If you told me that AmeriCorps applications were up, I’d say “That’s not too surprising.” Lots of Americans want to help their communities in these tough times, Boomers and Millennials are seriously civic-minded, and the traditional job market is dismal.
But if you told me applications had more than tripled, I would say, “Wow!”
Well, the Corporation for National and Community Service has been tracking their online application numbers, and we are definitely in Wow! territory.
Here is what CNCS’s reporting shows (note: online application numbers don’t represent ALL AmeriCorps applications, but serve as a good proxy for overall application trends):
• In June 2009, we received 34,373 online AmeriCorps applications, nearly triple the 11,814 online applications received in June of 2008.
• During the previous 8 months (Nov. 2008 – June 2009) AmeriCorps received 146,699 online applications, a 217 percent increase above the 46,221 applications received during the same 8 month period a year ago.
Interestingly, applications in January 2009-just as President Obama came in AND the depth of the economic crisis was being driven home–were up 617%(!) over January 2008
Here is CNCS’s analysis of the numbers, which makes for interesting reading (and also illustrates the importance of fully funding the Serve America Act to grow AmeriCorps):
We believe the increase in AmeriCorps applications is due to several factors. The economic downturn is likely having some effect, as college grads and others facing a bleak job market decide to take a closer look at public service positions like AmeriCorps. Serving in AmeriCorps gives recent grads and others valuable skills, money to pay for college and pay back loans, the chance to explore a career path, and, most important, the satisfaction that comes from serving others.
We also think there is an “Obama effect”. His campaign engaged millions of volunteers and he has made service a central cause of his Administration. The response to his call for a national day of service on King Day was astonishing. The Corporation has been promoting service on the King Holiday since 1994, and while it has grown every year, participation went off the charts in 2009 thanks to the President-elect’s call to service and making it a centerpiece of his Inauguration. We had more than 13,000 projects, more than doubling last year’s record of 5,000, and estimate more than one million Americans served that day, including hundreds of thousands of young people and college students. (For more on historic turnout on King Day, visit www.mlkday.gov)
Perhaps even more important than these two recent factors is a strong altruistic streak among today’s young adults. Today’s young people are volunteering and getting involved in politics at record levels. Volunteering by older teens has doubled since the 1980s. Numerous other studies also suggest that today’s youth are volunteering and interested in politics at higher rates than the past. Two-thirds of college freshmen believe it is essential or very important to help others, the highest this figure has been in the 25 years (UCLA study). There was strong voter turnout by 18-24 year-olds in the 2008 campaign. Millennials are not waiting for solutions – they are starting their own nonprofits and using cutting edge technology to organize and make a difference.
We think there are several big reasons why millennials are so involved:
• The catastrophes of 9-11 and Katrina were a wake up call and a call to action that gave young people a chance to be part of something larger than themselves.
• Community service and service-learning – a teaching method that combines classroom learning with community service – are much more prevalent in K-12 schools and colleges. (Our 2008 prevalence report found that 86% of high schools offer or encourage community service.)
• New technologies like Facebook and MySpace make it easier for young people to organize for change and connect with their peers – whether across town or across the world.
• AmeriCorps is a catching on as a way for young people to make an intensive commitment to helping others. More than 574,000 have served in AmeriCorps – many right out of high school or college — and many go into public service careers or start their own nonprofits.
***Article taken from Service Nation
Monday, July 20, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Major League Baseball Goes to Bat for United We Serve
All-Star Game Highlights President Obama’s United We Serve Initiative; MLB is First Sports League to Team with United We Serve
(Washington D.C.) -- Responding to President Obama’s call to service, Major League Baseball is making community service an overriding theme of the 80th All-Star Game and related events taking place in St. Louis this week.
From a charity run and benefit concert to community service projects and a Presidential video recognizing outstanding volunteers, Major League Baseball has embraced the President’s United We Serve initiative and put community service front and center in a variety of special events and the All-Star Game itself, which will be broadcast Tuesday night to millions of fans across the U.S. and around the world.
