Nelson Mandela and Radio City Music Hall

by Katie Dantsin

Published July 17, 2009 @ 03:30AM PT

What do Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean, Queen Latifah, Aretha Franklin and Thandiswa Mazwai have in common? They will all be performing live in New York City this weekend to celebrate Mandela Day. Remember two weeks ago and I wrote that the U.S. celebration of Independence Day might be better if we served on that day--just like the nation's founders? Well, this might be our chance.

Mandela Day is an effort to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela through a global call to action. This call to action is focused on individual power to make a difference in the world around them. The musicians mentioned above, as well as many others, will be performing at Radio City Music Hall this Saturday night for the Mandela Day Concert.

This call to action by 46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation is aptly suited for many of us in the social sector. Suggestions from the Mandela Day web page highlight several areas for individuals to focus efforts on Mandela Day:

• Human Rights & Civil Liberties
• Hunger & Poverty
• Education & Literacy
• Health Issues & Medicine
• Environment, Ecology & Energy Conservation
• Social Enterprise & Economic Development

...and of course, you could just go to the concert to be a part of the movement that way, too.

If you have not had the chance to learn about the life of Nelson Mandela, I strongly encourage you to do so. His autobiography Long Walk to Freedom is a good place to start. We can all be inspired by this great man. His autobiography enlightens us to the qualities that we possess as we make our way uphill for our social change. He is truly inspiring.

“We are human only through the humanity of other human beings.” —Nelson Mandela

Photo from http://mandeladay.com/articles/press/

Major League Baseball Meets United We Serve

by Katie Dantsin

categories: AmeriCorps in the News, Stories of Service

Published July 15, 2009 @ 05:45AM PT

Two great American ways combined in one--baseball and service.  As you may have heard, President Obama threw the ceremonial first pitch in last night's Major League Baseball All-Star game.  And I'd like to argue that it was not the highlight of the game. The grand slam actually came before the first pitch when a seven minute video featuring Obama and former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush played. Guess what they talked about in this video? You got it--service! You can check out the video that highlights 30 American heroes for their service work.

And AmeriCorps members also supported this linkage between baseball and service. On Tuesday, AmeriCorps members teamed with Major League Baseball and Magical Builders to refurbish a baseball field in the inner-city of St. Louis. AmeriCorps members also painted a multi-purpose room inside the supporting facility.

Thanks to Major League Baseball for taking leadership in supporting national service with the f

ocus during the All-Star game last night.  A grand slam, if I ever saw one.  I'm psyched that four former Presidents participated in this video alongside President Obama.

Baseball and service--a great double play.

Why AmeriCorps Makes You A Better Citizen

by Meghan Oakley

categories: AmeriCorps in the News, Tips for Alum, Tips for Applicants

Published July 14, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT

This is the last in a series of weekly blog posts on the AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study, which came out in May 2008 and illustrates the impact of AmeriCorps on the lives of those who serve.

Okay, we all know that people who join AmeriCorps have big hearts. Who else is going to dedicate a year of their life to their community? But there are plenty of people out there who don’t join AmeriCorps and have big hearts, too.

Despite this, people who join AmeriCorps are more likely to remain engaged in their communities throughout their lifetimes than their counterparts who are not AmeriCorps alums—even people with the same values about civic engagement.

Why is this the case? Some people might think that since AmeriCorps naturally draws people who are committed to civic engagement, then AmeriCorps alums are more likely to be leaders in their communities in the first place, right?

Well, kind of. You have to remember how much exposure AmeriCorps members get to community work during their year of service—exposure that they would never get in an entry-level position. Also, you have to remember the skills and experience in community organizing that AmeriCorps members develop over the course of the year. That, mixed with the culture of service that AmeriCorps fosters, gives you 500,000 AmeriCorps alums committed to a lifetime of service.

Picture from: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=community+volunteer&m=text

Giving Circles: Small Gifts, Big Impact

by Katie Dantsin

Published July 13, 2009 @ 04:41AM PT

Back in May, I heard a story on NPR about Giving Circles. What's a Giving Circle, right? These are groups whose members combine their financial resources to have a greater impact to a community cause or organization than they could have with any one individual donation. No, we are not talking lots and lots of money, but let's say you have $100 to give this year to your favorite cause--let's say that cause is helping to solve domestic violence.  Now, you could give that $100 to a local organization that provides resources to victims of domestic violence or you could find 10 other like-minded people in your town that are also interested in ending domestic violence and have $100 (or maybe less or more). Now you collectively have $1,000 to support the local organization.  That $1,000 will go much further than the $100 you could have given on your own.

