| September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance | August 2011 |
 This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a moment that through tragedy brought together cultures, bridged differences and united citizens of goodwill around the world in a spirit of unity and commitment. In tribute to all of those who were lost and the tens of thousands who rose in service, 9/11 has been designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance.VCM hopes that every center in our network will participate in this National Day of Service in some capacity. Please encourage volunteers to join the “I Will” 9/11 Tribute Movement at www.911day.org and inform VCM of your plans for 9/11 Day of Service by emailing Ashley Gulker. Please send us your press releases, photos, and stories. Be sure to check out all of the 9/11 Day of Service resources on the VCM and HandsOn Network websites. Resources Include:
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9/11 Day of Service Save Service Netowork Celebrations Reources & Opportunities Youth Engagement Calendar
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The recent debt ceiling deal reached by Congress and the White House includes devastating cuts to domestic discretionary programs-which are almost certain to include the Corporation for National and Community Service. In order to prevent severe cuts to critical national service programs, we must tell Congress to invest in the Corporation for National and Community Service and fund vital programs including AmeriCorps, the Volunteer Generation Fund, VISTA, and RSVP. These are cost-effective programs that create jobs, address local issues and sustain struggling communities.Preliminary August 11 District Day results show that nearly 2,000 people visited District Offices in 49 states and asked their Members of Congress to protect funding for national service. Here's how you can continue to help:
- View the National Service Fast Fact sheet for your local Congressional district: http://www.mnaonline.org/saveservice.aspx.
- Take the time to write or call your member of Congress and let them know why national service is important to you. You can find your representatives’ contact information here and your senators’ contact information here.
- Explore national resources at www.saveservice.org.
- Support for Save Service efforts by changing your social media profile pictures to the District Day badge, available on their Facebook page.
If you participated in a District Day visit this week, don’t forget to report back using the Save Service Reporting Form.
LIVE with HandsOn Connect!
The following volunteer centers have gone live with HandsOn Connect! We recognize the tremendous amount of work that goes into learning and launching this system. The VCM team and your colleagues applaud your efforts and look forward to continued learning and resource sharing regarding this system. Check out their websites:
- United Way of Jackson County - http://volunteer.uwjackson.org/
- Volunteer Northwest Michigan - http://www.volunteernwmi.org/ (Formerly known as United Way of Northwest Michigan Volunteer Center)
- HandsOn Battle Creek - http://www.handsonbc.org/
- VOLUNTEER Lenawee!- http://volunteer.lenaweecf.org/
VCM Receives HandsOn Corps VISTA Members
Volunteer Centers of Michigan recently received notification that we were awarded five AmeriCorps*VISTA slots through HandsOn Network’s HandsOn Corps. These national service positions, along with five other VISTA positions awarded through the CNCS state office will be recruited for a November Pre-Service Orientation. VCM - Celebrating 20 Years of Strengthening Centers and Engaging Volunteers.
In an effort to continue celebrating our 20th Anniversary, VCM will feature quotes from past and present leaders who have reflected on the work we have accomplished over the years and provide the vision for our future. VCM will highlight quotes on our website and in this newsletter. The following quote comes from Amy Smith, President of HandsOn Network, describing her view of the role of a State Association for Volunteer Centers.
“As reflected in its mission, State Associations, like the Michigan Nonprofit Association, increase the capacity of Michigan’s nonprofits to serve, strengthen and transform communities. As one of the groups that MNA supports, the Volunteer Centers in Michigan are extremely lucky to have such a strong resource and advocate in the state. By continuing to strengthen the capacity of Volunteer Centers, State Associations can really bolster the impact that is made by providing support for services and resources that are not traditionally funded at the community level (technology, infrastructure, training, etc.). I see this as a win-win situation for all involved, which ultimately benefits the communities within Michigan that can then take advantage of a stronger Volunteer Center at the hub of their community. Any additional resources we can provide to Volunteer Centers doing the heavy lifting on the ground is a very good thing.” - Amy Smith, President of HandsOn Network
Plan Ahead - MLK Day Mini-Grants Coming Soon
The Michigan Community Service Commission in partnership with Michigan Nonprofit Association, Volunteer Centers of Michigan, Michigan Campus Compact and the LEAGUE Michigan will again be offering mini-grants of up to $1,000 to nonprofit organizations to host service projects for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. The application will be released in mid-September, but please note that Volunteer Generation Fund and Technology and National Days of Service Grantees are NOT eligible to apply. This is an opportunity you can pass on to your nonprofit partners.
Job Opening- Communications Specialist- MCSC/MNA
Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) and the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) is seeking an experienced communication professional to join a committed team that is serving volunteering and mentoring programs throughout Michigan. The Communications Specialist will be housed in Lansing, Michigan. Click here to view the full description. The deadline to apply is August 12.
Virtual Volunteer Reception Center Webinar
Volunteer Reception Centers, which incorporate spontaneous volunteers in disaster and emergency response, are a familiar model for many centers. However, have you ever considered how you might host a Volunteer Reception Center without using a physical location? Join Janet Pace, Executive Director of Volunteer Louisiana as she explains how to use technology effectively when disaster strikes and discuss best practices for engaging in this exciting new model. This HandsOn Network Webinar is August 25 at 3pm EDT. To RSVP, click here.
