Posts Tagged ‘Children Youth and Family’

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Action Heroes Needed!

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

Today is a BIG day for youth service! “Why?” you ask. July 2nd is the beginning of generationOn’s summer youth service campaign, Community Action Heroes. In partnership with Hasbro, generationOn wants parents to teach their kids or teens the importance of serving their communities.

Summer is the perfect time to get kids involved in volunteerism with all the extra time they have on their hands! GenerationOn will rally thousands of youth volunteers to become active heroes within their community.

How does it work? Interested parents and youth can access the Community Action Hero application through the generationOn website. Kids can choose a challenge team and project ideas. Once a pledge is made, kids can also challenge their friends to be heroes through the use of social media. Once the challenge is met, kids can share their projects through video, essays, or pictures to inspire other youth. All participants will receive a certificate of completion after the project as well!

What issues can your kid pledge to volunteer for?

  • Animals: Five to seven million animals are rescued by shelters annually. Your child can help animals in the community by donating cat or dog food, bathing and playing with shelter animals, cleaning a dog park, raising money for guide dog training, creating emergency preparedness packs for pets, raising money for animal shelters, etc.
  • Literacy: Although summer is a great time to catch up on a new book, many kids do not have access to reading materials in their community. Kids can make a big difference for their neighbors by writing letters to policy makers asking to make education a priority, reading to other children, holding a book drive, organizing a book fair benefit, etc.
  • Health: Summer is a great time to be active outside, but unfortunately not all kids are healthy enough to play outside. Your child or teen can be a hero for sick children by making a lemonade stand, making books to make a smile, bingo at a senior home, anti-bullying posters, toy drives, etc.
  • Environment: No matter your age or size, we all have the power to improve our environment. Your child or teen can learn the value of helping the environment by getting his or her household to use eco-friendly cleaner, cleaning up a park or nature walk, hosting a green thumb party, cleaning up a lake or river, starting a recycling program, etc.
  • Homelessness: 770,000 homeless children are currently enrolled in United States public schools; the summer time is even harder because they do not have the safety of a school. Your child or teen can get involved in solving this important problem by making a work of art for a shelter, making a pillow buddy, hosting a princess party to collect fairytale books, making health kits, collecting school supplies boxes, advocating for the homeless, etc.
  • Hunger: Although summer is a special time for certain seasonal meal favorites, many kids do not receive their proper nutrients because they do not get school lunches in the summer. Your child or teen can be a hero for hungry children by participating in meals on wheels, making lunches, sharing extra food from their garden, hosting a fundraiser event to tackle hunger, etc.
  • Military: Our military men and women volunteer their lives daily to better our country, Your child or teen can show his or her gratitude to military servicemen  and veterans by making care packages, sending letters, sending them fun items to bring a smile, hosting a veterans’ dinner, interviewing and sharing a veteran’s story with the Library or Congress, etc.
  • Emergency prep: Summer is a time to relax, but is also a time for many heat related disasters and emergencies. Be a hero in your community and get others prepared by providing hurricane victims with essential items, collecting smoke detector batteries, making and delivering first aid kits, raise awareness about summer emergencies, providing homeless shelters with evacuation plans, etc.

The world needs more action heroes, are you up to the challenge? We hope that your children will make the pledge to accept one of these eight hero challenges to better his or her community!

Check out generationOn, the youth volunteer enterprise of Point of Light, to learn more about the Community Action Hero Challenge.

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Posted in Education, Emergency Preparedness, Environment, Events, Family Volunteering, Kids, Military, Service Learning, Volunteering, Volunteerism | No Comments »

15 Benefits of Family Volunteering

Monday, October 10th, 2011

Volunteering as a family provides a fun way for families to make memories together while making significant contributions to their communities.

It also teaches children the values of kindness and giving back, ideas which complement the gift giving season.

Family members use their talents to work on an issue they feel passionate about.

Serving together builds problem solving skills and strengthens communication within the whole family.