Major League Baseball is the first professional sports league to launch a major collaboration with United We Serve and the charity and community service initiatives are the most extensive in Major League Baseball All-Star history.
President Obama will throw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch and appear in a video featuring all of the living U.S. Presidents who are honoring 30 “All Stars Among Us,” outstanding volunteers being recognized for their acts of service to others.
United We Serve is President Obama’s challenge to all Americans to engage in sustained, meaningful community service to help in our nation’s renewal and recovery. Kicked off by First Lady Michelle Obama on June 22, United We Serve initially runs through a new National Day of Service on September 11. United We Serve is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities through fostering service and social innovation.
“Service is a solution to many of our toughest challenges and we need every American to help renew our nation by engaging in service to others," said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation. “Like baseball, service is a hallmark of our American character. We salute Major League Baseball for putting the spotlight on service and encouraging fans everywhere to make service a part of their daily lives.”
“The central theme of the 2009 All-Star Game is community service, celebrating the extraordinary work being done by ordinary people,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “We are thrilled that we can come together with President Obama, who has encouraged a renewed spirit of national service, and illustrate a call to action in our communities.”
The charity and community service initiatives of the 2009 All-Star Game, which are themed "Going Beyond," will be the most extensive in the league’s history, raising millions of dollars for numerous organizations and reaching tens of millions of people with messages about service. Among the efforts:
Prior to the first pitch, President Obama along with former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will appear in a seven-minute video address as part of a special ceremony celebrating All-Stars Among Us.
On Tuesday, AmeriCorps members and volunteers will join MLB and Magical Builders to refurbish an inner-city baseball field in St. Louis used by local youth and paint a multi-purpose room inside the facility.
During the game, a public address announcement will be made encouraging fans to visit www.Serve.gov, a new website launched by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the White House that makes it easy for Americans to volunteer. Visitors to Serve.gov can type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization's projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors.
The All-Star Program Book features a donated ad about United We Serve that drives readers to SERVE.gov and profiles outstanding volunteers.
United We Serve was highlighted at other festivities surrounding the game, including the free MLB All-Star Charity Concert presented by Pepsi benefitting Stand Up 2 Cancer which featured Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello, the five-day interactive MLB All-Star FanFest, and signage and press conferences leading up the event.
After the All-Star game, individual MLB teams are expected to announce efforts to highlight community service and participate in United We Serve. Representatives from other sporting leagues and teams are developing similar efforts.
The United We Serve initiative aims to both drive volunteers to existing organizations and encourage individuals to organize their friends, families, and neighbors to develop their own service projects to meet pressing local needs. The Serve.gov website includes easy-to-use toolkits on projects such as organizing a book drive, creating a community garden, or conducting a home energy audit.
United We Serve reinforces the call President Obama made in his Inaugural Address for a “new era of responsibility.” The President has pledged to make service a central cause of his Administration, and has achieved early milestones including record turnout on the Martin Luther King Day of Service, Recovery Act funding to support 13,000 new AmeriCorps members, and the passage of the landmark Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the most sweeping national service legislation in 75 years.
***
The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 14th in St. Louis and will feature the best of the American League taking on the top players of the National League. Major League Baseball has responded to United States of America President Barack Obama's call for community service through "United We Serve," a program which encourages Americans to engage in sustained and meaningful community service. The Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally on FOX Sports and will be shown around the world by Major League Baseball International. For more information about 2009 All-Star Summer, visit www.allstargame.com.
(Washington D.C.) -- Responding to President Obama’s call to service, Major League Baseball is making community service an overriding theme of the 80th All-Star Game and related events taking place in St. Louis this week.
From a charity run and benefit concert to community service projects and a Presidential video recognizing outstanding volunteers, Major League Baseball has embraced the President’s United We Serve initiative and put community service front and center in a variety of special events and the All-Star Game itself, which will be broadcast Tuesday night to millions of fans across the U.S. and around the world.
