National Service in the News for Friday, May 5, 2017
Group
pushes energy audits
Daily Iowan (IO), May 5, 2017
Green Iowa AmeriCorps promoted its free energy audits at the Iowa City Senior
Center on Thursday. In 2009, Green Iowa AmeriCorps began at Northern Iowa
University, and in August 2016, the group added a new location in Iowa City,
said Emily Mueller, the marketing head of the local AmeriCorps. The mission of
the nonprofit organization, according to the Green Iowa AmeriCorps website, is
to make sure they are “helping make Iowans more energy efficient through
low-impact home weatherization, energy education, and community outreach.” In
Iowa City, the group has completed more than 100 energy audits as of the
beginning of May, Mueller said. “There are limits, but we will help upgrade
homes to the best of our ability,” said Kai Hedstrom, the education coordinator
for Green Iowa AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps
programs help our community
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), May 5, 2017
I was born and raised in north St. Louis in the midst of crime, poverty and
violence, and I attended failing schools all throughout my life. Of all the
wrong paths I could have taken and saw my childhood friends take, the
encouragement of my family and a few fervent teachers kept me on the right
track to constantly strive for success. Today, I am a first generation college
graduate who was able to make my best decision yet: joining an AmeriCorps
program that allowed me to give back to my community like my most impactful
teachers had done for me. However, federal funding for AmeriCorps is under
threat of elimination. The kids and families of St. Louis need our
congressional delegation to stand up for this critical community resource.
"AmeriCorps
Coming To San Juan Islands"
The Island Guardian (WA), May 4, 2017
This summer the San
Juan County Health & Community Services Department in collaboration with
the Family Resource Centers on Lopez, Orcas, and the San Juan Islands and the
Opportunity Council will launch a three-year AmeriCorps VISTA poverty
alleviation project. The program is specifically aimed at increasing economic
opportunities for Island residents through housing and financial stability
efforts.
The VISTA project will target the homeless housing system and other countywide
needs by focusing on the Point-in-Time Count, Coordinated Entry, housing
inventory development and a variety of financial literacy initiatives. As both
a tourist destination and retirement community, the islands are faced with
unique issues for individuals living on low incomes or facing homelessness due
to large seasonal shifts in employment and population.
Great
Outdoors Colorado grants spurring Vail Valley students to action
The Vail Daily (CO), May 4, 2017
When Great Outdoors Colorado formulated its strategic plan to close out this
decade, the organization went on a statewide listening tour first. Great
Outdoors Colorado, commonly known as GOCO, uses an independent board to award a
portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state's
parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces. After hearing the concerns of
the public in its 2014 listening tour, Great Outdoors Colorado stated there is
noticeable public concern regarding awareness of and access to outdoor
amenities among youth and underserved populations, such as low-income families
and the growing Hispanic population.
Four
MSU projects related to outreach and engagement receive grants
Montana State University (MT), May 4, 2017
A Montana State University council has awarded grants to four projects that
promote outreach and engagement between the university and the community
through community service, pilot projects, research and education. The MSU
Outreach and Engagement Council has awarded funding of up to $5,000 to projects
that embrace the spirit of engagement and integration and will help advance
MSU’s land-grant mission. Projects that received funds this year will address
food security, housing for the homeless, community resilience in rural areas
and education for farm and ranch women. This is the third round of funding the
council has awarded since beginning its seed grant program in fall 2015. The
program is designed to bring MSU faculty, staff and students together with
local and regional partners to address the needs of Montana’s communities.
Tina
Hodges Named To 2017 Women of Influence List by the Nashville Business Journal
The Houston Chronicle (TX), may 4, 2017
Nashville-based financial services company Advance Financial announced the
inclusion of Chief Executive and Chief Experience Officer Tina Hodges on the
Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence list for 2017. Hodges was
honored in the Family Business category. Advance Financial has become one of
the fastest growing companies in its industry, and its success is due in large
part to Hodges’ unique vision and guidance. Committed to growing the company’s
community outreach, she, with the help of VP of Corporate Citizenship,
Shantrelle Johnson, founded the Advance Financial Foundation in 2014. The Advance
Financial Foundation annually awards grants to organizations committed to
education, health and wellness, as well as scholarships to deserving high
school seniors.
Saratoga
Students Offer Research For Farm Education Program
WAMC (NY), May 4, 2017
The last remaining farm within Saratoga Springs city limits is under new
management by a team that wants to use the property as a center for agriculture
and education. As WAMC’s Southern Adirondack Bureau Chief Lucas Willard
reports, a group of local students is making recommendations for how to move
forward. Located across West Avenue from Saratoga Springs High School, the
166-acre Pitney farm has been eyed as a site to educate community members of
all ages. Now, a group of Environmental Studies students at Skidmore College is
offering advice to the Pitney Meadows Community Farm on how to create a
successful farm-based education program.