Ok, but what else? Giving circles typically meet to talk about how to allocate their collective funds to support their cause. This might involve inviting local nonprofit leaders to their gatherings to discuss the impact of their work or volunteering at the organizations of interest to get to know it better. This provides you, the donor, with the opportunity to interview the organization to find out if the funds will be used appropriately and as you might want them to be expended. Many nonprofits do not have the resources to talk to ten individuals that want to donate $100, but they may have time to talk to a group that wants to donate $1,000. You get the benefit of getting to know the organization and they can more easily sketch out the time to talk to prospective donors. It works both ways.

The Forum of Regional Associations of Grant Makers provides some great tips and tools for both nonprofit staff and prospective givers on their webpage. Although I can not speak from experience, I'll offer the following as some reasons why I would consider starting a Giving Cirlce.

1. It gives you an opportunity to find out where your money is really going. This seems to feel better than dropping a check in the mail.

2. It connects you to like-minded people in your community.

3. It supports a cause you care about.

4. It holds nonprofits accountable to their mission.

5. It offers insight into potential volunteer and job opportunities.

Give it a try and let us know how it works.

Photo from http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/580700

Eli J. Segal Award Winner: Congratulations Shawn Rubin

by Katie Dantsin

categories: AmeriCorps in the News, Tips for Alum

Published July 10, 2009 @ 06:25AM PT

Join me in congratulating Shawn Rubin as the 2009 AmeriCorps Alums Eli J. Segal AmeriCorps Alums award recipient! Shawn's recognition earned him $5,000 to support the work of Longitude, Inc. a nonprofit organization that he founded in 2005.  According to the AmeriCorps alum web page, the award is intended to recognize the exceptional impact of one AmeriCorps alum whose entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to embody service beyond their term with AmeriCorps is self evident.

Are you an AmeriCorps Alum? Yes? And are you thinking, wait, I could use $5,000 to support my cause?  Well, don't worry. The award is available each year and you can find out now how to apply for the award by going to the 2010 Segal Award page on the AmeriCorps Alums web site.  Some of the criteria considered for the award are: entrepreneurial spirit; convener and connector; service and civic engagement; humility; and impact and sustainability.  And you have lots of time--applications are not due until June 2010.

Awards and service do not always go together.  That's maybe why humility is one of the criteria for this award.  Humility meaning that the service work is conducted for the benefit to the cause and not for individual gain or recognition. That makes sense.  We all know of individuals (or maybe even ourselves) that are humble--focused on their community efforts, relentless fighters for the cause and demonstrate courage when challenging times arise.  And what if we never recognized these efforts formally? Would these leaders, advocates and volunteers still continue? Yes, I think so, but I still think this recognition is important.

It is critical to our work to find ways of demonstrating the value of countless volunteer hours,  sacrifices and progress towards our goals by putting our best foot forward with these awards. The reality is that these individuals often have no interest in the recognition that comes with this work, but the attention received from such awards moves the larger cause forward of improving communities and the conditions of those living in those communities for generations.  The $5,000 isn't going to make that happen, but it will create the buzz, getting people talking and blogging, and create additional donations and this is how the work will move forward.

Get out there and nominate a friend or a co-worker for the recognition they deserve and will bring greater attention to their cause.  That's service in itself.

Photo of Eli J. Segal from http://www.americorpsalums.org/?page=EliSegalPictures1

AmeriCorps Alum Feature: Meet Stephen

by Meghan Oakley

category: Featured Alum

Published July 09, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT

Name: Stephen Anfield
Program: City Year Washington, D.C.
Years Served: 2004-2005
Position: Senior Corps Member for the DECYDE (Dramatic Empowerment: City Year Drug Education) Team

What made you want to join AmeriCorps?

I heart service. I come from a family whose careers are related to service in some way, and at an early age, I was taught the importance of serving others. Before my year of service, I was involved with a number of activities at the University of Tennessee that allowed me to serve. I was a resident assistant and an orientation leader, and I wanted to continue my track record of serving others by doing something more large scale. I had also worked part-time at The Little Gym teaching gymnastics to children aged 19 months to 12 years of age. I wanted an opportunity where I could not only continue my work with children but also an opportunity that would allow me to grow as a person -- AmeriCorps gave me that.

