the group collectively donated over 100 hours of organizing services at the Ronald McDonald House which, for the past 29 years, has provided a supportive, caring and clean home-away-from-home to families with children who require medical care at Cleveland-area hospitals.

With over 250 volunteers working at the facility each week and house guests coming and going on a daily basis, it is very difficult to keep things in place and in order. "We were pleased to represent NAPO and our profession by assisting the Ronald McDonald staff with their organizational needs," Clair commented. "We were all happy to be able to give a little back to this wonderful organization."

Planning for the day-long event, which was co-chaired by Tamara Spotts (Truly Organized, Cleveland Heights) and Patty Clair (keeping it simple, Shaker Heights), began several months ago with an initial needs assessment at the home, as well as several follow up visits to fully understand the organizational challenges the staff, volunteers, and administrators faced during their time at the home.

Sponsored by NAPO, Get Organized Month is a national industry-wide event dedicated to raising awareness of the benefits of getting organized and of hiring a professional organizer. To learn more about NAPO or to find a local organizer, go to www.naponorthcoastoh.com.