  • volunteer, volunteering, volunteerism, family volunteeringVolunteering together strengthens the family by promoting positive values, creating new opportunities to communicate and focusing on the importance of teamwork.
  • Volunteering as a family strengthens the community by encouraging people to get involved, and improving the community’s overall environmment—attracting new business, new people, new commitments and new ideas.
  • Family volunteering strengthens nonprofit organizations by increasing community awareness of important social needs and expanding the volunteer base.
  • Volunteering together makes family time valuable to both families and communities
  • Family volunteering can help to improve family communication.
  • Volunteering as a family teaches children values like kindness, empathy, respect, friendliness and tolerance.
  • Making family volunteer opportunities available provides opportunities for recruiting new populations, therefore increasing the pool of available volunteers.
  • Recruiting families to volunteer acts as a natural multiplier of volunteers.  Recruitment of any one family member often acts as a catalyst for enlisting other family members.
  • Family volunteering garners media attention.  Families involved in group projects are a media magnet.
  • Families that volunteer together have a built-in opportunity to reflect on what they did when they volunteered together!

 The virtues of family volunteering

Family volunteering offers numerous advantages to the community through the unique way in which it provides services.

  1. volunteer, volunteering, volunteerism, family volunteeringFamily volunteering enables populations whose volunteering has been restrained by family care-giving obligations (either responsibilities to children or seniors) to become involved.  As a “two for one” activity, family volunteering greatly increases the ability of time-depleted working families to engage in service.  It is a true “minimum time, maximum benefit” system.
  2. Family volunteering acts as a natural multiplier of volunteers, since recruitment of any one family member acts as a catalyst for enlisting other family members.
  3. Involving families in projects is highly attractive to communities with relatively low rates of involvement in structure volunteer settings.
  4. Family volunteering offers the opportunity for volunteers to take responsibility for identifying and addressing the needs of their community.  Empowered family volunteers can directly work to solve their own needs and the needs of those around them.
  5. Family volunteering may, in settings where establishing a personal relationship is an integral part of the helping function, provide a plus factor due to the unique nature of families.
Does your nonprofit offer opportunities for families to volunteer together? Do you volunteer with your family? Tell us about it in the comments!
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50 Ideas for Family Volunteer Day