Major League Baseball is the first professional sports league to launch a major collaboration with United We Serve and the charity and community service initiatives are the most extensive in Major League Baseball All-Star history.
President Obama will throw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch and appear in a video featuring all of the living U.S. Presidents who are honoring 30 “All Stars Among Us,” outstanding volunteers being recognized for their acts of service to others.
United We Serve is President Obama’s challenge to all Americans to engage in sustained, meaningful community service to help in our nation’s renewal and recovery. Kicked off by First Lady Michelle Obama on June 22, United We Serve initially runs through a new National Day of Service on September 11. United We Serve is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities through fostering service and social innovation.
“Service is a solution to many of our toughest challenges and we need every American to help renew our nation by engaging in service to others," said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation. “Like baseball, service is a hallmark of our American character. We salute Major League Baseball for putting the spotlight on service and encouraging fans everywhere to make service a part of their daily lives.”
“The central theme of the 2009 All-Star Game is community service, celebrating the extraordinary work being done by ordinary people,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “We are thrilled that we can come together with President Obama, who has encouraged a renewed spirit of national service, and illustrate a call to action in our communities.”
The charity and community service initiatives of the 2009 All-Star Game, which are themed "Going Beyond," will be the most extensive in the league’s history, raising millions of dollars for numerous organizations and reaching tens of millions of people with messages about service. Among the efforts:
Prior to the first pitch, President Obama along with former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will appear in a seven-minute video address as part of a special ceremony celebrating All-Stars Among Us.
On Tuesday, AmeriCorps members and volunteers will join MLB and Magical Builders to refurbish an inner-city baseball field in St. Louis used by local youth and paint a multi-purpose room inside the facility.
During the game, a public address announcement will be made encouraging fans to visit www.Serve.gov, a new website launched by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the White House that makes it easy for Americans to volunteer. Visitors to Serve.gov can type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization's projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors.
The All-Star Program Book features a donated ad about United We Serve that drives readers to SERVE.gov and profiles outstanding volunteers.
United We Serve was highlighted at other festivities surrounding the game, including the free MLB All-Star Charity Concert presented by Pepsi benefitting Stand Up 2 Cancer which featured Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello, the five-day interactive MLB All-Star FanFest, and signage and press conferences leading up the event.
After the All-Star game, individual MLB teams are expected to announce efforts to highlight community service and participate in United We Serve. Representatives from other sporting leagues and teams are developing similar efforts.
The United We Serve initiative aims to both drive volunteers to existing organizations and encourage individuals to organize their friends, families, and neighbors to develop their own service projects to meet pressing local needs. The Serve.gov website includes easy-to-use toolkits on projects such as organizing a book drive, creating a community garden, or conducting a home energy audit.
United We Serve reinforces the call President Obama made in his Inaugural Address for a “new era of responsibility.” The President has pledged to make service a central cause of his Administration, and has achieved early milestones including record turnout on the Martin Luther King Day of Service, Recovery Act funding to support 13,000 new AmeriCorps members, and the passage of the landmark Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the most sweeping national service legislation in 75 years.
***
The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 14th in St. Louis and will feature the best of the American League taking on the top players of the National League. Major League Baseball has responded to United States of America President Barack Obama's call for community service through "United We Serve," a program which encourages Americans to engage in sustained and meaningful community service. The Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally on FOX Sports and will be shown around the world by Major League Baseball International. For more information about 2009 All-Star Summer, visit www.allstargame.com.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Press Release for National Conference on Service and Volunteering
First Lady Michelle Obama Issues Call to Service to Nation’s Volunteer Leaders
Entertainers, Political Leaders “Pump Up” National Conference on Volunteering and Service
San Francisco, CA – June 23, 2009 – Speaking to a record-breaking 5,000 attendees, First Lady Michelle Obama called on all Americans to participate in our nation’s renewal and recovery in a keynote address at the opening session of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.
