I have fond memories of volunteering as a child with my family. Every Christmas my family and I would volunteer at our church, organizing gifts from our Adopt a Family tree and delivering them to the families. I remember the looks on some of the kids when we brought them gifts - they were so excited.
My mom has worked at a nursing home my whole life, so I also would go and visit with the residents and have piano recitals there. It was so natural because it was just like going to work with my mom, but in a way it was volunteering. These values have been ingrained in me since I was a young child.
The Points of Light Institute says volunteering as a family is so important, that they created a whole National Day of Service for it. Family Volunteer Day falls the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year, and organizations around the country hold service projects for families to become engaged in their communities.
In Story County, families will have the opportunity to decorate pots and plant tulip bulbs in them. The plants will then be donated to a local nursing home and to Meals on Wheels recipients to help brighten someone's day during the holidays.
The project will take place Saturday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Click here for more information. Hope to see you there with your family, friends or co-workers!
-Amanda
Monday, November 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Bet More than Money on the World Series
I know what you’re thinking. What do baseball and volunteering have to do with each other? Well, normally nothing, unless you’re a volunteer coach, referee, team parent…well wait baseball and volunteering have a lot in common. So why don’t you make your bet on the World Series about volunteering too?
That’s what Mayor Bloomberg of New York and Mayor Nutter from Philadelphia are doing. Each is betting his team will win, and they’re putting their money where their mouth is, or volunteering in this case. The losing mayor will go and volunteer with the winning mayor’s project while wearing the winning team’s t-shirt. For Mayor Bloomberg, that means going to Philly to work on a public mural, or Mayor Nutter going to New York to work with Publicolor and students painting open spaces. The winner will also pay for a catered lunch for volunteers.
All this stems from Major League Baseball dedicating the first four games to community service for the first time. “Going Beyond” is a new initiative sponsored by MLB that supports programs for veterans, cancer research and youth development.
Think about that when you make your next bet.
That’s what Mayor Bloomberg of New York and Mayor Nutter from Philadelphia are doing. Each is betting his team will win, and they’re putting their money where their mouth is, or volunteering in this case. The losing mayor will go and volunteer with the winning mayor’s project while wearing the winning team’s t-shirt. For Mayor Bloomberg, that means going to Philly to work on a public mural, or Mayor Nutter going to New York to work with Publicolor and students painting open spaces. The winner will also pay for a catered lunch for volunteers.
All this stems from Major League Baseball dedicating the first four games to community service for the first time. “Going Beyond” is a new initiative sponsored by MLB that supports programs for veterans, cancer research and youth development.
Think about that when you make your next bet.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Be a Couch Potato
The talk around the water cooler this morning, or the tea pot in our case, was about iParticipate, an exciting new concept brought about by the Entertainment Industry Foundation. The group has come together; along with the big four networks, to showcase volunteering in their shows for the week and encourage a “new era of service and volunteering.”
PSA’s have already been shown on TV and focus on five causes EIF is promoting, Education & Children, Health & Well Being, Economic Development, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families.
During this week, all of your favorite shows will have story lines pertaining to volunteering and being a good member of your community including The Office (Laura’s and Amanda’s favorite) The Today Show (Heather’s favorite), and Bones (my favorite). We’ll all be watching
The real question is what are you going to do about it? Once this week is over, will you let it slip your mind until next year, or will you go to www.vcstory.org to volunteer to change to world?
Trish
PSA’s have already been shown on TV and focus on five causes EIF is promoting, Education & Children, Health & Well Being, Economic Development, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families.
During this week, all of your favorite shows will have story lines pertaining to volunteering and being a good member of your community including The Office (Laura’s and Amanda’s favorite) The Today Show (Heather’s favorite), and Bones (my favorite). We’ll all be watching
The real question is what are you going to do about it? Once this week is over, will you let it slip your mind until next year, or will you go to www.vcstory.org to volunteer to change to world?
Trish
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Support from the top, but it takes each one of us
Public service has been a priority for many of our past presidents.
FDR started the Civilian Conservation Corps, JFK created the Peace Corps, and Lyndon B. Johnson fulfilled JFK's dream of a domestic Peace Corps by creating VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America).
In his 1989 Inaugural address, George H.W. Bush said, "I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding." And it goes on. He created the Commission on National and Community Service to support his service agenda.
Then President Clinton started the AmeriCorps program, which is increasingly growing in popularity.
Most recently, President Obama signed the Kennedy Serve America act into law, boosting the budget for AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, launching the United We Serve Campaign, and making civic engagement central to his presidency.
Thanks to support from the national level, in recent years we've seen record surges in American volunteering. Schools engage their students in service learning, businesses support employee volunteering, and industries such as the entertainment industry shine the spotlight on service.
Michelle Nunn, the CEO of the Points of Light Institute, leaves us with this thought from her blog on the Huffington Post Impact page:
"With challenges like unemployment, the drop-out crisis, prisoner reentry and environmental degradation looming across our communities, the call to citizens to step up and make a difference has never been more important.
Stage One: service through government. Stage Two: service through community. And now Stage Three: Service central to our national priorities.
