United We Serve Update

We are at the half-way point of this summer's national service initiative, United We Serve. Virginia's response to the effort, aimed at engaging all Americans in service, has been outstanding. Below are just a few highlights.

• Governor Timothy M. Kaine participated in two United We Serve volunteer projects at the end of July including a clean up project at Pocahontas State Park and weatherization of a home. The projects are highlighted at the Serve.gov blog, which is focusing on energy and environment success stories. Watch the video. See photos.
• First Lady Anne Holton and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited Shenandoah National Park to join volunteers and youth groups, including members of the Youth Conservation Corps and interns from the secretary's own office, to help remove invasive nonnative plants from Big Meadows Swamp. Watch the video. Read more.
• Anthony Conyers Jr., commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services, civic groups, elected leaders and several city and state agencies took part in a Weed and Seed Safe Haven community event in Petersburg. Participants and volunteers read to and encouraged children to read, and passed out brochures about city services throughout the Robert E. Lee neighborhood. See photos.
• Book on Bases, Smiling Faces - Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.) and Blue Star Families joined forces to bring the joy of reading to military children by donating new books to military-impacted libraries and schools, and providing individual kids with books of their own. The distribution of donated books took place at Bayside Elementary School in Virginia Beach with local military children and their families and friends participating in reading and craft activities.
• Volunteers worked in a garden planted specifically to grow food for the Central Virginia Food Bank at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond. See photos.
• Rooftop of Virginia, a community action agency located in Galax, is sponsoring a United We Service project on Friday, August 14, from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm. Using donated space, staff, volunteers and children from the Head Start program will be participating in a back-to-school health fair.

Have you gotten involved? Are you aware of the variety of ways you can? You can now search for Serve.gov volunteer opportunities at VAservice.org.

Making a Difference: Terry D. Dickinson, DDS

Terry D. Dickinson, DDS, has been awarded the Private Citizen Distinguished Service to State Government Award by the National Governors' Association (NGA). Selected among nominees from governors across the country, Dr. Dickinson was nominated by Governor Kaine for his outstanding public service in providing free dental care to thousands of underserved Virginians. "Dr. Dickinson has taken his professional skill as a dentist and blended it with a deep personal compassion for others to make a significant difference for thousands of underserved Virginians and others across the nation," said Governor Kaine. In his role as the Executive Director of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA), Dr. Dickinson is the founder and driving force of the VDA's "Mission of Mercy" or MOM Projects. Through the MOM Projects, Dickinson coordinates hundreds of volunteers, including dentists, dental hygienists, and others to provide free dental services to underserved Virginians. Since 2000, Dickinson has directed 39 MOM Projects across the Commonwealth which have provided more than $14.5 million in free dental care to over 30,000 patients. Read the full profile. Learn more about other Virginians making a difference.

Faith-based Forums Foster Statewide Partnerships

The Virginia Faith-Based and Community Initiative (VFBCI) began with the passing of House Joint Resolution 289 by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999. In 2002, the General Assembly expanded the responsibilities of the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to include the facilitation of collaborations and partnerships among public agencies and faith-based and community organizations. The VFBCI works across state agencies and with local government to: promote partnerships between public agencies and community and faith-based groups; provide training and technical assistance to help organizations build their capacity; and coordinate offers of assistance from Virginia's faith community during times of emergencies or natural disasters.

To help accomplish these goals, the Virginia Department of Social Services is convening regional best practices forums throughout the state. These regional forums allow participants to review indicators of community health, identify resources that might support efforts underway in their communities, and network with organizations with similar missions. Since January 2008, there have been seven meetings held in communities considered distressed based on unemployment, children enrolled in the school lunch program and median family income. Meetings have been held in Petersburg, Melfa (Eastern Shore), Wise, Keysville, Martinsville, Woodstock and Sussex. The outreach and activities of the VFBCI have been instrumental in fostering a culture of collaboration with community and faith-based organizations. For more information call (800) 638-3839 or e-mail info@vaservice.org.

Get to Know Angie Carrera

Governor's Advisory Board on National and Community Service

Although she is new to the Office for Public Private Partnerships, Angie has served over 16 years with Fairfax County Government, most recently as Language Access Coordinator in the Office of the County Executive. She began her career in 1992 recruiting and coordinating mentors for court-involved youth through the Volunteer Sponsor Program in the county’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. In 1994 she was asked to launch and coordinate the Volunteer Interpreter Program (VIP) to help court staff deal with the increasing limited-English population (LEP) requiring court services. She is particularly proud that during her tenure there, the VIP won numerous awards for providing volunteers who interpret for staff serving LEP customers. In the evening, she teaches a course she designed for Fairfax County Public Schools on consecutive interpretation and similar courses to area nonprofits requiring qualified volunteer interpreters for their LEP clients and patients. Prior to county employment, Angie worked in various capacities in the nonprofit sector, including Executive Director or chief administrator for organizations like the Fairfax Volunteer Center, National Institute for Women of Color and the Washington Area Women's Center. Angie has volunteered in D.C. and VA in some capacity for over 35 years.

