National Service in the News for Wednesday, May 17, 2017 through Monday, May 22, 2017.
Veterans form trail crew to perform
statewide service
The Laramie Boomerang (WY), May 20, 2017
A new program through the Wyoming Conservation Corps is putting eight military
veterans to work this summer in the service of Wyoming’s state parks. The
Wyoming Veterans Trail Crew is kicking off its first season this summer, with
team members already training for their upcoming work. Crews will begin work
right after Memorial Day, working 12 days straight with two-day breaks. They’ll
put in 900 hours of work during the summer at state parks including Curt Gowdy,
Glendo, Hot Springs, Buffalo Bill and Sinks Canyon, plus Medicine Lodge
Archaeological Site, with a focus on trails work.
Traveling AmeriCorps crew helps gardens
grow at Old Fort, Manna
The Durango Herald (CO), May 20, 2017
A team of 11 young adults is helping Southwest Colorado build infrastructure to
achieve the goal of local food security. On April 11, a crew with AmeriCorps
National Civilian Community Corps arrived to begin projects at the Old Fort
Lewis campus in Hesperus and Manna, Durango’s soup kitchen. This almost
two-month stop in Southwest Colorado is among the last rounds of AmeriCorps
projects for the young crew, said team representative Emma Hodgson. Their last
day will be June 2.
United Way of Southeast Missouri Awarded
Grant for New Reading Program
KRCU-FM (MO), May 19, 2017
United Way of Southeast Missouri recently acquired a grant from the DeltaCorps
Regional Authority for the new program Read to Excel, an extension of the Read
to Succeed Program in Cape Girardeau Public Schools. KRCU’s Marissanne
Lewis-Thompson spoke with Elizabeth Shelton, the Executive Director of United
Way of Southeast Missouri about it.
AmeriCorps members provide a helping hand
The Duluth News Tribune (MN), May 20, 2017
Sam Farmer-Lies' goal is to ensure 16 students at Myers-Wilkins Elementary
School can quickly and accurately read a passage appropriate for their grade
level. Meeting with his last student of the school day, the 20-minute tutoring
session included the student reading a passage out loud repeatedly — first
alone, then together with Farmer-Lies by trading off every other word, then
alone again. It can get repetitive for Farmer-Lies, but he explains that it
takes a student repeatedly seeing the word for it to become a part of their
vocabulary "It is, really by and large, building up to being able to read
fluently," he said.
Volunteer group works on community gardens
in Arkansas
The Jonesboro Sun (AR), May 22, 2017
After graduating from college, Rachel Cain decided she wanted to complete a
year of service. "I wanted to give back to various communities," the
Maryland native told The Jonesboro Sun. She is now seven months into her
10-month term with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, a
full-time national service program that has up to 2,200 adults, age 18-24,
serving nationwide each year. Cain's eight-member team has been in Jonesboro
since May 1, working 40 hours a week regardless of the weather. They are
building a community garden and preparing a greenhouse for the 109 residents of
the Jonesboro Human Development Center to use.
Summer-lunch volunteers to run test of
program in Portage
The Portage Daily Register (WI), May 18, 2017
On Monday volunteers will be testing a trial run of this year’s summer lunch
program with expanded sites in Portage for this, its third year. The program
began here through AmeriCorps Vista, which supports public service projects
across the county, with a volunteer, Megan Evans, assigned to Portage. The
program worked with the UW-Extension through 2014 to develop Eat Well Columbia
County, which promoted healthy eating for families, operating largely out of the
Portage Public Library.
Park Fix-It brings community together to
improve neighborhood park
KTBY-TV (AK), May 19, 2017
Fairview Park is soon to be well known. A neighborhood secret, often mistaken
for Fairview Lions Park or Fairbanks Park, Fairview Park can expect major
improvements over the next few years as outlined in its recently created master
plan. Currently the park has no identifying features and few know its true
name. On this Saturday, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. volunteers will gather for a
Neighborhood Park Fix-It at Fairview Park with the Anchorage Park Foundation,
Anchorage Community Land Trust, Fairview Community Council, and Mayor’s
AmeriCorps Resiliency Coalition, as well as Mayor Berkowitz.