“This, more than anything, is the key point I want to make today – that this new Administration doesn’t view service as separate from our national priorities, or in addition to our national priorities – we see it as the key to achieving our national priorities. We believe that the only way to build that new foundation for our economy is to establish a new role for service in this country,” she said.
The First Lady announced the launch of United We Serve, a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in America. The initial phase of United We Serve runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. More than a dozen members of President Obama’s Cabinet participated in the kick-off by fanning out across the country to join in service projects.
In her remarks, Mrs. Obama announced an initiative of the Entertainment Industry Foundation that will carry the service message to millions of Americans. During the week of October 19, plots and themes of dozens of popular network television programs will center on volunteering to inspire Americans to serve.
“The idea is to emphasize for viewers across the country that service is a part of who we are as Americans – and to highlight the power of service to make a difference in people’s lives,” Mrs. Obama said.
The opening plenary featured a star-studded lineup of elected officials and popular culture figures including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California First Lady Maria Shriver, Matthew McConaughey and an inspirational performance from Jon Bon Jovi, who stated that, “We’re going to be the ones that make volunteerism hip. Together, and with the power of ‘WE’, we can start a revolution one soul at a time.”
Pelosi highlighted the new service opportunities created by Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. “In these great times of great challenge, America needs more people like all of you- rolling up your sleeves and pitching in to turn challenges in your communities into opportunities to serve. I come here today to thank you, and I come here proud of what Congress has done in a bipartisan way to help provide those opportunities.”
Schwarzenegger, first Governor in the nation to appoint a cabinet-level position on service and volunteering, told the sold-out crowd he was on hand to “Pump you up!” for service.
“Service and volunteerism is important to me; they are important to my family and to the great State of California,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I am here to pump up your spirit because I believe in you and the amazing work that all of you do. And I believe that we are on the verge of a breakthrough in service all across this country, maybe even a revolution.”
Bon Jovi, who founded the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation, addressed the conference and played a short musical set to celebrate the year-round work of volunteers. McConaughey discussed the work of his charitable organization, j.klivin foundation, to bring after-school fitness and wellness programs to underserved communities and introduced a video about the Entertainment Industry Foundation initiative to inspire Americans to answer the call of service.
Inspiring Others To Serve
Monday morning, nearly 300 attendees boarded buses at 7 a.m. to travel to Bret Harte Elementary School, where they were joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and California’s First Lady Maria Shriver to rebuild the school’s playground. The recreation area is the first fully intergenerational volunteer-built playground in the nation, providing a space for people of all ages to come together and play. The service project, sponsored by CaliforniaVolunteers, was Shriver’s 31st playground build in the state and honored the life and legacy of Cesar E. Chavez. Governor Schwarzenegger, in his address at the Moscone Center, noted that “the Obama’s continue to prove that no family is too busy to serve.”
Neil Bush, Chairman of the Board for Points of Light Institute, continued the momentum of civic engagement when he announced the HandsOn Network “Get HandsOn Campaign,” a strategic response to the President’s call to service and United We Serve initiative. Through the campaign, HandsOn Network aims to recruit and mobilize a core of 50,000 volunteer leaders and engage people of all generations in two million impact-driven projects. The goals of the campaign are to reduce the drop-out rate by leveraging the power of service in every school, reduce the carbon footprint though neighborhood-based conservation and restoration projects; and support economic security for families by facilitating access to resources and dollars.
“We know that many folks are eager to give back. We’ve seen it,” continued First Lady Obama. “They are eager to be part of this nation’s recovery and renewal…As hard examples, applications to AmeriCorps have quadrupled. In the Peace Corps last year, there were three applications for every available position. 35,000 young people applied for just 4,000 spots in Teach for America…People across this country are ready to answer the call to serve. We just need to issue that call and provide them with the opportunities that are meaningful.”