Twenty years after Bush's Points of Light, Obama's call to service comes not a moment too soon."
-Amanda
FDR started the Civilian Conservation Corps, JFK created the Peace Corps, and Lyndon B. Johnson fulfilled JFK's dream of a domestic Peace Corps by creating VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America).
In his 1989 Inaugural address, George H.W. Bush said, "I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding." And it goes on. He created the Commission on National and Community Service to support his service agenda.
Then President Clinton started the AmeriCorps program, which is increasingly growing in popularity.
Most recently, President Obama signed the Kennedy Serve America act into law, boosting the budget for AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, launching the United We Serve Campaign, and making civic engagement central to his presidency.
Thanks to support from the national level, in recent years we've seen record surges in American volunteering. Schools engage their students in service learning, businesses support employee volunteering, and industries such as the entertainment industry shine the spotlight on service.
Michelle Nunn, the CEO of the Points of Light Institute, leaves us with this thought from her blog on the Huffington Post Impact page:
"With challenges like unemployment, the drop-out crisis, prisoner reentry and environmental degradation looming across our communities, the call to citizens to step up and make a difference has never been more important.
Stage One: service through government. Stage Two: service through community. And now Stage Three: Service central to our national priorities.
Twenty years after Bush's Points of Light, Obama's call to service comes not a moment too soon."
-Amanda
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Getting Things Done
I am super excited to welcome two new AmeriCorps VISTAs to the Volunteer Center office. Trish and Laura started 2 weeks ago and have been getting their feet wet and figuring out what they're going to do all year.
Whenever I'm speaking with groups I ask who has heard of AmeriCorps VISTA, and two or three hands usually go up. Then I ask who has heard of the Peace Corps, and almost every hand shoots up. So, I like to explain VISTA as the domestic Peace Corps. We commit to one year of service (or 2 years, in some cases such as mine). VISTA stands for Volunteers in Service to America, and is focused on eliminating poverty. We do capacity building at an organization, rather than direct service. (There are other AmeriCorps programs, like NCCC, that focus on direct service).
The Volunteer Center has been really fortunate to have VISTAs supporting the office the past few years. Heather and I leave in December, but I'm excited to have these two months of overlapping time where we can all work together. Volunteerism is growing tremendously and it is such an exciting time to be a part of a national service program and in the heart of things at a Volunteer Center.
Anyway, Laura and Trish will probably be blogging on here from time to time, so we'll be sure to sign our names so you know who is talking. As always, if you have any comments or want to guest blog, let us know!
-Amanda
Whenever I'm speaking with groups I ask who has heard of AmeriCorps VISTA, and two or three hands usually go up. Then I ask who has heard of the Peace Corps, and almost every hand shoots up. So, I like to explain VISTA as the domestic Peace Corps. We commit to one year of service (or 2 years, in some cases such as mine). VISTA stands for Volunteers in Service to America, and is focused on eliminating poverty. We do capacity building at an organization, rather than direct service. (There are other AmeriCorps programs, like NCCC, that focus on direct service).
The Volunteer Center has been really fortunate to have VISTAs supporting the office the past few years. Heather and I leave in December, but I'm excited to have these two months of overlapping time where we can all work together. Volunteerism is growing tremendously and it is such an exciting time to be a part of a national service program and in the heart of things at a Volunteer Center.
Anyway, Laura and Trish will probably be blogging on here from time to time, so we'll be sure to sign our names so you know who is talking. As always, if you have any comments or want to guest blog, let us know!
-Amanda
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance
This year, we commemorate the first September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, inspired Americans to come together in a remarkable spirit of unity and compassion.
In April, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which among many other wonderful things, officially recognizes Sept. 11 as a Day of Service and Remembrance.
This year, the President is asking all Americans to remember that day eight years ago and recommit to service in their communities throughout the year.
Between now and Sept. 11, please visit our virtual open house to see how you can get involved. Just go to www.vcstory.org to read a special message from Volunteer Center staff, and find volunteer opportunities that you would be interested in signing up for. While you’re there, participate in an online scavenger hunt for a chance to win a volunteer gift basket!
If you’re already doing great work, we’d love to hear your stories. Send them to info@vcstory.org.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Farewell to our intern!
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to our awesome summer intern Christina last week. Christina is the one who started this blog for us, and I have been charged with the great responsibility of continuing it! I'd love to hear from you about topics you'd like to see blogged about, and if you're interested in posting a guest blog about a volunteer experience, let me know!
It's been an amazing summer for the volunteer world, and we continue to promote President Obama's summer service initiative, United We Serve. Have you found an issue you care about and done something about it? We want to hear those stories. There are tons of inspiring examples on http://www.serve.gov/.
In the last post, Christina wrote about a group of youth who decided they wanted to strengthen their neighborhood by throwing a block party. The block party was held July 25 and was amazing. Throughout the night there were at least 200 neighbors out there eating good food, playing games, and just socializing with each other. I was so inspired by this group of youth who took initiative to address a need in their community. I can't wait to see what they cook up next!
-Amanda, AmeriCorps VISTA
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