Energy Express program to return in June
for 14th year
The Exponent Telegram (WV), May 20, 2017
Energy Express will begin its 14th year in Lewis County in June, offering
children the opportunity to continue learning throughout the summer. The program
will begin June 19 and end July 28 at Peterson-Central Elementary School, said
Chelsea Wood, second-grade teacher at Jane Lew Elementary and site supervisor
for the program. “We are hoping to reach 56 students in the program, giving
each of our seven AmeriCorps mentors eight students,” she said.
AmeriCorps team completes work at Camp
Sealth
The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber (WA), May 16, 2017
After six weeks of work, an 11-member team of AmeriCorps workers has finished
preparing Camp Sealth for the summer camping season. Team Silver Three left the
camp with new floors in three cabins, new wooden railings on some of the camp’s
main buildings, 12 new hammock posts at the shoreline for older campers, new
log benches and plenty of freshly cleared trails. “We did a ton of trail
restoration,” the team’s media representative, Kelsey Stoneberger, said last
week. “There was a mudslide just before we got here, so there was plenty to do
there.”
AmeriCorps agency honored for work during
disaster response
Press Release, May 19, 2017
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency
that oversees AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, was selected as the National VOAD
Partner of the Year. The award, presented by National Voluntary Organizations
Active in Disaster (NVOAD), recognizes the contributions CNCS programs have had
in disaster response and recovery efforts throughout the country during the
last year. The Sunshine Community
Services Center held its sixth annual appreciation ceremony on Monday, May 15,
at the Black Hawk College Community Education Center in Kewanee.
Nearly
a third of homes hit by New Orleans East tornado were underinsured, survey says
The Times Picayune (LA), May 18, 2017
Nearly a third of all homeowners whose houses were damaged by a powerful
tornado that roared through New Orleans East earlier this year may be under- or
uninsured, according to survey results conducted by a local nonprofit group. That
group and other nonprofits are leading the push to fund financial gaps in the
long-term recovery effort, as they say it's increasingly clear that the federal
government's financial assistance will come up short. On Feb. 7, a Category 3
tornado on the Enhanced Fujita scale - the strongest recorded in New Orleans'
history - tore across Chef Menteur Highway and steered into nearby
neighborhoods, wrecking hundreds of homes and injuring 33 people.
Teton Science Schools celebrates AmeriCorps
volunteers
The Jackson Hole News and Guide (WY), May 16, 2017
Teton Science Schools will celebrate their service. The celebration includes
presentations from AmeriCorps volunteers who have built capacity for Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math literacy at the Teton Raptor Center, Teton
Literacy Center, Jackson Hole Children’s Museum and field education at Teton
Science Schools.
Volunteers
give rise to Habitat home
The News Messenger (OH), May 22, 2017
A 20-year-old woman who will move into her first home in the fall was excited
to be working alongside local and national volunteers helping build her Habitat
for Humanity home in Fremont. The home being built for Mia Sorg and her mother,
at 151 Buchanan St., will be 1,200 square feet with two bedrooms and two
bathrooms. The home is expected to ready for Sorg in the fall. Sorg said she is
excited to finally live in her first home with her mother, adding that it means
more to her because she is able to help built it.
AmeriCorps team refreshes CAR Cemetery
Fencing
The Wynona News (OK), May 19, 2017
To know and honor the past is to guide and protect the future. As the seat of
Ottawa County, Miami is home to several historic sites that depend on community
volunteers as a part of their preservation. Among them is the Grand Army of the
Republic (G.A.R.) Cemetery, which recently had the wrought iron fencing along
its south side refreshed by AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)
team Earth 7. Owned and operated by the City of Miami, the G.A.R. Cemetery is
located at 2801 North Main in Miami and spans 86 acres, with over 20,000 burial
plots surrounded by wrought iron fencing that serves to both beautify and
protectively border the site.
From
high school dropout to building glazier
The Philadelphia Tribune (PA), May 16, 2017
Jerome Kinard dropped out of high school in his junior year to help make ends
meet at home. Today, the 23 year-old is currently employed by Eureka Metal and
Glass Services, Inc., as a glazing contractor, thanks to YouthBuild
Philadelphia Charter School. After leaving Germantown High School, Kinard’s
mother told him about YouthBuild, which for the past 25 years has given adults
a second chance to earn their diplomas while offering job skills in a
supportive environment. “YouthBuild has a unique model in that’s it’s a
one-year program and a year of follow-up,” said Meredith Molloy, the director
of development at YouthBuild. “Students spend half their time working on the
academic component and the other half on job training.”