Volunteering in America

The Corporation for National and Community Service has released its annual Volunteering in America Report, which looks at volunteering trends across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 50 large and 75 mid-sized cities. As the nation continues to face an economic crisis, volunteers are needed more now than ever. Many nonprofits are facing the challenge of increased demand for services at the same time they face the problem of diminished resources. In response, many are turning more to volunteers who can provide vital support to help them continue to meet growing needs. New research at VolunteeringInAmerica.gov shows that despite all the additional stresses of a difficult economy, volunteers are still serving. In fact while charitable giving declined for the first time in over 20 years, volunteering held steady between 2007, when 26.2 percent of Americans volunteered and 2008, during which 26.4 percent volunteered. Virginia volunteering rates held steady as well. Virginia's college students provided a median of 68 hours of service per year, the highest median number of hours for this population in the nation. Read the entire report and learn more about Virginia's volunteerism statistics.

New Rental Housing Locator Service

Many Virginians have been displaced by foreclosure and need alternative housing. VirginiaHousingsearch.com is a new housing locator service that can help. Sponsored by the Virginia Housing Development Authority, this free service offers detailed information about rental properties and has a bilingual call center (1-877-428-8844). Property owners and managers, including housing authorities and private landlords, can use this service to manage their property listings at no cost.

Notes from the Field: Virginia AmeriCorps in Action

• AmeriCorps program, Boaz and Ruth held a ceremony celebrating the renovation of a condemned Richmond home located in Highland Park. A ribbon cutting service was held August 4 unveiling the completed structure which will now serve as a residence for the program's apprentices.
• AmeriCorps Alums, officially invites AmeriCorps programs to serve as leaders within the national service field by participating in the "I AM AmeriCorps" campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness about AmeriCorps. The goal is to collect 500,000 portraits of people holding an "I AM AmeriCorps" sign to demonstrate the power of service by December 31, 2009. The project is hosted on Facebook.
• Ja'Lesa Pierce is an AmeriCorps member serving with VCU majoring in psychology and criminal justice. She served nearly 900 hours in the past year as a classroom assistant at J.L. Francis Elementary School. Ja'Lesa is one of five AmeriCorps members who put their skills and experiences to work at the Children's Museum of Richmond (CMoR) this summer as youth mentors. AmeriCorps mentors give CMoR's youth volunteers a great summer experience by observing and listening to them, giving them feedback, and helping them remain engaged. "I really enjoy meeting the [young volunteers] and working directly with them. Happy smiling faces are the best reward", says Ms. Pierce.
• PBS highlights AmeriCorps*National direct program, National Student Partnerships in Richmond, as part of its Generation Next series. Watch video.

Nonprofit Resources

• GEDPrepInfo.com is a new web site that offers technical assistance to those wishing to pass the high school diploma equivalency test.
• Guidestar provides new, basic primer for 501(c)(3) public charities.
• Virginia's Community Colleges have unveiled the Virginia Education Wizard, an online tool to help students and families make informed choices about college and careers.
• Youth Service America (YSA) and UnitedHealth Group are offering $1,000 UnitedHealth HEROES grants to youth-led service-learning projects addressing childhood obesity and Virginia is among the eligible states. Learn more.
• The Southside Virginia Nonprofit Resource Center is a specialty library and support center that provides resources to help local organizations and individuals as they work to strengthen the community.
• ZooLoo allows small nonprofits and businesses to create their own personal online presence easily through basic Web site and blog building software.
• University of Richmond invites you to submit a request for proposal to have students in their "Leading Change" course work with your organization on projects to help you bring about change in and for your organization.

In the News

• Virginia citizens have helped to donate over 23,000 new trees as part of the Odwalla Plant a Tree program. The program provides trees to be planted in state parks across the country. You can help plant trees in our Virginia State Parks by simply visiting the web site.
• AmeriCorp program, Boaz and Ruth, profiled in the The Washington Times
• New report shows that majority of Americans value volunteer service over political activity
• Nominate a Virginia business for Prevention Connections' 2nd annual Smoke Free Business of the Year Award. Applications due Aug. 31.
• Infant Mortality In Virginia Declines
• Census data show many in Va. without health insurance
• Is your organization eligible for redirected federal funds?
• Foundations step up crisis funding