What your experience serving like?

Not gonna lie... it's probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. My friends never quite understand where I'm coming from or why I love it so much, but it was a time in my life when I was tested the most. Until you put yourself in a situation where you're tested everyday and pushed to your limit, you never really know what you're capable of achieving. I remember back in college when I was an orientation leader -- we worked hard all summer... going to bed at 12:30am and getting up for our daily staff meetings at 5:45am.  I thought it was the hardest thing to do. There were some mornings that I was so out of it, that I'd put my shirt on backwards and not even realize it!

My team was one of two theater-based teams in the City Year network, and my friends know me as a HUGE goofball. I like to make people laugh, and my experience allowed me to not only teach in a classroom but also perform on stage! I'm a big ham and to see children laughing, literally falling out of their seats from my antics was just amazing. There are times when I wish I could go back to that time during my life and relive it all over again. It was not uncommon for my team to travel to all four quadrants of DC, and it was also not uncommon to experience every emotion possible every. single. day. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but it's so true. There were days I'd be laughing one minute, crying the next, laughing again... it was pretty intense. I remember thinking that there was no way I could make it through my year of service, but I persevered and made it out alive. I never realized how much I was learning, but now I realize that the lessons learned during that time, the friends I made, the children I served -- could not match ANYTHING in this world. As I'm typing this, I'm tearing up a bit because, yeah... it's that powerful.

How did your experience in AmeriCorps relate to your career path?

I currently work for the Melanoma Research Alliance, and it's a non-profit. I'm pretty sure that staying in the non-profit sector is what I am meant to do for the rest of my life. AmeriCorps gave me the opportunity to realize this and made me further realize what service can do for our communities.

What advice would you give to people considering or going into AmeriCorps?

If you're thinking about it, do it. Go into your service year with an open mind and realize what you once knew may be completely turned upside down. The experiences you'll have will be some of the greatest things to ever happen to you. You will remember your year (or years) and realize that you made a difference, and that's one of the coolest feelings anyone can ever experience!

Picture: Stephen with now Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton

Teach for America: Tackling Inequality in Schools

by Katie Dantsin

categories: Featured Project, Tips for Applicants

Published July 08, 2009 @ 07:19AM PT

One of the more well-known AmeriCorps programs is Teach for America (TFA). Their mission is simple- to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nation's most promising future leaders in the effort (TFA web page).  Over 6,000 individuals serve through this program in 29 communities. These members are tackling a huge problem in our country related to education. This includes the sobering fact that in low-income communities only 50% of students graduate from high school. That's a serious problem for this nation.

With a multitude of partnerships, the program not only offers participants the usual AmeriCorps package, but also a high living allowance (typically the starting teaching salary where the member is placed), opportunity to get appropriate teaching licenses, support for transition costs, and lots of training and support from professionals and staff.

What strikes me most about this program is the commitment to ending education inequality. You'll find a smattering of statistics that begin to paint the picture of our educational system in their literature. And the approach of recruiting the most outstanding college graduates and professionals to dedicate two years to schools makes a lot of sense.  Corps members have a passion and commitment to education.  The expectation of Corps members is that the commitment to quality education for all our nation's children will remain a hallmark of their work well beyond the two years of service, whether the career seats them at the judge's bench, as a CEO or in the classroom.

This sounds great, right? What's the catch? The catch is that everyone thinks this is a great opportunity and there are limited spots available each year. In  2008,  close to 25,000 individuals applied for spots in the program and about 3,700 joined the Corps. Steep odds, but if you have a passion for education, leadership, solving inequity and you meet the eligibility requirements, check it out.

The TFA web page is loaded with information, tools, videos and more to help walk potential applicants through the program.  And good news, TFA just announced a new deadline of August 21, 2009 for the 2010 program year.  The full application schedule for the 2010 program year has not been posted, but if this appeals to you, start gathering information and asking questions.  Many college campuses have a Teach for America representative that can help out. It is also important to talk to current TFA Corps members or recent alumni to get their take on the program.

Teach for America is one of many AmeriCorps programs that combine resources, collaborate and partner to provide not only an excellent experience for participants, but also a great impact on the communities involved in the program.