Construction
Begins on Learning and Development Center
The Grundy County Herald (TN), May 18, 2017
Tracy City Mayor Larry Phipps and Roxanne Fults, city recorder, joined
Southeast Tennessee Development District (SETDD) project administration
coordinator Cathy Andrews, South Cumberland Plateau Americorps VISTA project
member & SETDD development specialist Jonathon Connell, and consulting
engineer Matthew Tucker of James C Halley & Company to award the contract and
conduct a preconstruction conference with Chris Vaughn of Robertson-Vaughn
Construction of Winchester. Robertson-Vaughn has been awarded the contract for
phase 1 of the construction of South Cumberland Learning and Development Center
at the old Grundy County High School site.
Operation Food Search Introduces New
Summertime Food Opportunities
Press Release, May 19, 2017
No matter how hot St. Louis summers get, children – approximately 173,000 in
our bi-state region – still need to be fed. Enter Operation Food Search (OFS),
a non-profit hunger relief organization, which has teamed up with new area
partners to create additional avenues and expand existing methods for feeding
children 18 years of age and younger. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP),
which is funded by the USDA, ensures that children continue to receive
nutritious meals when school is not in session. The summer meal program begins
June 5 and runs through Aug. 11 with mobile and stationary service Mon. through
Fri.
Students
get environmental lesson
The Advertiser News (NJ), May 16, 2017
To commemorate Earth Day, the Sussex County Municipal Utilities
Authority-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group partnered with Sussex
County Community College (SCCC) to plan an environmentally-themed event for
SCCC and Halsted Street Middle School students.
Throughout the event, Halsted students rotated through a series of
stations led by the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group, SCCC
students and faculty, Sussex County Clean Communities, and the AmeriCorps N.J.
Watershed Ambassador Program.
School Garden Provides a Menu of Life
Lessons
BPR-TV (NC), May 19, 2017
The school year is winding down, and many students are cramming for end of year
tests. Some are also putting their
green thumbs to work in the school garden where spring planting season is in
full swing. It’s just about noon on a warm sunny Tuesday afternoon. The sound
of shovels clanking and a steady stream of chatter echo through the garden at
Hall Fletcher Elementary school in Asheville.
A 5th grade class is spread out in small groups, some hauling dirt,
others getting ready to plant.
Hundreds Turn Out at Area Flood Resource
Fair
The E Missourian (MO), May 20, 2017
Several hundred individuals impacted by the recent flood attended the one-day
multi-agency resource center (MARC) Monday at the Pacific Eagles. The city of
Pacific joined 24 other entities in hosting a one-day fair to help victims work
through the number of agencies providing assistance to those impacted by the
flood. Alderman Carol Johnson and Collector Debbie Kelley manned the city of Pacific
table, where they registered individuals for the city’s emergency telephone
notification program. The pair also found themselves helping to verify that
some applicants were residents of the flooded area.
Sixth annual appreciation ceremony held for
the Step Ladder Tutoring Program
The Star Courier (IL), May 20, 2017
Volunteers, site coordinators, tutors, businesses, community organizations and
individuals were thanked for their support of the Step Ladder Tutoring program,
an afterschool program serving middle school students. The participating students who attended the
event were also honored at the ceremony. “It’s been six years since we started
our pilot program at the Kewanee Public Library and began tutoring students
from Central and Wethersfield junior high schools. It’s so nice to see our
first class of students graduate from high school,” said Etta LaFlora, the
agency’s executive director.
Fish &
Wildlife enlists public to fight invasives
The Mountain Times (VT), May 18, 2017
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department encourages the public to learn more
about invasive species and help combat their spread. Landowners can play an
important role in controlling non-native, invasive plants such as knotweed and
buckthorn, while boaters and anglers can help prevent the spread of aquatic
nuisance species such as spiny water fleas and Asian clams. This spring and
summer will provide opportunities for both groups to assist the state in
combatting these species.
Randolph County Hosts Endangered Species
Day
WBOY-TV (WV), May 20, 2017
The US Fish and Wildlife Service, Appalachian Forest Heritage Area AmeriCorps
program, US Forest Service, and WV Division of Natural Resources hosted a Endangered
Species Day event. The celebration was
kicked off by the Save Endangered Species Youth Art Contest gallery opening and
awards ceremony.