Friday, November 19th, 2010
  1. Organize a one-day adoption fair with your local animal shelter at a convenient in-town location.
  2. Collect pet food, rags, newspapers, pet toys, washable plastic pet carriers, paper towels, old towels and blankets for your local shelter.
  3. Collect money for the training of Seeing Eye dogs and shelter dogs.  Make an educational flyer to give to donors about these special animals.
  4. Make homemade dog biscuits and sell to earn money for an agency that rescues animals.
  5. Build a dog park on a vacant piece of town land (with permission).
  6. Perform a puppet show at a local library or senior citizen home.
  7. Organize a sing-along at the children’s hospital, hospice or nursing home.
  8. Organize a musical instrument drive and donate the instruments to a local school or community center.
  9. Collect art supplies for kids in shelters or hospitals.
  10. Make coloring books from downloadable web pages and spend a morning coloring or making a mural with homeless kids.
  11. Help newly arrived immigrant children and their families celebrate their “First Thanksgiving” by collecting food, kitchen supplies, toiletries, clothing, school supplies, and toys.
  12. Make backpacks of school supplies or toiletries for children and teens in foster care.
  13. Start a holiday collection of NEW toys for organizations that distribute gifts to children of incarcerated parents.
  14. Organize a collection of prom dresses and accessories for homecomings and proms.
  15. Spiff up children’s rooms at a group home with new pillows and comforters and a coat of paint.
  16. Clean up neighborhood streets, a playground, a beach, or a community garden.
  17. Clean and paint a family housing shelter or community center.
  18. Build barbecue pits, picnic tables or trails at local parks.
  19. Participate in a brush-clearing hiking trip to help keep park trails in good condition.
  20. Recycle!  Organize a drop off for clothes and coats, cans and bottles, bicycles, cell phones or computers.
  21. Organize a field day or health fair with traditional games about the importance of exercising.
  22. Buy or collect donated sports equipment for low-income schools, shelters, after school programs, park and recreation programs.
  23. Coordinate a healthy snack food drive for children in shelters or low-income after-school programs.
  24. Organize a dance or a sock hop.  Make the admission a pair of new socks or a healthy snack to give to a shelter.
  25. Organize a “beauty day” at a shelter with free haircuts and manicures.
  26. Collect food for your local soup kitchen or food pantry.
  27. Collect new sneakers, pajamas, underwear and socks, cleaning and paper items or whatever is needed most on your local shelter’s wish list.
  28. Decorate the dining hall or common area for the holidays; make centerpieces, bring fresh flowers and fresh fruit and vegetables.
  29. Collect books for low-income schools or after-school tutoring programs.
  30. Organize a used book, videos, DVD, cassette sale.
  31. Donate funds or purchase new books to an underserved school or library.
  32. Create a family story hour and read to children in your neighborhood or to residents of a senior home or group home.  If possible, leave the books with the residents.
  33. Volunteer with a local literacy council to help people learn to read.
  34. Organize a read-a-thon for an afternoon; involve kids from a community center.
  35. Donate funds to a library in need, an organization that promotes literacy, or Heifer International’s Read to Feed program.
  36. Visit the homebound.  Ask if you can garden, clean up the yard, make simple household repairs, or drive them to doctor appointments, to the grocery store or to visit friends.
  37. Partner with another family to repair or paint the home of an elderly couple or a needy family.
  38. Make cards or a simple crafts and bring to a local nursing home for them to put on their dinner trays.
  39. Play bingo, sing songs or host a birthday party for nursing home residents.
  40. Visit a veteran’s home or senior residence, offer to interview them about their lives, take pictures of them and post on a bulletin board in a common area.
  41. Make meals or buy groceries for a local Ronald McDonald House or Fisher House, homes that support families while their loved ones are being treated in hospitals.
  42. Collect phone cards, new stuffed animals, dolls and toys for chronically ill children in hospitals.
  43. Assemble activity kits for kids in hospitals.
  44. Collect new video games, computer games and DVD’s for hospital playrooms.
  45. Organize a “quilting bee” – make simple warm and cuddly quilts for sick babies or children.
  46. Buy tickets for a local sporting event (minor leagues) for children in-group homes or families in shelters.
  47. Organize a sports and sporting equipment tag sale.  Use the funds to install basketball hoops or playground equipment for shelters or group homes or neighborhood parks.
  48. Turn a vacant piece of land into a baseball or soccer field.
  49. Volunteer with your local Special Olympics committee or at a Special Olympics event.
  50. Organize a “celebrity game” in your town – i.e. a local radio station squares off with teachers to raise funds for a local need or to improve sporting facilities in your town.

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was David Resnick!  David has won a pair of round trip tickets on JetBlue, $25 for himself, and $100 for his favorite charity!

Today’s Celebrity Tag is !  Tag Alicia for swag!

Are YOU up to the challenge?

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Posted in Events, Inspire, Mobilize | No Comments »

Family Volunteering and Your Employee Volunteer Program

Friday, November 19th, 2010

National Family Volunteer Day is tomorrow, a day for families to go into the community to work together and make their communities better.  It’s also an opportunity for corporate volunteer programs to bring their employees and their families together to improve the community.  If you work for a company that doesn’t have a employee volunteer program, you can find out how to start program and learn some of the best practices here.

There is a lot to consider when planning a large volunteer event with your company’s families.  Be sure to plan the event carefully, make sure the project design contains tasks for all of the members of the families, and be sure to manage the project attentively.  Don’t forget about risk management when the project is being planned.