Entertainers, Political Leaders “Pump Up” National Conference on Volunteering and Service
San Francisco, CA – June 23, 2009 – Speaking to a record-breaking 5,000 attendees, First Lady Michelle Obama called on all Americans to participate in our nation’s renewal and recovery in a keynote address at the opening session of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.
“This, more than anything, is the key point I want to make today – that this new Administration doesn’t view service as separate from our national priorities, or in addition to our national priorities – we see it as the key to achieving our national priorities. We believe that the only way to build that new foundation for our economy is to establish a new role for service in this country,” she said.
The First Lady announced the launch of United We Serve, a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in America. The initial phase of United We Serve runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. More than a dozen members of President Obama’s Cabinet
In her remarks, Mrs. Obama announced an initiative of the Entertainment Industry Foundation
“The idea is to emphasize for viewers across the country that service is a part of who we are as Americans – and to highlight the power of service to make a difference in people’s lives,” Mrs. Obama said.
The opening plenary featured a star-studded lineup of elected officials and popular culture figures including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California First Lady Maria Shriver, Matthew McConaughey and an inspirational performance from Jon Bon Jovi, who stated that, “We’re going to be the ones that make volunteerism hip. Together, and with the power of ‘WE’, we can start a revolution one soul at a time.”
Pelosi highlighted the new service opportunities created by Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. “In these great times of great challenge, America needs more people like all of you- rolling up your sleeves and pitching in to turn challenges in your communities into opportunities to serve. I come here today to thank you, and I come here proud of what Congress has done in a bipartisan way to help provide those opportunities.”
Schwarzenegger, first Governor in the nation to appoint a cabinet-level position on service and volunteering, told the sold-out crowd he was on hand to “Pump you up!” for service.
“Service and volunteerism is important to me; they are important to my family and to the great State of California,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I am here to pump up your spirit because I believe in you and the amazing work that all of you do. And I believe that we are on the verge of a breakthrough in service all across this country, maybe even a revolution.”
Bon Jovi, who founded the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation, addressed the conference and played a short musical set to celebrate the year-round work of volunteers. McConaughey discussed the work of his charitable organization, j.klivin foundation, to bring after-school fitness and wellness programs to underserved communities and introduced a video about the Entertainment Industry Foundation initiative to inspire Americans to answer the call of service.
Inspiring Others To Serve
Monday morning, nearly 300 attendees boarded buses at 7 a.m. to travel to Bret Harte Elementary School, where they were joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and California’s First Lady Maria Shriver to rebuild the school’s playground. The recreation area is the first fully intergenerational volunteer-built playground in the nation, providing a space for people of all ages to come together and play. The service project, sponsored by CaliforniaVolunteers, was Shriver’s 31st playground build in the state and honored the life and legacy of Cesar E. Chavez. Governor Schwarzenegger, in his address at the Moscone Center, noted that “the Obama’s continue to prove that no family is too busy to serve.”
Neil Bush, Chairman of the Board for Points of Light Institute, continued the momentum of civic engagement when he announced the HandsOn Network “Get HandsOn Campaign,” a strategic response to the President’s call to service and United We Serve initiative. Through the campaign, HandsOn Network aims to recruit and mobilize a core of 50,000 volunteer leaders and engage people of all generations in two million impact-driven projects. The goals of the campaign are to reduce the drop-out rate by leveraging the power of service in every school, reduce the carbon footprint though neighborhood-based conservation and restoration projects; and support economic security for families by facilitating access to resources and dollars.
“We know that many folks are eager to give back. We’ve seen it,” continued First Lady Obama. “They are eager to be part of this nation’s recovery and renewal…As hard examples, applications to AmeriCorps have quadrupled. In the Peace Corps last year, there were three applications for every available position. 35,000 young people applied for just 4,000 spots in Teach for America…People across this country are ready to answer the call to serve. We just need to issue that call and provide them with the opportunities that are meaningful.”
