National Service News: Extend the Giving Season -- Volunteer All Year!

It's not too early to make a new year's resolution [] Having trouble viewing this email? [View it as a Web page](. [We encourage Americans to extend the giving season and volunteer all year.]( Extend the Giving Season -- Volunteer All Year! From Thanksgiving to Giving Tuesday our nation pays a lot of attention to the season of giving. However, this attention often gets packed away like last week's cornucopia as soon as the holidays end. But what if we extended the giving season? If you are reading this, you probably know that feeling when you make time to help others by serving in a school, at church, or somewhere in your city, town, or neighborhood. And according to our [2018 Volunteering in America study]( people like you are more generous with their financial resources, donating to charity at twice the rate of non-volunteers. The big takeaway is that a large portion of Americans know the benefits of supporting causes they care about by donating their time and resources. That's not just something they do during the holiday season. We love volunteers at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). In addition to directing 300,000 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers in national service, our agency also leads the federal effort to support and grow the nation's volunteer sector. When we revealed our Volunteering in America results,[CNCS CEO Barbara Stewart called our volunteers "Super Citizens"]( who set good examples for others to follow. Let's emulate their examples of generosity, compassion, and empathy by volunteering to expand the spirit of the holiday season throughout the year ahead. The turkey dinners and shopping are fun, but they come and go pretty quickly. Let's all think of ways to volunteer all year and make our communities great in 2019. In service, Mike Cys Director, Office of External Affairs --------------------------------------------------------------- Editor's note: By clicking the links below, you may be connecting to websites created by parties other than the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The CNCS Office of External Affairs provides links to these stories because they contain information that may be useful or interesting to the national service and volunteering community. These links are for reference only, and CNCS does not endorse the individuals or organizations associated with these links, and cannot attest to the accuracy of the information provided by websites outside of our control. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Impact of National Service [Broadway Towers resident Freddie Renfro, 87, laughs with her Senior Companion Rhonda Brooks in Knoxville, TN, on Nov. 7, 2018.]( [Family Tradition: Daughter Joins Program to Help Seniors After Seeing Her Mother Volunteer (Senior Corps)]( Rhonda Brooks couldn't wait to be a senior citizen. She wanted to be eligible to do the job that's given her mother, Peggy Davis, fulfillment and joy for 21 years: being a Senior Companion for the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee's Office on Aging. "I turned 55 ... in December," Brooks, a 12-year military veteran who worked in munitions, said. "They had a class in January, and I was in there. I'd just seen her passion, how she talks about her clients, how she gets this warm feeling helping people and being there for them and making a difference, and I just thought, that's something I want to do." [Read more and watch video]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [AmeriCorps alum and Columbus Police Sgt. Christopher Smith-Hughes talks with Amari Price, 13, to build community connections.]( [Columbus Police Recruiter Works to Remove Walls, Build Bridges to Diversity (AmeriCorps)]( Christopher Smith-Hughes’ first interaction with police occurred through a fence. After witnessing a stabbing across the street from his Eastmoor apartment complex, Smith-Hughes dialed 911. The officers should come to the back door, he told the dispatcher, so he wouldn’t be seen talking to police. Nervous, the teenager kept the tall wooden fence between him and officers as he described what he saw. More than 20 years later, Smith-Hughes is on the other side of the fence as a Columbus police sergeant running the division’s recruiting unit. His job is to persuade young people to hop over. That starts with building trust, he said. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Two-year Senior Corps Foster Grandparent volunteer Marcia Meine reads to a child at Highland Elementary School in Crookston]( [Generous Spirit: Minnesota, North Dakota Rank High for Volunteering (Senior Corps)]( For the last two years, Zelda Rocha has gone every day to a school in Crookston to volunteer as a foster grandmother. The Crookston woman dedicates her time from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. to the students, serving them lunch, helping them learn to read and sometimes just sitting down to listen to how their day has gone. One child on Monday walked by, gave her a hug and shouted, "That's my grandma!" "I love working with them," she said. "They make my day." She is one of nearly 1,400 residents in an 11-county region who volunteer for Tri-Valley Opportunity Council programs. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [AmeriCorps service through Green City Force led Maria Martins on a path from homelessness to college.]( [After Homelessness, ‘I Just Wanted Security’ (AmeriCorps)]( Two years ago, Maria Martins faced a tough decision: stay in a humanitarian job that gave her purpose, or claim a home of her own after an extended period of homelessness? At the time, Ms. Martins, an AmeriCorps volunteer, was working with a Federal Emergency Management Agency team in Fort Worth, Texas. She and her logistics unit were shipping meals, water and supplies to areas affected by Hurricane Matthew. “I wanted to help people,” Ms. Martins recalled. But halfway into her assignment, she learned that she had been approved for an apartment in the Bronx, offered through a federal government program serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Watch: NBC's City Year #GivingTuesday Story [City Year AmeriCorps was featured in an NBC News profile for Giving Tuesday. Watch the video by clicking here.]