Here are some more tips for planning your employee and family volunteer project:

Planning

  • Verify all of the logistical information before sharing the information
  • Be sure to choose a task that doesn’t require any special skills, or plan time to train the employees before the event
  • Communicating with the partner agency is essential to a successful and enjoyable event

Project Design

  • Work with organizations that have projects where employees and their families can see and experience the impact of their work
  • Make sure the project meets a real community need and is seen as a benefit to the community
  • Don’t simply have the employees and their families do a task, turn the project into a learning experience

Management

  • Provide an orientation to the families prior to the project
  • Provide opportunities for the families to interact with one another
  • Explain to your volunteers the mission and goals for the organization and what is hoped to be accomplished as a result of the project

Risk Management

  • Assess the project site before the event for safety
  • Identify any equipment or areas of the project site that may be unsafe or a liability concern
  • Inform family members that they must report any accident or injury and to whom they should report

Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun!

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was David Resnick!  David has won a pair of round trip tickets on JetBlue, $25 for himself, and $100 for his favorite charity!

Today’s Celebrity Tag is !  Tag Alicia for swag!

Are YOU up to the challenge?

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Posted in Events, Volunteer Management | 1 Comment »

Tips for Volunteers Working in Schools

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

This week NBC is hosting Education Nation, a nationally broadcast, in-depth conversation about improving education in America and we’re participating by sharing resources for volunteering in schools.

Whether you are a beginner or a pro at working with children, here are a few tips to help everyone feel more comfortable.

Before you volunteer in a school, you can benefit by observing a classroom teacher, club leader, or coach’s interaction with students.

How does the teacher organize material?

How does the teacher react to disruption and misbehavior?

What language and gestures does the teacher use to get points across?

Observation will help you learn successful strategies for connecting with the students.

When you begin working with students, remember these basic tips:

  • Have a set goal and routine from day one and stick to it. Students will recognize if you are not prepared or if you change your course.
  • Remain in charge. Do not let the students take control of a situation.
  • If appropriate, discourage and reprimand bad behavior.
  • If appropriate, reward achievements and good behavior.
  • Reflect and Revise. Consider how well your strategies work and how they can improve for next time.
  • Remain flexible. Sometimes something unexpected will happen; do not let it ruin your experience or your goals.
  • Be sure to always follow the school’s rules and procedures.

Boundaries

As a volunteer, you are an important part of a student’s life. Schools and districts often have rules and policies for appropriate interaction with students.

Some schools discourage personal interaction such as hugging or pats on the back.

While these actions may seem harmless, an outside observer may perceive them differently.

You should always check with the principal/teacher to make sure you fully understand the rules.

Discipline

Remain open with your students and let them know what is appropriate and what behavior you will not tolerate.

Classroom teachers often create a system for misbehavior.

Learn what school officials do with misbehaving students and follow the school’s procedures.

Safety

It is essential to know procedures for dealing with potentially harmful situations that affect safety and wellbeing of students.

Before you begin volunteering, know where you can access a first aid kit and where the nurse’s office is located.

Depending on your specific volunteer role, you may be asked to be CPR certified. Many community centers offer free or cheap trainings.

You should also understand school procedures for fire, severe weather, and other harmful situations.

Confidentiality

Schools have strict confidentiality rules when it comes to students.

Don’t discuss the student, his/her work, achievement record, or any other personal information with anyone but the student’s teacher or principal.

You can of course, talk to others about an interesting detail or an exciting moment you experienced while volunteering; just leave out the name of the student.

Physical, Mental, Sexual Abuse

If a student tells you of any harmful incident that happened to him/her or anyone around them, you must report this to a teacher or principal.

The teacher/principal will report the information to the correct person.

Confidentiality is extremely important.

If a student wishes to tell you something, let them know that he/she can trust you, but do not promise to keep everything a secret; you may need to retell the story to a proper authority.

Do not take matters into your own hands and do not approach the alleged abuser.

Diversity

Schools contain a collection of students from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

As a volunteer, you should prepare yourself to work with students from different backgrounds and families.

Students often have set value and belief systems taught to them by their families and guardians.

(Types of values include ethical/moral values, doctrinal/ideological (religious, political) values, social values, and aesthetic values.)