Red jacket revealed
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR), May 21, 2017
be honored with a red jacket by City Year Little Rock. The organization's Red
Jacket Ball was May 11 in Governor's Hall IV of the Statehouse Convention
Center. City Year AmeriCorps members lined up at the bottom of the escalator
leading to the hall to clap, chant and greet attendees.
CHDC holds groundbreaking ceremony for new
community garden
The Log Cabin Democrat (AR), May 16, 2017
The Conway Human Development Center recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for
its new community garden Monday on the center’s campus. The ceremony, which was
open to the public, consisted of a symbolic digging of the dirt to break ground
and a meeting of the Americorps/National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)
volunteers who installed the garden on the CHDC campus. Local businesses around
Conway partnered with the CHDC Volunteer Council and the Department of Human
Services to bring the garden to life.
Literacy
fair highlights work of UCLA students with preschoolers year-round
UCLA (CA), May 18, 2017
Dickson Court rang with the laughter and the excited yelps of preschool
children Wednesday, May 17, as they burned off excess energy with a game of
tag. While UCLA students in bright red T-shirts emblazoned with the AmeriCorps
logo read animatedly to small groups, others joined the little ones in doing
arts and crafts projects based on historically themed books as parents and
teachers looked on. Along the perimeter of Dickson Court, professors and staff
looked on quizzically as they navigated around UCLA’s biggest early-education
free literacy fair held for more than 400 preschool children, families and
teachers from eight preschools around Los Angeles.
Jackson’s Mill Heritage area promotes
hands-on history
The Exponent Telegram (WV), May 20, 2017
The Heritage Area of WVU Jackson’s Mill continues to promote not only the
history of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, but also knowledge about overall life in
the area during the 1800s. The Heritage Area is in the process of revamping its
programming, in hopes of attracting more visitors to the region, said Dean
Harman, who runs the site. Last October, officials held a special weekend
called “Harvest Time at the Mill.” Based on its success, they hope to be able
to hold more special weekends from May into October or November.
Long
line at Flood Resource Center
The E Missourian (MO), May 18, 2017
Flood victims lined up over night to be the first to visit a Multi-Agency
Resource Center (MARC) in Pacific Monday, two weeks after devastating flooding.
For the first hour and a half after the doors were open at 11 a.m., one person,
or family, per minute was registered using a specialized checklist to help
prioritize needs of visitors. Franklin County Assistant EMA Director Stephanie
Norton said the flow of visitors was steady all day and some actually had to be
turned away.
The Maryland Conservation Corps Wants You
The Calvert Beacon (MD), May 19, 2017
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now recruiting 35 full-time
individuals, between the ages of 17 to 25, for the Maryland Conservation Corps,
an award-winning AmeriCorps program that engages young adults in extensive
conservation and natural resource management projects that enhance Maryland’s
public lands and waterways. Maryland Conservation Corps crew members gain
valuable hands-on training and experience as they help restore the Chesapeake
Bay; protect forests by caring for and planting native trees; preserve wildlife
habitats; maintain park trails, picnic areas, campsites and playgrounds; and
partake in environmental education and interpretive programming.
Celebrate National Trails Day
at Rogers Center with Excelsior Conservation Corps
The Madison Courier (NY), May 17, 2017
Help restore one of the many hiking paths at Rogers Center by volunteering on
“National Trails Day.” The Excelsior Conservation Corps will lead an initiative
to improve the trails which endured significant damage during an unseasonably
wet spring. Beginning at 10 a.m. on June 3, community volunteers are invited to
join the Excelsior Conservation Corps with trail maintenance tasks, such as
adding mulch and stone, trimming stray branches, and building up areas that
have recently become extremely water-logged.
Who’s in the news: Melissa Calhoun
The Quad City Times (IA), May 19, 2017
AmeriCorps member Melissa Calhoun, of Rock Island, was awarded the Governor’s
Volunteer Service award for her volunteer service at Esperanza Child Care
Center, Moline, where she works with 3-5 year-old children at-risk for failure
in kindergarten. The bipartisan Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and
Community Service presented awards to 24 Illinois residents and four businesses
at a reception on April 25 at the Old State Capitol, Springfield.
