2009 - A Reflection of Service

2009 is wrapping up: I encourage each of you to take a minute and relflect on what service has meant for you over the year. How have your views of citizenry, community development and non-profit/governmental organizations changed? Have your personal opinions and goals been changed, challenged or strengthened?

During 2010 each of you will be cycling out at different points. Never again will we be as wowed as we were, and refreshed, when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided much needed stimulus funding like it did in 2009. President Obama's election and dedication to service have provided powerful new examples of national dedication and improvement through citizenship and team efforts. The government, media and pop culture have gotten behind the cause.

This has been a ground breaking year. The PWC VISTA Project kicked it off with our MLK, Jr. Day of Service at South Lansing Community Development Association. In May, we saw the Summer of Service campaign - a push like none other for healthcare, poverty alleviation, education and the environment to name a few - thru service. This has coincided with massive governmental challenges and victory as we struggle to build a better infrastructure. 9/11 saw the culmination of service, and our VISTA group served as a team at Project Homeless Connect and built new trails in community gardens with the Garden Project.

We've gained and lost members, learned together at luncheons and had many opportunities to collaborate. As we move forward we will now be working with a new PWC Project: AmeriCorps State, with a focus on the environment's impact on health. 2010 is looking to be a year of new ideas, methods, improvements and networking with stronger support than ever.

I continue to enjoy working with each of you. Your contributions, personal and professional, the dedication with which you apply yourself, the choice to live at the poverty line and give of yourself in service to others is truly honorable. You are earning an education of different sort while lifting up your organization and those it serves. Thank you for making the choice to serve, thank you for enriching my personal and professional perspective as well. You are examples of real citizenship and the heart it takes to make the Capital Area better for the next generation.

FutureLab

What is your vision for the future? An online challenge for the non-profit community to chart a vibrant 2020, FutureLab is attempting to create and facilitate conversations that shape a more dynamic future for our communities. The goal is to strengthen the non-profit community rather than individual causes and missions by:

- Identifying and developing high-impact ideas and insights that have the potential to transform the charitable community in the next 10 years.

- Generate and share publicity on those insights and strategies that organizations can contribute to and draw on collective wisdom to inform their decision making.

- Build networks and strenghten partnerships by breaking down existing barriers and facilitating new connections around common goals.

Join or share your insight and draw from others' wisdom at: http://www.independentsector.org/future.html

Social Innovation Fund

A part of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) will work with grantmaking entities to fund promising nonprofits that have deomonstrated significant impacts and outcomes. Investing in the capacity and exceleration of non-profits to find community solutions to regional problems, the goal of the SIF is to create a national network of region specific yearly funding to grantmakers (that can provide a 1:1 match giving at least 85% total to non-profits). One to 10 million dollars over the next three to five years will be disseminated to the grantmakers funneled to non-profits focusing on child and youth development, education for economically disadvantaged youth, reductions in poverty, health, resource conservation and local environmental quality, energy efficiency, civic engagement and reductions in crime. The NOFA will become available during the winter of 2010. Please see nationalservice.gov for details and continued updates.

United We Serve Culmination - come join us!

As United We Serve "Summer of Service" wraps-up the Power of We Consortium VISTA Project, Garden Project, North Elementary, Haven House and Project Homeless Connect will be working to enrich the community through providing more access to fresh fruits and vegetables, building social capital and providing services to the Lansing area's vulnerable populations. This will be a break from VISTAs normal duties which include "indirect" services such as programming, volunteer recruitment and fundraising. Speical service projects such as these events and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service allow the VISTA members a hands-on opportunity to help the community.

On September 10th:
VISTA members will help provide one-day, one-stop shopping for vital services to the Lansing area's homeless populations in collaboration with the Greater Lansing Homeless Resolution Network and the City of Lansing. Services will include medical and dental screening, hygiene services, and food and clothing services. VISTA members will be greeters, intake/check-in volunteers, moblie hospitality volunteers, restaurant service, clothing monitors and set-up and break-down volunteers.

On September 11th:
VISTA members will turn and spread compost, gather new pallets, weed, water, and tend new plots at North Elementary School community garden. The garden has been in continous operation since 1987, and formerly known as Henry North Community Garden. The large allotment garden is open to any community member committed to raising their own vegetables. In addition, the school garden and orchard provide students at North School with the opportunity to learn about where food comes from while engaging in science and providing better access to fresh, healthy foods.

If you're interested in joining us - we'd love to have more help - please sign up at http://www.serve.gov/ by searching "Power of We Consortium VISTA Project"...or if you'd like more information, please contact Mary ZumBrunnen at (517) 887-4594.

ARRO Film website from NorthWest Initiative

Hi Everyone,

Please check out the new www.ARROfilm.blogspot.com where our VISTA member Jeana-Dee Allen has spent her time interviewing a woman who's brother has been in prison more than 20 years and the effects it's had on the family. As this project grows and the film is finalized there will be continual updates and clips on line. Please stay tuned and check it out.

Good News for Serve America!!

I just received an email from Alan Khazei this morning from Be the Change Inc. containing some great news!!!

"Yesterday, the Senate Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee reported out a funding package that includes $1.157 billion for the Corporation for Naitonal and Community Services for FY 2010.

This is huge, and it's thanks to you and all of your hard work. Not only is this a record amount of federal funding for service --- $267 million more than last year -- but it's $98 million more than the House appropriated last week, and even $8 million more than President Obama requested!

Please go to http://tools.bethechangeinc.org/appropsthx to thank Senators Harkin and Cochran, the Chair and Ranking Members of the Subcommittee, for their strong commitment to service.

Again - thank you. But our work is not yet done. Now that the House and Senate have spoken, the appropriations debate will go to a joint conference committee. The date hasn't been scheduled yet, but it will take place soon and we will be back in touch when more details are made available.

In the meantime, please take this time to thank Senators Harkin and Cochran. The dream of a fully-funded Serve America Act has never been close to reality."

Random Acts of Kindness

http://www.bethechangeinc.org/changewire/2009/07/27/random-acts-of-kindness/