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
President Obama Calls on Americans to Serve
(Washington D.C) -- President Obama called on all Americans to help in our nation’s recovery by volunteering in their communities this summer in a video message released today by the White House and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The President’s call to summer service launches United We Serve, a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in addressing tough challenges facing the nation. The United We Serve initiative kicks off on June 22, and runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.
“This summer, I'm calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” said President Obama in the video. “And when I say “all,” I mean everyone – young and old, from every background, all across this country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.”
To make it easy for Americans to get involved, the President is urging Americans to visit Serve.gov, a website managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Visitors to Serve.gov can type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization’s projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors.
“The President has made a bold call to service at a time of great need and Americans are ready to respond,” said Nicola Goren, the Corporation’s Acting CEO. “Through United We Serve and Serve.gov, we hope to engage millions of Americans in service this summer and beyond.”
The initiative officially kicks off on June 22 at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco, where 4,000 service and volunteer leaders are meeting to map out strategies to increase the impact of service in solving community problems.
The United We Serve initiative was conceived as a way to directly involve Americans in tackling problems in their communities. While any kind of volunteer service is encouraged, the effort focuses on four key areas education, health, energy and the environment, and community renewal.
“The challenges we face are unprecedented in their size and scope, and we cannot rely on quick fixes or easy answers to put us on the road to recovery,” said President Obama. “Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing in your communities as what we're doing in Washington – and it’s going to take all of us, working together.”
The effort comes at a time of strong need and momentum for service, as the economic downturn puts more Americans at risk and increases the demand for social services. At the same time, many nonprofit groups are experiencing a ‘compassion boom’ of increasing volunteers as Americans reach out to help their neighbors. United We Serve aims to tap this growing interest and focus it on addressing specific community needs.
The initiative builds on recent bipartisan efforts to expand service opportunities and invest in the civic infrastructure including the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act signed by President Obama on April 21. This landmark legislation reauthorizes and expands national service programs and strengthens social innovation and volunteer management in the nonprofit sector.
Recognizing that some organizations are stretched in their capacity to take on new volunteers, United We Serve also encourages individuals to organize their friends, families, and neighbors to develop their own service projects to meet pressing local needs. The Serve.gov website includes easy-to-use toolkits on projects such as organizing a book drive, creating a community garden, or conducting a home energy audit.
The initiative will culminate on September 11 in a National Day of Service and Remembrance. This will mark the first time the nation has observed 9/11 as a national day of service, an effort started several years ago by 9/11 family members that was included in the Serve America Act. The day will be marked by volunteer service, remembrance activities, and pledges to make service an ongoing commitment throughout the year.
To encourage participation in service this summer and beyond, the Serve.gov website features a new All for Good volunteer matching platform that allows people to search for volunteer opportunities based on location and interests. The site allows users to sign in with their primary social network and includes social media applications to share volunteer opportunities with friends and see what activities they are participating in.
The President’s call to summer service launches United We Serve, a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in addressing tough challenges facing the nation. The United We Serve initiative kicks off on June 22, and runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.
“This summer, I'm calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” said President Obama in the video. “And when I say “all,” I mean everyone – young and old, from every background, all across this country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.”
To make it easy for Americans to get involved, the President is urging Americans to visit Serve.gov, a website managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Visitors to Serve.gov can type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization’s projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors.
“The President has made a bold call to service at a time of great need and Americans are ready to respond,” said Nicola Goren, the Corporation’s Acting CEO. “Through United We Serve and Serve.gov, we hope to engage millions of Americans in service this summer and beyond.”
The initiative officially kicks off on June 22 at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco, where 4,000 service and volunteer leaders are meeting to map out strategies to increase the impact of service in solving community problems.
The United We Serve initiative was conceived as a way to directly involve Americans in tackling problems in their communities. While any kind of volunteer service is encouraged, the effort focuses on four key areas education, health, energy and the environment, and community renewal.