LEAD
Academy teaches students to give back
The Bowling Green Daily News (KY), May 16, 2017
If it wasn’t for a group of volunteer high school students, Operation PRIDE
likely wouldn’t have a way to repaint some fencing along Louisville-Spur Road. “I’m
a one-person office, so there’s no way I can paint a fence by myself,” said
Angie Alexieff, executive director of Operation PRIDE. Fortunately, a group of
about 25 freshmen from Bowling Green High School lent a hand and managed to
touch up a large section of fencing in front of Jerry’s Restaurant.
Makers’ Festival set for Saturday at Red
Top
The Daily Tribune News (GA), May 18, 2017
Continuing to provide a platform for area artisans to highlight their
creations, the second annual Makers’ Festival will be presented at Red Top
Mountain State Park Saturday. “Diane Burgoon, the event coordinator for the
Maker’s Festival, did an excellent job researching the event, recruiting
volunteers and connecting with fascinating makers that displayed their talents
at the park,” said Hannah Warner, Red Top’s interpretive ranger, about last year’s
event. “People have been buzzing about the event since, and we were all
thrilled when Diane decided to organize the event again this year.
Detroit Lion Marvin Jones Jr. and
UnitedHealthcare Renovate Gymnasium at J.E. Clark Prep Academy
Press Release, May 19, 2017
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. and UnitedHealthcare teamed up to
renovate the gymnasium at J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy in Detroit’s
Morningside neighborhood. UnitedHealthcare donated $11,000 to the Marvin Jones
Jr. Dreambuilders program to support the renovation. Employees from
UnitedHealthcare were joined by Jones at the school today to announce and
unveil the renovated gymnasium to the students. The renovations include the
installation of four new basketball backboards. The lockers within the gym
received a fresh coat of paint, and UnitedHealthcare employee volunteers
created a series of panel murals for the gym’s walls.
Senior Companion volunteers recognized in
Lackawanna County
The Times Tribune (PA), May 19, 2017
On any given day in Lackawanna County, as many as 87 local senior citizens
visit the homes of other older adults, preparing light lunches, doing simple
chores or simply offering an opportunity for friendly conversation. It amounted
to 105,820 hours of service in 2016, all aimed at helping the recipients
maintain independence within their own homes. On Thursday, state and local
officials applauded the volunteers with the Senior Companion Program of
Telespond Senior Services for their work during a presentation at Asbury United
Methodist Church in Green Ridge. The event coincided with the observation of
National Senior Corps Week.
Volunteer foster grandparents work with
at-risk youth
The Star News (NC), May 21, 2017
Grandparents have an extraordinary influence on children’s lives. Carolyn James
and James Nixon know firsthand how important that job is. James and Nixon are
two of 40 foster grandparents volunteering with the New Hanover County Foster
Grandparent Program, one of 319 such federally funded programs across the
nation. Foster grandparents volunteer between 15 and 40 hours per week and are
assigned specific students to work with. Each volunteer is given goals to work
on and will stay with the same students throughout the school year. If a
volunteer decides to come back for another year they have the option to remain
working with the same teacher, as they develop great relationships with the
staff at the volunteer sites.
Senate passes Cassidy-Whitehouse resolution
for National Senior Corps Week
Press Release, May 17, 2017
The Senate has passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by US Senators Bill
Cassidy, MD (R-LA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) declaring May 15 through May
19, 2017, National Senior Corps Week in recognition of the valuable
contributions of the more than 250,000 senior volunteers across the country.
“Senior Corps volunteers give back to our communities, making a positive,
personal impact on many,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We thank them, recognizing the
good they do.”
Senior
Corps Week 2017
The Jamestown Gazette (NY), May 16, 2017
Each year during Senior Corps Week, we recognize the extraordinary impact
Senior Corps volunteers make across our nation every day. This year, Senior
Corps Week takes place May 15 through 19, 2017. Senior Corps works in countless
ways to make communities stronger. Throughout the country, Foster Grandparents
are mentoring and tutoring students, Senior Companions are helping frail
elderly remain in their own homes, and RSVP programs are providing services
such as disaster relief, caring for the environment, supporting veterans and
military families, and providing tax preparation services to low-income and
elderly individuals.