Nonprofit VOTE Webinar – Think Locally: The Value of Municipal and Regional Elections
Typically, voter turnout is significantly lower in local elections than in national or statewide races. The upside is that municipal, city, and other regional elections give your nonprofit an unparalleled opportunity to boost turnout, simply by encouraging your clients and community to vote. You can also build rapport with local candidates and elected officials who make many decisions that directly affect your organization and community. Join the discussion on how nonprofits can effectively engage in local elections and maximize your impact--without overloading staff and volunteers. This free webinar is Thursday, August 18, 2:00 Eastern. Click here to register.Volunteering in America Report Released
This week CNCS revealed its annual Volunteering in America Report. The research shows that volunteers are resolute in their commitment to serving their neighbors and communities, with 62.8 million adults volunteering almost 8.1 billion hours in local and national organizations in 2010, service valued at almost $173 billion. This information provides elected officials and nonprofit leaders with in-depth information on volunteering trends and demographics to help them develop strategies to mobilize more Americans to address local needs through service. While the national volunteer rate has dropped slightly, those who serve are giving more time. The proportion of volunteers who serve 100 hours or more increased between 2009 and 2010 from 33.2 percent to 33.8 percent. The median number of hours served per volunteer appears to have increased from 50 to 52 per year. Grand Rapids ranked in the top ten for mid-sized cities. View the full report.
Volunteer Centers of Michigan on Facebook
VCM has taken the plunge and joined Facebook. You and find us here. We hope to use this as an additional tool for communicating and listening to our network, so find us, like us, and share your happenings!
Love Your Block Neighborhood Revitalization Grants
Love your block harnesses the power of motivated citizen volunteers and supports their efforts to revitalize a neighborhood block with competitive mini-grants and city-provided resources. It is a tested, high-impact service strategy in which the mayor’s office engages community members in revitalizing their neighborhoods one block at a time. Cities interested in implementing Love Your Block may now be awarded up to $5,000 in Home Depot gift cards to be used as grants for engaging volunteer groups.Learn more about this Service Nation and Service as a Strategy opportunity.
VCM AmeriCorps*VISTA Feature
Take a minute to learn about what AmeriCorps*VISTA Member Teresa Zbiciak is doing at the Heart of West Michigan United Way. She reflects on how nonprofits in West Michigan are rethinking service. Learn more.
If you are engaging you in any capacity at your volunteer center, be sure to keep up with Youth Service America’s resources. You can sign up for their e-newsletter at the bottom of their homepage. YSA generally has ongoing grant offerings, such as this current funding opportunity:
UnitedHealth HEROES Program- This service-learning, health literacy initiative was developed by UnitedHealthcare and YSA. The program awards grants to help youth, ages 5-25, create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity.Grants of $500 to $1,000 will be awarded to programs that demonstrate a clear understanding of the health risks associated with childhood obesity, propose creative solutions to fighting obesity in their schools and communities, and can be easily implemented, scaled, and measured. Learn more.Local Community Foundation Youth Advisory Committees- If you or one of your nonprofit partners are seeking funding for a youth-specific project, consider reaching out to your local community foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). This is a youth grantmaking body of a community foundation with a permanently endowed youth fund. They focus on serving the youth in their community by addressing issues of concern and importance to local youth through grantmaking from the revenue earned on the youth endowment. YACs also participate in local service projects. Go to http://www.youthgrantmakers.org/ to connect with your local Youth Advisory Committee.
Michigan Student Service Awards- The school year is just around the corner, and now is the time to recruit new students and high school partners for the Michigan Student Service Award Program. This program, coordinated by VCM, recognizes high school graduates who volunteer 400 hours over the course of four years to benefit their communities. During the last academic year, 141 high school seniors were recognized by local volunteer centers for completing at least 400 hours of community service. These seniors completed 57,000 hours of service, valued at more than $1.2 million. Click here to learn more about MSSA. If you are interested in offering this program or have questions, contact Ashley Gulker.
| August 17 | Technology and National Days of Service Grantee Conference Call, 10am |
| September 11 | 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance |
| September 15 | VCM Executive Committee Conference Call, 10am |
| September 22 | Volunteer Generation Fund Grantee Meeting, Lansing |
| September 29 | MNA Nonprofit Day, Radisson Hotel, Lansing |
| October 13 | Fall VCM Network Meeting, Okemos Conference Center, Okemos, MI |
| October 3-5 | HandsOn Network Regional Meeting in Denver, CO |
| October 5-6 | HandsOn Boot Camp - Fundraising Essentials for Affiliates, Denver, CO |
| October 24-26 | HandsOn Network Regional Meeting in Boston, MA |
| October 26-27 | HandsOn Boot Camp - Powerful Corporate Projects, Boston, MA |
If you have content suggestions, requests, or items you would like to be included in the next e-newsletter, please email Ashley Gulker.
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