Julie Shore Swoops in to Make a Difference

We celebrate moms this weekend and honor the strong and gentle women in our lives who have cared, cajoled and inspired us along our journey. One such strong woman is Julie Shore, a member of the SWOOP organization. SWOOP stands for Strong Women Organizing Outrageous Projects. It is a non-profit group of volunteers who come together to work on projects that typically last one day but make a lasting difference in the lives of the people they serve. The motto of the organization is "great hearts working together to serve the community and inspire hope." A number of the projects have been wheelchair ramps, but they also come together for home improvement and one-day community service projects. Since starting their Ramp It Up! program in 2011 they have built 12 accessibility ramps for people who can't afford the construction costs themselves. Julie's particular strength is carpentry and she helps on or supervises projects that involve carpentry. Otherwise she's pitching in to whatever the team might be working on, like building a playground for at-risk children or painting a low-income housing unit that's been neglected. Julie has been a volunteer since the organization started in 1996 after a group of friends banded together to help neighbors cut down trees when Hurricane Fran damaged their area. After seeing the power of people coming together to help each other clear and rebuild they decided to get more organized and received their non-profit status in 2001. The organization currently has 1,400 volunteers and while not all of them come out for every 'Swoopin Saturday', it's the power of numbers that make the difference. “…..SWOOP just goes in and totally transforms whatever they’re working on….70 women will descend on a property, and it’s transformation, what happens.” -- Julie Shore Do you know someone or a group of people who work to transform the lives of others? Nominate them for next week's AmericanTown's Heroes … and happy Mother's Day to all the lovely ladies.