Schools are a safe place to exchange ideas and concepts.

It is not a volunteer’s place to attempt to correct or change a student’s beliefs that are otherwise not harmful to him/her, you, or others.

If a student disrespects a classroom’s diversity, it is appropriate to teach him/her why their words and actions are harmful.

Remember that diversity challenges values, adds perspective, and supports growth and development.

You may find students eager to learn about those different from themselves.

It’s healthy to support curiosity, understanding, and compassion.

It is important to respect and learn from each other.

“We must work together, learn together, live together, serve together. On the forge of common enterprise, Americans of all backgrounds can hammer out a common identity. We see it today in the United States military, in the Peace Corps, in AmeriCorps. Wherever people of all races and backgrounds come together in a shared endeavor and get a fair chance, we do just fine. With shared values and meaningful opportunities and honest communications and citizen service, we can unite a diverse people in freedom and mutual respect.”

–President Bill Clinton, State of the Union Address, January 27, 1998

For more information, visit HandsOn Network’s Education Nation site.

For more ways to get involved in schools, visit NBC’s Education Nation site.

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Posted in Education, Equip, Get HandsOn, Mobilize, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

33 Ways to Make A Difference in Schools

Monday, September 27th, 2010

From September 26-30, NBC will host Education Nation, a nationally broadcast, in-depth conversation about improving education in America.

Event highlights include a summit with top leaders in education, multi-media coverage on all NBC stations and online outlets, Teacher Town Hall with Brian Williams and interactive exhibits in Rockefeller Plaza.

Two of our national partners, University of Phoenix and American Express, are sponsors of this effort and will showcase opportunities for volunteers to make a difference in schools.

We hope this incredible conversation will inspire you to become part of the solution.

Here are 33 ways you can make a difference in schools:

  1. Assist a classroom (support a teacher)
  2. Coach a sports team
  3. Tutor
  4. Mentor a student
  5. Teach job and/ or professional skills
  6. Start a School Club: Books; Music; Drama; Art; Writing; Homework; Cooking… (What are you good at?)
  7. Volunteer as a Crossing guard
  8. Donate time as a Hallway monitor
  9. Become a playground monitor
  10. Support Service-Learning activities (see section: Practicing Service-Learning)
  11. Support the school Computer Lab
  12. Support the school Library
  13. Read a book to a classroom
  14. Start a school garden
  15. Support other parents/guardians by: carpooling, walking children home from school, waiting with children at the bus stop.
  16. Coordinate donation drives to support teachers and students
  17. Organize an annual school supply drive
  18. Organize a Fundraiser
  19. Supervise or judge the science fair
  20. Supervise evening or weekend activities
  21. Write grant proposals
  22. Attend School board meetings
  23. Chaperone events on and off school grounds (field trips, sports games)
  24. Read a book to a classroom
  25. Participate in PTA or school board meetings that take place once a week or once a month
  26. Create a classroom website for parents from home
  27. Organize a phone or email tree for parents
  28. Create classroom curriculum or materials from home
  29. Organize files for teachers from home
  30. Provide homework help to your child at home
  31. Encourage recreational reading and writing over television and video games to your child at home
  32. Supervise evening and weekend activities
  33. Organize a one-time project such as painting classrooms, school ground beautification, or a school-cleanup day

To learn more or to find a volunteer project near you, visit HandsOn Network’s Education Nation project search page.

Also, did you know that October 23rd is Make A Difference Day,the largest, annual day of service?

Make A Difference for kids in your community.

  • Spread the Word
  • Create a Project
  • Find a Project
  • Get Resources
  • Share Your Story


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Posted in Education, Inspire, Service, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Everything Changes When You Volunteer with Your Kids

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Maureen Byrne, Director, Youth and Family Engagement, generationOn

I love to be around babies.  Coming from a family of nine children, I spent a good amount of time taking caring of babies and became a sought after babysitter in my neighborhood because of my experience.   My daughter developed a similar love for babies holding and cuddling her 16 cousins.   Later, in middle school, my daughter became a certified Red Cross babysitter.  She quickly whipped up a resume, and made flyers announcing her passion, experience and availability but she was too young to take care of babies on her own and had no customers.  By high school, all of her cousins had grown up and she routinely lamented the fact that there were no more babies to hold.

