Award to Honor Virginia AmeriCorps Member
The Governor's Advisory Board on National and Community Service will honor an outstanding AmeriCorps member who has exhibited superior dedication to community service and civic engagement with the second annual Robert E. Wone Award for Exemplary Service. The award was established in 2007 in memory of Robert Wone who served on the Governor's Advisory Board from 2002-06 and was a tireless activist and volunteer who advanced the interests of many charitable organizations. Nominations are being accepted from AmeriCorps program directors and members only no later than Sept. 22. The winner will be honored at an AmeriCorps Launch event in October. For more information, contact Cathy Walker at catherine.walker@dss.virginia.gov.
MECC AmeriCorps Members Reflect on the Year
As Mountain Empire Community College's AmeriCorps members began tutoring K-3rd grade children in reading, they quickly realized the impact they were having. "Seeing the faces of children light up when they learn something that they have struggled with is AWESOME!!," says member Kristy Harmon. She says that in addition to working with the kids, the members also completed a variety of service projects at their schools -- including collecting plastic bottle caps to trade for life support minutes and conducting canned food and book drives. Kristy, along with Emily Yates, Jordan Begley, and Audrey Jennings also attended the CNCS National Conference in Atlanta. While at the conference, team members volunteered at the KippWay Academy for a service project of painting and mulching. Kristy says, "We were covered in paint and dirt from head to toe, but it was the highlight of our trip." MECC AmeriCorps members also helped with a Homeland Security Disaster Preparedness drill in June. Members had to act as though they had been exposed to poisonous chemicals and as family members of gunshot victims. Member Mary Chandler reports that Homeland Security was extremely grateful to MECC for helping to make the practice drill possible.
Presidental Candidates will Address Volunteerism Summit
Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will discuss their views on national service and civic engagement in the post-9/11 world during a special forum Sept. 11 in New York. The event is being presented by ServiceNation, a coalition of 110 organizations dedicated to solving problems through service. The forum will be the opening event of the bipartisan ServiceNation Summit, Sept. 11-12. Find out more.
Board for People with Disabilities Accepting Nominations
Nominations for the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities' annual Community Service Awards are being accepted until October 17. Awards include the Jackie Crews Award for Excellence in Leadership, which offers a $1,000 stipend, and the Outstanding Achievement Award. Visit the Board's Web site for detailed information and nomination forms.
National Learn and Serve Challenge
Join your peers from around the country for a concentrated week, Oct. 6-12, of special events and community outreach activities designed to raise awareness and build support for service-learning. Your organzation or school is encouraged to hold recognition events, organize service learning fairs, make videos and post on the Web, and highlight service-learning on organization Web sites and newsletters. For a complete list of how you can help promote service-learning for the challenge, visit learnandservechallenge.org.
Your Organization Has a Role in Fighting Childhood Obesity
With 12.5 million children overweight in the U.S., more and more parents, schools, teachers, and organizations are stepping in to help battle the problem. The Surgeon General's Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative promotes the importance of healthy eating and physical activity at a young age to help prevent obesity in this country. Go online and take the Surgeon General's Pledge to help prevent childhood obesity -- then share these checklists to get started.
Grants Available to Prevent Youth Tobacco Use
Applications are due Oct. 8 for the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation's Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Programs for Youth Grants. The program is designed to fund educational and awareness programs on the health effects of tobacco use on minors, and the enforcement of laws restricting the distribution of tobacco products to minors. Applicants must attend a training session at one of the following locations: Portsmouth (Sept. 5), Richmond (Sept. 8), or Chantilly (Sept. 10). Find out more.
Disaster Loans Available for Nonprofit Organizations
With hurricane season upon us, it is important for organizations to realize that they are eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) if impacted. The "Small Business Disaster Response and Loan Improvements Act of 2008" (signed June 18) authorizes private nonprofit organizations, regardless of size, eligibility for EIDLs. An EIDL can help organizations meet financial obligations and provide relief from economic injury caused directly by a disaster. Find out more.
Disability Board Needs Feedback
The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is asking individuals with disabilities, their families, service providers, policymakers, and advocates to complete its annual Consumer Satisfaction and Stakeholder Feedback Survey. Public comments significantly influence the Board's future plans and activities. In addition to the online survey, printed and other accessible formats are available by contacting the Board at 800-846-4464. Take the survey now.
Richmond Area Community Kindness Calendar
Corporations, businesses, schools, nonprofits, and faith-based and community organizations in the Richmond area are invited to submit service events to the 2009 Community Kindness Calendar. The calendars will be distributed at Ukrop's grocery stores and other locations in late October. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 11. For more information, visit spotlightrichmond.com.
New Nonprofit Resources
- Virginia Poverty Rates: The Census Bureau has released data revealing an increase in Virginia's poverty levels and growth in the number of uninsured in the state. Full report.
- Virginia Housing Snapshop: HOME (Housing Opportunities Made Equal) has produced a Virginia Housing Snapshot that looks at different localities in the state of Virginia in terms of affordable housing, lending, and fair housing. Full report (PDF - 258KB).
- Service Learning: Youth Service America (YSA) has published an overview of the underlying theory and effective practices for promoting service-learning for young people. Full report.
- Teen Pregnancy Prevention: The latest report from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy provides an overview of curriculum-based programs that are working to prevent teen pregnancy. Full report.
- Literacy and Digital Media: "The Power of Pow! Wham!: Children, Digital Media, and Our Nation's Future" finds that despite the benefits of computer-based learning, new strategies are needed to engage and inspire children to learn vital literacy skills. Full report.
- Nonprofits and Social Networking: Feedback and guidance is available for nonprofit and community organizations looking to social networking sites to help get their messages told and communicate with their constituents. Full report.
- Basic Computer Skills Training: ALISON ABC IT is a free online training service for basic computer skills. Find out more.
- Free Legal Services: The Pro Bono Clearinghouse, a service of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation, offers pro bono legal services to nonprofit organizations in the Richmond area. Contact Carol Deitrick, 804-780-2600, cdeitrick@richmondbar.org.