( ]( Each week, we provide a social media shareable to use on your networks. Millions recovering from shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday took some time to give back to their favorite causes on Giving Tuesday. NBC News used the occasion to shine a spotlight on City Year AmeriCorps and highlight the wonderful service the national service program is performing in schools around the nation. Take a few minutes to watch the feature and help us spread the word about this story by sharing it with friends and followers on your social media networks. --------------------------------------------------------------- National Service in the News [Victory Over Violence: Pairing Young People with Mentors (Senior Corps)]( KARK-TV, Arkansas Bridging the gap of inter-generational learning. That's the goal for the Department of Human Services' Foster Grandparent program. And as our Ashlei King shows us -- it's never too late to become a mentor. [Watch video]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley Secures Land for 7 Years of Home-Building (AmeriCorps)]( Vail Daily, Colorado There's been a lot of activity at the Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley site in Gypsum this week as 11 crew members from AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps work to bring four new homes up from the ground. "What's really great about hosting groups like this is it's the time of year when our local volunteer corps gets busy with their own lives," said Julie Kapala, communications and marking manager for Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley. The work underway is a milestone for Habitat. When the two duplexes currently under construction are completed, work will shift over to a new site at the IK Bar Ranch next to Red Hill Elementary School. But Habitat isn't done with Stratton Flats. The group will return to the area after their IK Bar work is done. In total, Habitat has now tied up construction plans for 48 new homes. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Dozens Gather Wednesday to Say Goodbye to Longtime Carroll County Foster Grandparent (Senior Corps)]( KCIM-AM, Iowa Dozens of grateful residents stopped at the Carroll-Area Head Start classroom Wednesday morning to express their thanks and say goodbye to a well-loved Carroll man. Seventy-eight-year-old Mike Miller, known by the kids he works with as “Grandpa Mike,” has volunteered with New Opportunities’ Head Start, the Carroll County Foster Grandparents and with the Carroll Public Library for nearly 17 years. Miller recently announced he will be leaving the area and relocating to Omaha, Neb., to be closer to family. He says interacting with Carroll youth has been a part of his life for nearly two decades, and it is going to be tough to step away. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Giving Back Through VISTA (AmeriCorps)]( Clay County Free Press, West Virginia AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program designed to alleviate poverty. It was formed by President John F. Kennedy. VISTA members support the programs three primary objectives: 1) encouraging volunteer service at the local level, 2) generating the commitment of private sector resources, and 3) strengthening local agencies and organizations that serve low-income communities. There are currently over 5,000 VISTA members serving in over 1,000 projects throughout the nation. H.E. White Elementary is lucky enough to have one of those VISTA volunteers who is striving to make a difference in the school and the community. Christina Belt of Bomont was appointed this fall as the school's VISTA worker and has worked hard on projects to better the lives of community members and students alike. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Milton Residents Come Together to Save Thanksgiving Senior Luncheon (Senior Corps)]( Pensacola News-Journal, Florida Some people feared the annual senior citizens' Thanksgiving luncheon at the Guy Thompson Community Center in Milton wouldn't happen this year after one of the event's major sponsors was unable to help. But six local organizations stepped up to the plate, so to speak, to make sure the show will go on. Several groups including the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Santa Rosa County, the University of Florida/IFS West Florida Research and Education Center, UF/IFS Extension Family Nutrition Program, Blackwater Pyrates, and the Santa Rosa County Home and Community Educators pooled their resources to ensure there would be a Thanksgiving Senior Luncheon for those who would be alone this holiday. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Reading Corps Really Makes a Difference (AmeriCorps)]( ABC Newspapers, Minnesota While students are gearing up for winter break, I’m looking ahead to the remainder of the school year. As a Reading Corps tutor at Ramsey Elementary, I’ve been amazed by the significant strides so many students are making in reading. I’ve seen children transform from shy, struggling students into confident learners. But many more need support. In fact, 1-in-3 Minnesota third-graders are not reading at grade level. I’m one of more than a thousand Minnesota Reading Corps tutors serving in schools and early learning centers as part of the AmeriCorps service program. I love working with Ramsey’s children, and I am hoping my story will inspire others to join me in this life-changing opportunity. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [RSVP and Volunteer Partner Fairfax Pets on Wheels Provide Fun Way to Help Others (Senior Corps)]( Greater Alexandria Patch, Virginia When Martin Jordan decided to retire a year ago, he wanted to find a way to give back to the community, so he joined RSVP-Northern Virginia. Martin said he tried several volunteer opportunities but "they just didn't fit." Then, thanks to his friend Olive and RSVP's volunteer specialist Carly Hubicki, he found an ideal opportunity. It would be a package deal; Olive would volunteer alongside Martin during his weekly trips to bring cheer to residents in local nursing homes. The duo works well together. When a reporter pulled up to the Burke Health and Rehabilitation Centeron Burke Lake Road on a recent brisk fall morning to interview the two, Martin was sporting a red and blue Washington Capitals shirt while Olive, wearing a bright bushy pink collar around her neck, was waving enthusiastically. Waving her tail, that is. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Farm to School Impacts Wonewoc Elementary (AmeriCorps)]( WJRC.com, Wisconsin Ever wonder where that salad came from? Have you ever given thought to where your steak was raised? Elementary students in Wonewoc have been learning this and more from Charitee Seebecker, the Juneau County AmeriCorps Farm to School member. Throughout the months of October and November, Seebecker has been teaching nutrition education lessons to third, fourth, and fifth graders covering five main topics of, “Where Food Comes From,” “Exposure to a Variety of Foods,” “MyPlate and Food Groups,” “Building Healthy Habits,” and “Diversity in Food and Nutrition.” Each grade has lessons geared towards those five topics however each lesson is different so it is engaging for the students, meets the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Nutrition, and each class has something new to teach their friends and families. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [ACED Fellow Joins Evaluation Team at Up2Us Sports (AmeriCorps)]( Illinois State University News Ana Fochesatto, an Applied Community and Economic Development (ACED) Fellow in anthropology, is helping Up2Us Sports assess its impact through her 11-month professional practice. Fochesatto completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She wanted to have a deeper understanding of the power structures and social concepts that guide our lives as humans as well as ways to address social issues. This desire and her longer-term career interests related to transnational political processes and cultural and linguistic barriers lead her to double major in anthropology and political science. Shortly after graduating as her university’s Outstanding Undergraduate of the Year in both disciplines in May 2015, she joined the AmeriCorps VISTA program as a teen and volunteer outreach coordinator for the local Boys & Girls Club. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- ['Director of Happiness' Recognized as Everyday Hero (Senior Corps)]( The Denver Post, Colorado E.J. Walton is a retired veteran and full-time volunteer, but he prefers the unofficial title, "Director of Happiness." He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and has since become a household name to nearly all veteran service organizations in the state of Colorado. He embodies a sincere devotion to the betterment of other’s lives and unapologetically defends the value of self-love. Upon meeting E.J., you may receive a signed letter that reads, “You are a unique gift to this planet.” He may even ask you to read it aloud, hoping you believe it to be true. (You can also [watch a video about Walton here]( [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Penn State Behrend is Tackling Student Hunger Problem on Campus (AmeriCorps)]( Erie News Now, Pennsylvania Getting good grades, cheering for sports teams, or attending parties are probably on the minds of most college students. But for some, the biggest concern is where they will get their next meal. Student hunger is a big problem on campus, and one local college is doing something about it. The hunger problem has been recognized at Penn State Behrend. A food pantry was established on campus in January and student usage is growing. Rob Felger operates the pantry out of a small office on campus. He was assigned here by AmeriCorps VISTA, a national service program. [Read more and watch video]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [UNH Starting Program for Youth to Assist Older Adults (AmeriCorps)]( WCAX-TV, Vermont What happens when you combine healthy aging and youth empowerment? The University of New Hampshire is hoping to find out. The university's Carsey School of Public Policy has a grant to develop a new AmeriCorps program for recent high school graduates to help older adults. Participants who volunteer for one to two years will get reduced tuition at any public New Hampshire college or university. The goal is to help older adults stay in their homes longer, while also encouraging young people to stay in the state for college. Officials say they hope it will also address the lack of connection between youth and the older population. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Here are Five Reasons Why You Should Donate to a Charity This Holiday Season (CNCS)]( Belleville News-Democrat, Illinois A decade ago, Kelly Crocken Figi started a nonprofit that she says has been helping everyone from hospice patients to the family members who care for them. She’s a licensed physical therapist and massage therapist. Her charity, Hands to Help, provides massage therapy to people who have terminal illnesses, as well as elderly and disabled people and their caregivers. And it’s free. Hands to Help is one of many locally-run charities that work to help metro-east residents. Here are five reasons you should donate your time or money this year, according to people who run those nonprofits. [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- News You Can Use [Register Your 2019 MLK Day Projects]( The 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. holiday arrives during the 25th anniversary year of the day being declared a national day of service. Help us promote your 2019 MLK Day of Service projects by registering your events in our volunteer database at [MLK.gov](. Let's honor this great American leader through service, and start your quest to volunteer all year on the right foot. [Learn more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Kennedy Center Seeks Nominees for Stephen Sondheim Awards Recognizing Inspirational Educators]( The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is accepting nominations for the 2019 Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards. This series of annual $10,000 grants recognizes inspiring teachers across the United States. The awards were created in honor of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday and were initiated and funded through the support of Freddie and Myrna Gershon. Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim frequently attributes his success to the teachers in his life. The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards are presented each year on Sondheim’s birthday – March 22 – to a handful of teachers, kindergarten through college, who are nominated via the [Kennedy Center website](. [Learn more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [AmeriCorps]( | [Senior Corps]( | [Volunteer Generation Fund]( [NationalService.gov]( | [Manage Preferences]( [twitter link]( link]( link]( link]( link]( link]( link]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to {EMAIL} using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Corporation for National & Community Service · 250 E. 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