Andera joins nationwide volunteer effort
The Dickinson County News (IA), May 16, 2017
Spirit Lake Mayor Blain Andera joined mayors across the country in a nationwide
bipartisan initiative to highlight the impact of service and volunteerism in
tackling local problems. “Service is a vital resource for our city,” Andera
said. “Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers make our counties
better places to live. As Spirit Lake’s mayor, I am grateful for the dedication
and sacrifice of these citizens, who are helping make our city stronger, safer,
and healthier.” Ruth Nolting, a volunteer for RSVP, volunteers at the Dickinson
County Nature Center and has a variety of different jobs.
Week
honors Senior Corps volunteers: G.L. and Dalia Hight
The Laredo Morning Times (TX), May 18, 2017
In honor of Senior Corps Week on May 15-19, 2017, we salute our many volunteers
who give of their time, talents, wisdom and experience. Each of our communities
are grateful for the positive difference that you make throughout our region.
In one year throughout the nation, 245,000 Senior Corps volunteers served 74
million hours making a difference for generations. Last year, Texas Senior
Corps volunteers provided 4,332,244 hours to improve our communities. The
independent sector values volunteer time at the rate of $25.11 per hour.
Seniors
find purpose as foster grandparents helping local school children
The Times Free Press (TN), May 17, 2017
Sharon Gass will never forget the moment she heard the words, "Look
Granny, I can read this all by myself!" But the little girl was not her
familial granddaughter, she was a local student in the local Foster Grandparent
Program, which has connected senior citizens across Chattanooga with students
in need of one-on-one assistance in the classroom for 36 years. A foster
grandparent is someone who can be a mentor, tutor or caregiver to a child in
need of extra attention. The main goal for the program is to make sure the
children are able to reach their full potential and be successful — both in and
out of the classroom.
Texoma Senior Corps Salutes Volunteers
during National Service Corps Week
North Texas e-News, May 20, 2017
Celebrating National Senior Corps Week, Dr. Susan Thomas, Executive Director of
Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG) commended TCOG’s Senior Corps volunteers
for their more than 100,000 hours of service to the region. In 2016, Texoma
Senior Corps volunteers contributed 123,391 hours of service to ninety-seven
tri-county stations which equates to a value of $3,103,275 according to the
Independent Sector Website on “The Value of Volunteer Time.” Sixty-six local
organizations in Cooke, Fannin and Grayson counties benefit from Texoma Retired
and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers.
Food and clothing to be offered in Midwest
and Edgerton
The Casper Star Tribune (WY), May 17, 2017
Several social service agencies are combining efforts to help people in the
northern Natrona County communities of Midwest and Edgerton on Monday. From 5
to 8 p.m. at the Midwest Rec Center, families will be able to receive food
boxes and free clothing and enjoy a free dinner and family activities such as
face painting and bingo. “This is as a result of us learning that people in
Midwest were struggling with food and their ability to pay rent or mortgages,
etc., because they had been coming here to Community Action Partnership for
help,” said Marilyn Dymond Wagner, operations manager for CAP. “This is the
second one in Midwest, but it is much more involved than the first time we were
up there.”
Senior Corps members take the pledge for
people
The Star News (MN), May 21, 2017
This past week, May 15-19, was Senior Corps week, a time to celebrate the power
of volunteering by older adults. Senior Corps works in countless ways to make
communities stronger. Throughout the country, Foster Grandparents are mentoring
and tutoring students, Senior Companions are helping frail elderly remain in
their own homes, and RSVP programs are providing services such as disaster
relief, caring for the environment, supporting veterans and military families,
and providing tax preparation services to low-income and elderly individuals.
70 foster grandparents honored at luncheon
The Journal Gazette (IN), May 18, 2017
Fort Wayne's Foster Grandparent Program honored its volunteers Friday at a
luncheon at the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation's Community Center. Seventy
grandparents were scheduled to be recognized. The program matches volunteers
with low-income children, where the volunteers serve as foster grandparents for
the children whose parents are often too busy to give them the attention they
need. "It very much enriches the community," Director Shelley
Philipps said.
Foster
grandparents make a difference
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR), May 18, 2017
Grandparents often hold a special place in one’s heart, so it’s no surprise
that volunteers in the White River Area Agency on Aging’s Foster Grandparent
Program are making a difference in the lives of children. Sheila Goff, the
agency’s project director for the Foster Grandparent Program, said the
federally funded program is part of Senior Corps, which is celebrated nationally
with Senior Corps Week, May 15-19. “Senior Corps Week is about recognizing the
impact that Senior Corps volunteers make across the nation every day,” Goff
said. But the Foster Grandparent Program not only benefits the students, it
benefits the grandparents too.