“The challenges we face are unprecedented in their size and scope, and we cannot rely on quick fixes or easy answers to put us on the road to recovery,” said President Obama. “Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing in your communities as what we're doing in Washington – and it’s going to take all of us, working together.”
The effort comes at a time of strong need and momentum for service, as the economic downturn puts more Americans at risk and increases the demand for social services. At the same time, many nonprofit groups are experiencing a ‘compassion boom’ of increasing volunteers as Americans reach out to help their neighbors. United We Serve aims to tap this growing interest and focus it on addressing specific community needs.
The initiative builds on recent bipartisan efforts to expand service opportunities and invest in the civic infrastructure including the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act signed by President Obama on April 21. This landmark legislation reauthorizes and expands national service programs and strengthens social innovation and volunteer management in the nonprofit sector.
Recognizing that some organizations are stretched in their capacity to take on new volunteers, United We Serve also encourages individuals to organize their friends, families, and neighbors to develop their own service projects to meet pressing local needs. The Serve.gov website includes easy-to-use toolkits on projects such as organizing a book drive, creating a community garden, or conducting a home energy audit.
The initiative will culminate on September 11 in a National Day of Service and Remembrance. This will mark the first time the nation has observed 9/11 as a national day of service, an effort started several years ago by 9/11 family members that was included in the Serve America Act. The day will be marked by volunteer service, remembrance activities, and pledges to make service an ongoing commitment throughout the year.
To encourage participation in service this summer and beyond, the Serve.gov website features a new All for Good volunteer matching platform that allows people to search for volunteer opportunities based on location and interests. The site allows users to sign in with their primary social network and includes social media applications to share volunteer opportunities with friends and see what activities they are participating in.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Transition Tips
Transitioning to Life After Service
1. Match your Ed Award
There are currently 78 colleges and universities that match the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for their students.
Look at the map on americorps.gov to find a college or university to match your award.
Transition Tip #1
What happens when a potential employer does an internet search for you? Employers might just check to see if you pop up on My Space and Facebook. Is there anything there you don’t want a potential employer to know about you?
Transition Tip #2
Create a new email address for your job search. This will make it easy for you to see employer contacts and to stay organized.
Transition Tip #3
When you get to the interview, start with a “yes”. If they ask if you would like something to drink, say “yes!” Don’t start off your relationship with the organization on a “no”.
Transition Tip #4
The relationships you build during your term of service can lead to opportunities you never knew existed. Nurturing new contacts, making your professional and social needs known, connecting colleagues with the people who can help them succeed – all of these may lead to a successful career transition for you.
Transition Tip #5
Collect and distribute business cards; make notes on the ones you collect to remember the context or seed of the relationship.
Transition Tip #6
Ask people questions about themselves. By listening you can see how your work might intersect.
Transition Tip #7
Look out for what others need. It’s great to help people, and if you help them first, even better.
Transition Tip #8
Making wise decisions can be broken down into a three-step process:
1. Reflect
2. Research
3. Make a decision and set goals
1. Match your Ed Award
There are currently 78 colleges and universities that match the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for their students.
Look at the map on americorps.gov to find a college or university to match your award.
Transition Tip #1
What happens when a potential employer does an internet search for you? Employers might just check to see if you pop up on My Space and Facebook. Is there anything there you don’t want a potential employer to know about you?
Transition Tip #2
Create a new email address for your job search. This will make it easy for you to see employer contacts and to stay organized.
Transition Tip #3
When you get to the interview, start with a “yes”. If they ask if you would like something to drink, say “yes!” Don’t start off your relationship with the organization on a “no”.
Transition Tip #4
The relationships you build during your term of service can lead to opportunities you never knew existed. Nurturing new contacts, making your professional and social needs known, connecting colleagues with the people who can help them succeed – all of these may lead to a successful career transition for you.
Transition Tip #5
Collect and distribute business cards; make notes on the ones you collect to remember the context or seed of the relationship.
