June PSO, come on board....

During the summer, the PWC VISTA Project has the opportunity to bring on six new VISTA members. We have the first opening for a VISTA at Gateway Community Services (see job description) begining in June. Please have application paperwork to me by the first week of May. Log onto the PWC VISTA homepage at http://www.ingham.org/ce/CD/home.htm and follow the links to other opportunities.

Yes We Did!

The PWC VISTAs helped usher in a new era on January 19th, MLK, Jr. Day, with a new President to follow, strengthened committment to service and fresh hope. As President Obama says, "Yes we can!" - and we did. The VISTAs and other volunteers served the day away at South Lansing Community Development Association (SLCDA) (http://www.slcda.org/) completing their goal of strengthening future farm markets with advertising equipment, but also washing and painting the church SLCDA's staff is housed in. In the Spring, VISTAs will embark on step two of this project's goal in linking local people with local food in one of Lansing's food deserts. When the weather warms, the Project will assemble this fresh equipment and assist with further set-up. Check out http://www.ingham.org/ce/CD/home.htm and http://www.slcda.org/ for further details in the coming weeks.

MLK Day: Healthy Environment Supporting Healthy Lifestyles

For the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (1/19/09) PWC VISTAs in partnership with the South Lansing Community Development Association, Grace United Methodist Church and the MI Department of Community Mental Health will be sewing and painting flags along with assembling and painting sandwich boards for local gardener and farm merchants to use at the Benjamin Davis Farm Market (Lansing, MI) in the Spring. This educational farm market event will help provide healthy food access in food deserts as part of the Environmental Change to Support Health initiative funded by Food Stamp Nutrition Education and the Michigan Nutrition Network. PWC AmeriCorps VISTAs will "Make it a Day On... Not a Day Off"!

13 is our Lucky Number!

Hello All!

We have exciting news: All 13 of our VISTAs openings have been filled. The PWC VISTAs will now serve at: Haven House, South Lansing Community Development Association, South Side Community Coalition, Greater Lansing Homeless Resolution Network, NorthWest Initiatives, Reach Studio Art Center, Christian Services/LOVE INC, Refugee Development Center, North Neighborhood Center, The Garden Project, Franklin Street Community Housing Corporation, New Life Program and Old Town Commerical Association to help build capacity.

New VISTAs will be attending Pre-Service Orientation in Chicago December 2nd through the 5th and attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Our website (http://www.ingham.org/ce/CD/home.htm) reflects these updates. Please check out the Current VISTAs page to learn about our new additions and what their doing in each organization.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!

ServiceNation

On September 11th and 12th, 2008 a movement began to inspire America: ServiceNation. By 2020, we hope to have 100 million citizens serving their nation in schools, workplaces and faith-based community organizations. Proudly, our Governor Granholm signed the pledge: a Declaration of Service, as the first Governor followed by NY and CA. This is an opportunity for citizens to unite around common causes and take responsibility for their future.

"This campaign now focuses on building a national grassroots movement aimed at inspiring widespread public support for increasing voluntary community and national service opportunities, solving problems with proven service strategies, and elevating service as a core ideal of civic engagement. ServiceNation encourages all Americans to step forward and take the lead in bridging our divides, strengthening our communities, and building a more vibrant democracy" (bethechange.org, 2008).

If you're interested in learning more please go to http://bethechangeinc.org/servicenation or to sign the pledge click on http://bethechangeaction.org/servicenation/take_action/declaration

Let's make this happen.To hear more from ServiceNation, check out their ChangeWire: news and notes from the world of social change at http://www.bethechangeinc.org/changewire/

December Pre-Service Orientation

The Power of We Consortium VISTA project has sworn in members at South Lansing Community Development Association and Reach Studio Art Center early. We still have five slots to fill at the Pre-Service Orientation during Dec. 2nd - 5th in Chicago, IL. If you're interested in working with:

Haven House
Gateway Community Services
Franklin Street Community Housing Corporation
The Garden Project
Old Town Commerical Association

Please call the Project Coordinator at (517) 887-4594 or email mzumbrunnen@ingham.org. We must fill out application and paperwork before October 22nd.

Check back soon for the good works these dedicated service volunteers are completing.

New sub-sites

Greetings! We have successfully brought on board two new VISTA sub-sites and re-upped a continuing project. Welcome to Gateway Community Services and Haven House with congratulations to South Side Community Coalition.

Gateway Community Services has provided a comprehensive range of services to children, adolescents and families in crisis in the Greater Lansing area since 1970 to empower and strengthen them to become stable and self-sustaining members of the community.

Haven House provides emergency housing and support services for one-parent and two-parent families with children. The shelter helps families who are homeless prepare for permanent housing by developing and promoting self-sufficiency, stability, and financial responsibility.

We're also continuing work with South Side Community Coalition that provides educational programs, job training, life skills, and recreational opportunities for the youth and community members on the south side of Lansing.

For more information please email: mzumbrunnen@ingham.org