Local
man receives award in capitol
The Intelligencer (IL), May 4, 2017
A Glen Carbon man recently was honored for his volunteerism by the State of
Illinois. Jonathan H.N. Long recently received the Governor’s Volunteer Service
Award at the Old State Capitol in Springfield. He was chosen out of more than
200 nominations that were received by the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism
and Community Service Commission. Long was nominated for his tremendous impact
on the Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and SIUE community with the support of the
Edwardsville Chapter of the NAACP. He said volunteering is an important part of
who he is. “It’s very humbling to volunteer,” he said. “There are so many
issues that need to be combated and volunteering allows a person to not
only serve and help solve issues, but it allows you to become a servant
leader.” A rewarding aspect of volunteering, he said, is looking at life
through the eyes of others.
Marshfield
Clinic Health System starting new program to curb drug abuse
WIS Politics (WI), May 4, 2017
A new program from Marshfield Clinic Health System will be launched in
September to help people suffering from substance abuse in northern Wisconsin. MCHS
Recovery Corps program is a part of AmeriCorps, a national service network
launched in 1994 under the Clinton administration as part of the National and
Community Service Trust Act. Since then, nearly 1 million AmeriCorps members
have contributed approximately 1.2 billion hours in service across the country.
The new program is recruiting 20 full-time AmeriCorps members to work as
recovery coaches throughout the area served by the HOPE Consortium, a
partnership of 10 different organizations working to address issues related to
opioid abuse. It’s active in Oneida, Vilas, Forest, Price, and Iron counties,
as well as in Forest County Potawatomi, Lac du Flambeau Chippewa, and Sokaogon
Chippewa Tribal Nations.
Project
CARE lends helping hand to state park
The People Sentinel (SC), May 4, 2017
Forty-eight volunteers showed the Barnwell State Park they cared on April 28. Volunteers
from the Savannah River Site, United Way and other partnering agencies united
to clean up tornado damage at Barnwell State Park as part of the United Way’s
annual Project CARE. Breaking into teams, the volunteers replaced full sections
of boardwalk, filled in where stump holes were, cleared nature trails, planted
flowers at the park’s entrance and around the flagpole, and cleared debris,
including fallen trees from the spillway. “I have lived in Barnwell County for
30 years, and I first got involved with United Way to simply help people in the
community because that’s what living in Barnwell is all about: helping each
other,” said Melanie Lepard, who was one of 30 Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
employees to volunteer. She is also a Barnwell County United Way board member
and coordinated activities for Project CARE.
Melanie
Jackson Joins Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy Board of Directors
The Shore Update (MD), May 4, 2017
idshore Riverkeeper Conservancy (MRC) is pleased to announce that Melanie
Jackson has joined the organization’s board of directors. Jackson received her
undergraduate degree from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine
and Atmospheric Science in 2012. Following graduation, she served a term
as the watershed ambassador for the Hackensack River, New Jersey, which is an
AmeriCorps program, working with the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection and alongside Hackensack Riverkeeper. In 2013, Melanie left her home
state of New Jersey for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science (UMCES) Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge, Maryland, to study algae
blooms and nitrogen pollution for her Master’s degree. Jackson completed her
Master’s degree in 2016, and is currently working toward her doctorate degree,
specializing in oyster reefs and how they remove nutrient pollution.
Foster
Grandparent Program launches in LISD
The Leader (TX), May 4, 2017
Many schools throughout the country host Grandparents Day as a way to remind
students the knowledge and experiences older generations can share – in
Lewisville ISD (LISD), there’s another grandparent program underway. Since
1965, the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) has provided emotional support,
mentoring and tutoring for youths in schools, Head Start centers, daycares and
juvenile facilities nationwide. Adults age 55 and older can apply to be a
foster grandparent. The program, which falls under the Senior Corps and is funded
primarily by the Corporation for National Community Service, offers mutually
beneficial opportunities for both grandparents and students. “The
grandparents can come into the school and be the grandparent for the
classroom,” FGP volunteer coordinator Lori Kloepper said.
Foster Grandparents
MidWeek (HI), May 4, 2017
Foster Grandparent Program recently presented its Mardi Gras-themed 53rd annual
Recognition Luncheon at Pagoda Hotel for volunteers. The organization is
comprised of individuals age 55 and older who tutor, mentor and serve as role
models for children with special needs.
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