Catholic Charities’ volunteer receives
Governor’s award
The Times Weekly (IL), May 19, 2017
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet announced that Sarah Marsh, a volunteer
in their Foster Grandparent Program in Will County, has been selected for the
Governor’s Volunteer Service Award in the Senior Corps northeast category. For
the past 15 years, “Grandma Marsh” as she’s known, has volunteered 16 hours per
week at Catholic Charities’ Head Start and at public elementary schools in
Joliet. Her duties include helping school children improve their reading,
spelling, and math skills.
Foster grandparents honored
The Journal Gazette (IN), May 20, 2017
The room was bright, with white tablecloths and yellow and lavender napkins
stuffed in glasses surrounding floral centerpieces Friday at the Fort Wayne
Parks and Recreation Community Center downtown. The décor was laid out for a
luncheon to honor 73 volunteers from Fort Wayne's Foster Grandparent Program
who have given at least a year of service to the organization.
Green Mountain RSVP Gives Years of Service
Awards
The Valley News (NH), May 20, 2017
A local nonprofit that pairs people age 55 and older with local volunteer
opportunities honored its members recently with lunch and length-of-service
awards. Green Mountain RSVP’s annual appreciation event, at Exit Ate in
Ascutney, was held on April 27, to coincide with this year’s National Volunteer
week, April 23-29. The week’s theme, Service Unites, “captures the power of
change makers to come together to build stronger, more vibrant communities
through service,” according to a news release from the Ascutney-based
nonprofit.
Delaware’s Foster Grandparent Program
Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Press Release, May 17, 2017
Hundreds of volunteers, family members, and others involved in Delaware’s
Foster Grandparent Program will gather Friday, May 19, at Dover Downs Hotel
& Conference Center to celebrate the 50 anniversary of the program in the
state. Since 1967, hundreds of Delawareans 55 and older have been meeting
one-on-one and with groups of children in day care centers, Head Starts,
schools, early learning centers, and via programs at specialized facilities.
Heart of service: Falkville woman finds
calling as school mentor
The Decatur Daily (AL), May 19, 2017
Sharon Strickland never planned on entering the ministry — especially not at
the age of 67. But when the God-fearing woman overheard a conversation about
the need for mentors in area schools, she could not resist the pull. Four years
later, the now 70-year-old Falkville woman sees the school as her mission field
and showering students with love and encouragement as her calling. “God gave me
this job. I never in a million years imagined I would be doing this. I am
living my dream. I feel so blessed. I look at my life and think God has been so
good to me,” Strickland said.
RSVP’S oldest, most active volunteers speak
up during special week
The Crookston Times (MN), May 17, 2017
May is the month to celebrate National Senior Corps Week (May 15-29, 2017) as
well as Older American’s Month, honoring America’s aging population as well as
highlighting their significant impact within their communities. Throughout the
Country and Minnesota, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of the
Red River Valley engages people aged 55 and older in meaningful service
opportunities. The contributions of volunteers within rural MN counties is
priceless.
Partners for a Healthier Community Wins
Grant for Asthma Project
Press Release, May 16, 2017
The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI), following a national
competition, has awarded grants and support to Partners for a Healthier
Community in Springfield, as well as Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
(Buffalo, N.Y.), Health Net of West Michigan (Grand Rapids, Mich.), and Le
Bonheur Community Health and Well-Being (Memphis, Tenn.), to advance their Pay
for Success (PFS) projects.
Stanford
& Third Sector Partner with State and Local Governments to Simplify
Economic Opportunity Program Evaluation
Press Release, May 17, 2017
The Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality and Third Sector Capital Partners
have joined with three state and local governments to make it easier to
evaluate programs that may increase economic opportunity. In order to simplify
program evaluations, a big data infrastructure that links new federal, state,
and local administrative data sets was developed to better measure program
results and improve program services. With the new big data resource, agencies
receiving the awards will have the ability to measure both short- and long-term
effects of their programs. A $1.5 million dollar grant from the corporation for
National and Community Service’s (CNCS’) Social Innovation Fund was matched by
the Ballmer Group to develop the integrated data sets.
|