When she found out that we could volunteer at a home that helps homeless teen moms with newborns, she jumped at the chance.  It was a shared interest and the time worked for both of us — early evening.  It was not too far away.  As a working mom, I can always use more opportunities to spend “quality time” with my teenage daughter.   For two hours each week, we held and fed the teen mom’s babies.  Unlike me, my daughter liked changing diapers!  At the end of the evening, she reported to the moms how “it” went and they appreciated her comments about their adorable and well-behaved babies.

By volunteering together, my daughter learned more than what it means to care for a newborn.  She learned how helping others can be transformative.  She developed confidence in herself and her abilities.  She encouraged a few of her friends to join her and demonstrated leadership by advising the other teen sitters.  I appreciated the interaction she had with the older teen moms from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.  I noticed the way my daughter felt needed, that her efforts were valued.    Volunteering together and knowing it provided a meaningful service for the moms, who had to go to class or work as a requirement to live at the home brought us closer together.  Our discussions about the babies, their moms, their parenting styles and the difficulties of being a teen mom made me feel closer to my daughter.

Our experience made me realize that volunteering with your kids has big benefits.  It teaches children the values of kindness, compassion, tolerance and community responsibility.  Family members use their talents to work on an issue they feel passionate about and feel valued for their contributions.  It strengthens communication and allows family members to be role models.  It builds shared memories.   It helps your community. ( and it is fun!)

To make the most out of volunteering as a family, check out these tips:

  • Find a volunteer activity that fits your family’s interests, schedules and that the kids can help plan.
  • Start small.  Consider a one-time event such as Family Volunteer Day or a short-term activity, before making a long-term commitment.
  • Find out what’s expected.   Ask about age requirements, safety considerations, and appropriate dress.  Attend orientation or training sessions if offered.
  • Show up on time.  Be ready to do what is needed.
  • Be patient with small children and keep them involved by praising their efforts.
  • Afterwards, talk about the experience on your drive home or during a family meal. Talk about what you did, why you did it, how it felt, and what you learned.  Celebrate your efforts. It will make all of you feel like doing it again.
  • Keep a family-volunteering scrapbook or create a family volunteering calendar. Get input from all family members in planning future activities.
  • Encourage other families you know to participate with you.

The experience of spending time with my daughter doing something we both enjoyed, worked well for both of us.

And now, she has more babysitting offers than her teenage social life permits!

Want to try family volunteering?

  • Call your department of social services to learn about your community’s needs.
  • Check out FamilyCares for family friendly project ideas.
  • Go to Kids Care Clubs learn how you can start a service club with your children and their peers.
  • Check out Doing Good Together’s family service ideas.
  • Find a HandsOn Action Center near you for volunteer activities and other resources for family volunteering .

This post was originally published as a guest post on Blogher.com.

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Posted in Education, Equip, Get HandsOn, Inspire, Mobilize, News & Links, Service, Volunteer Reflection, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Kids Make Their Mark by Going the Extra Mile

Monday, September 13th, 2010

by Kathy Saulitis, Kids Care Clubs & generationOn

Did you know that October 17th through October 23rd, 2010 is Kids Care Week?

Kids Care Week is a celebration of the power kids have to make their mark on the world by helping others. 

This year, Kids Care Week culminates on Make a Difference Day, a national day of doing good sponsored by USA Weekend, Citi and held in partnership with HandsOn Network.