Transition Tip #6
Ask people questions about themselves. By listening you can see how your work might intersect.
Transition Tip #7
Look out for what others need. It’s great to help people, and if you help them first, even better.
Transition Tip #8
Making wise decisions can be broken down into a three-step process:
1. Reflect
2. Research
3. Make a decision and set goals
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Reflection
"Turn to your neighbor," the presenter at the MLK Day Celebration said, "and say 'Neighbor, we're not there yet,'" and so, I did. "but we'll get there…" she added, "if we work together..." The crowded Concordia gym was loud with echoes. "and, neighbor," she stressed it, "I'll do my part...'" I repeated, "if you do your part…" My 'neighbor' was a teenager sitting behind and to the right of me. He's African-American, I'm white. I knew nothing about him, had no context, felt no assurance that he would believe me, but it felt electrifying, as seemed the spirit of the entire crowd around us. In those few words to him, and from him, however, we ignored and transcended that space of unknowns between strangers—which we are quick to leave unknown. We said what we are quick not to say, and made a promise to a complete stranger, a promise that was direct and meaningful. And I don't take promises lightly.
I wasn't able to stay for the Celebration for long. But it was certainly moving to be with people, in one place, and realize that indeed, we are not the only ones who care. We, as individuals, are not the only ones who notice, who get upset, who get sad, who feel we have to do something, say something. We are, individually, being gathered and encouraged by those who also feel those same things, but courageously lead us into an unknown, but more righteous way of existence, as people, together. And so, I hope, that beyond a particular day when events are coordinated to help us remember particularly great people who have done great and sacrificial things, that we will hold ourselves accountable to the convictions that get stirred and the promises we consequently make on such days. For me, that means I must be true to my neighbor from that day in a college gym—even if I never meet him again.
Becky Hampton
VISTA at Minnesota Internship Center
I wasn't able to stay for the Celebration for long. But it was certainly moving to be with people, in one place, and realize that indeed, we are not the only ones who care. We, as individuals, are not the only ones who notice, who get upset, who get sad, who feel we have to do something, say something. We are, individually, being gathered and encouraged by those who also feel those same things, but courageously lead us into an unknown, but more righteous way of existence, as people, together. And so, I hope, that beyond a particular day when events are coordinated to help us remember particularly great people who have done great and sacrificial things, that we will hold ourselves accountable to the convictions that get stirred and the promises we consequently make on such days. For me, that means I must be true to my neighbor from that day in a college gym—even if I never meet him again.
Becky Hampton
VISTA at Minnesota Internship Center
Martin Luther King Jr. Reflection
Martin Luther King, Jr was a man of eloquence and sincerity, and like revolutionaries and defenders of justice before him, Dr King wrote a letter from a jail cell. In that letter he expressed his hope "that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all of their scintillating beauty."
This year we once again honored the life of Martin Luther King, Jr; the next day we inaugurated an African American president. This by no means excuses the sins of this country's past, and does not even indicate that hatred and racial prejudice and gross injustices are now dead in the grave. But I believe it is a beautiful picture of what is possible through collective effort, common purpose, and sincere brotherly love, regardless of that which differentiates us. I share Dr King's hope that the light of love and justice will one day truly break the power of cloud and darkness.
Molly Riley
VISTA at Rondo Library
This year we once again honored the life of Martin Luther King, Jr; the next day we inaugurated an African American president. This by no means excuses the sins of this country's past, and does not even indicate that hatred and racial prejudice and gross injustices are now dead in the grave. But I believe it is a beautiful picture of what is possible through collective effort, common purpose, and sincere brotherly love, regardless of that which differentiates us. I share Dr King's hope that the light of love and justice will one day truly break the power of cloud and darkness.
Molly Riley
VISTA at Rondo Library
Launch of MLC VISTA Resource Library
Please find the complete book listing and descriptions of our resource library on the side bar.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)