MLK Day Service Projects in Virginia

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is January 19.

Faith-based and community organizations are planning service projects and events to honor the holiday across the Commonwealth. The holiday has been mandated by the federal government as not just a day off from work set aside to honor Dr. King, but a national day of volunteer service. In Virginia, service projects and special events are planned in virtually every part of the state and include efforts concerning education, the environment, children's issues, mentoring, financial advice and more. If your organization has plans for a service project, make sure it is registered online. National service organizations, nonprofits and other organizations can visit my.mlkday.gov and http://pic2009.org/page/event/create to register their events. See a complete list of MLK volunteer opportunities in your community.

Governor's Awards Nominations

Nominations are due for the 2009 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards. All completed entries must be submitted by 5 p.m., Feb. 2. Winners will be honored at at a special ceremony in April. The categories include youth, senior, faith-based organization, non-profit organization, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, business, individual volunteer, and national service. Find out more and submit your nomination.

RFP Announcement for Virginia AmeriCorps Programs

The Virginia Department of Social Services' Office on Volunteerism and Community Service will accept applications for AmeriCorps program funding beginning on January 22.  AmeriCorps is a national service network that provides part-and full-time service opportunities for participants to serve their communities and build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to meet local environmental, educational, public safety, homeland security, or other human needs.  Within these five issue areas, organizations may submit proposals that address specific problems of local communities. Organizations interested in learning more about AmeriCorps and becoming a sponsoring organization can review informative presentations and take an online assessment to find out if they are eligible.

January is National Mentoring Month

Start off the new year by honoring the commitment, energy, and enthusiasm devoted by mentors across the nation. Mentors help to shape character, teach skills, and instill compassion and responsibility in young people. Jan. 22 will serve as Thank Your Mentor Day. Visit NationalMentoringMonth.org to view the new PSA from Colin Powell, find lists of local partners, get ideas for getting involved with mentoring this January, and find mentoring programs by zip code. Your organization can order a variety of free printed materials designed especially for National Mentoring Month 2009, including posters, thank-you notes, and bookmarks at nationalservicepubs.org.

Semester of Service Strategy Guide is Available

Semester of Service encourages students, ages 5-25, to develop a semester-long service-learning project that launches on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 19, 2009) and culminates on Global Youth Service Day (April 24-26, 2009). Projects can take place in classrooms as part of the academic curriculum, as extra-curricular activities in schools, in congregations of faith, and in neighborhood youth development groups. The strategy guide will help you implement your solutions to areas of need in your community with step-by-step instructions on how to get things done. Download now.

Are you Ready for the New Form 990?

The revised IRS Form 990 is the primary source of information about your organization's governance, operations, and programs available to government regulators, the press and the public. The updated 990 goes into effect for reports on fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2008. Find out what's new to make certain your organization is prepared.

Support AmeriCorps Alums by Welcoming New President

AmeriCorps Alums has partnered with JackCards and Oh My Word to help welcome President-elect Obama into the White House. Send a card expressing encouragement and support to the incoming administration and $1 per card will be donated to AmeriCorps Alums. Find out more.

Virginia to Offer Workforce Development Training

Virginia has received a grant from the National Institute of Corrections to provide Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) training to professionals who provide workforce development services across the state. There will be no cost for the training instruction and materials. The three-week training will be offered in Spring/Summer 2009. The application deadline is Feb. 27. Contact Morgan Salvador at reentryspecialist@oarric.org for more information and applications.

Notes from the Field: Virginia AmeriCorps in Action

• Literacy Council of Northern Virginia - ESOL Learning Programs: More than 200 English for speakers of other language (ESOL) students, their families, AmeriCorps members, teachers, and staff celebrated the holidays on Dec. 2 at a party hosted by the Council and Single Volunteers Washington. AmeriCorps members served as Santa's helpers and assisted children with messages, pictures, and greetings for recovering service members at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. 
• Virginia Department of Social Services - Virginia Community Corps: In the first two months of the new program year, members recruited 124 volunteers. Altogether they served more than 8,200 hours. Members like Rachael Van Acker quickly saw the impact on people's lives. "I prevented a woman and her child from becoming homeless," she explains. "I not only assisted her financially but also was able to provide her with emotional support through her time of need. This was a very rewarding experience for me"
• Boaz & Ruth - BRACE: This past October, former graduates of the Boaz & Ruth program Geraldine and Kelvin Coley moved into a home completed with 350 hours of construction from members and volunteers. The home was made possible through a partnership between Boaz & Ruth, the University of Richmond Center for Civic Engagement, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity, and Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Boaz & Ruth also recently received the Richmond City Council Gateway 6th District Community Service Award.

Nonprofit Resources

• Foundation Center Directory Online - Free access is available at the Southside Virginia Nonprofit Resource Center located in the Appomattox Regional Library, 209 E. Cawson St., Hopewell. Find out how to make an appointment to use this resource.
• Free Cell Phone Service - Safelink Wireless is a government-supported program in that provides a free cell phone and airtime each month for income-eligible customers.
• Circle of Friends offers local organizations the opportunity to request volunteers for community service projects in the Richmond area. Call 757-693-0881 for more information.
• 2008 Health Equity Report - A new study conducted by the Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy shows health inequities that exist across the Commonwealth experienced primarily by those with low income, those of a racial or ethnic minority and those living in rural areas.

In the News

• "The lessons of giving back"  - The Richmond Times-Dispatch takes a look at local students' efforts to participate in community service and service learning. Read the article.
• "Obama Must Mobilize Supporters to Help Nonprofits" - The Washington Post reports how a carefully-crafted and expanded AmeriCorps and other national service initiatives would help the nonprofit sector grapple with potential troubles in 2009. Read the article.
• "Colleges Add Nonprofit Business Courses" - The Ventura County Star reveals how many U.S. colleges are offering courses in response to students' growing interest in working for organizations that are socially and environmentally responsible. Read the article.
• "Youths Propel a Push Towards Volunteerism" - The Boston Globe tells how today's teenagers and young adults are likely to seek out ways to give back and to shape the world they will inherit. Read the article.
• "Using the Whole Talent Pool" - The Nonprofit Quarterly's interview with Shannon Maynard and Robert Grimm of the Corporation for National and Community Service explores their work, the latest research on volunteering, and trends in effective nonprofit staffing management. Read the interview.
• "Use capitalism to do good works" - In a commentary on National Public Radio, business book author Dan Pallotta explains how nonprofits should employ the tools of capitalism to be successful. Listen to or read the commentary.
• "Don't Muffle the Call to Service" - Newsweek explores how President-elect Obama's call to service fits into the $700 billion stimulus package. Read the article.