To celebrate Kids Care Week 2010, we are connecting our Kids Care Week 2010 projects to The Extra Mile — Points of Light Volunteer Pathway in Washington, DC, a national monument created by the Points of Light Institute.

medallion_JAdams.gif

On The Extra Mile — Points of Light Volunteer Pathway bronze medallions honor those who have made significant contributions to our nation’s spirit of service.  By taking a walk along this path, one can learn about Wallace J. Campell, Founder of CARE,  Susan B. Anthony, suffragist, Cesar Chavez, Co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America, Millard and Linda Fuller, Founder and Co-founder of Habitat for Humanity and Harriet Tubman, leader of the Underground Railroad to free slaves. All the Extra Mile honorees have impacted millions of lives with their passion and dedication to their individual causes.

Why not plan a project for your kids? Their friends? Their class?

And while you’re at it, why not apply for one of our KIDS CARE WEEK GRANTS!

Thanks to our partnership with Hasbro Children’s Fund, in celebration of Kids Care Week 2010, generationOn will award mini-grants in the amount of $250, to support service projects that are related to the social issues the Extra Mile Honorees addressed.

Individual youth, schools, classrooms, clubs, non-profits and youth groups can apply for the mini-grants.

Take these simple steps to go the extra mile:

  • Check out the Kids Care Week Fact Sheets on the honorees to learn more about their social issues and how you can help (They’re all listed below with links). To access fact sheets visit www.kidscare.org and use limited time log-in: Makeyourmark and password: kidscare.
  • Think about your passion, your community and the world and develop a service project that tackles one of the honoree’s social issues.

Grant applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. EST on September 27, 2010.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt.  Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.  Grant recipients will be notified by October 1, 2010.  Please email questions regarding the grant to –or call  toll free at 1-.

To learn more about the 33 Extra Mile Honorees, the social issues they cared about and to get Kids Care Week volunteer project ideas, click on the individual’s fact sheet below.

NOTE: You’ll need a user name and password to access these… use mine!

USER NAME: makeyourmark

Password: kidscare

Jane Addams – Founder, Hull House

Edgar Allen – Founder, Easter Seals

Ethel Percy Andrus – Founder,  American Association of Retired Persons

Susan B. Anthony – Suffragist

Roger Baldwin – Founder, American Civil Liberties Union

Ruth Standish Baldwin and George Edmund Haynes – Co-founders of the National Urban League

Clara Barton – Founder, American Red Cross

Clifford Beers – Founder, Modern Mental Health Movement

Ballington & Maud Booth - Co-founders, Volunteers of America

William D. Boyce - Founder, Boy Scouts of America

Wallace J. Campbell – Founder, CARE

Rachel Carson – Environmentalist

Cesar Chavez - Co-founder, United Farm Workers of America

Ernest Kent Coulter - Founder, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America

Dorothea Dix - Advocate for the Reform of Institutions for the Mentally Ill

Frederick Douglass - Abolitionist

Millard and Linda Fuller – Co-founders, Habitat for Humanity

Samuel Gompers – Founder, American Federation of Labor

Charlotte and Luther Gulick – Co-founders, Camp Fire USA

William Edwin Hall – Founder, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Paul Harris – Founder, Rotary International

Edgar J. Helms - Founder, Goodwill Industries

Melvin Jones - Founder, International Association of Lions Club

Helen Keller – Founder, American Foundation for the Blind

Martin Luther King, Jr. – Civil Rights Leader

Juliette Gordon Low – Founder, Girls Scouts

John Muir - Conservationist

Mary White Ovington/W.E.B. Dubois – Founders, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Eunice Kennedy Shriver – Founder, Special Olympics

Robert Smith and William Wilson – Co-founders, Alcoholics Anonymous

Harriet Tubman – Leader of the (Underground Railroad) Effort to Free Slaves

Booker T. Washington – Civil Rights Leader

Ida Wells – Barnett – Leader of Anti-lynching Movement

Three Quick Project Ideas

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Posted in Education, Equip, Get HandsOn, Inspire, Mobilize, Service, Tools You Can Use, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

10 Steps for Volunteering in Schools

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

by Kyle Flood & Tricia Thompson of HandsOn Network;  Julie Moriarty of GenerationOn; Bonnie Andrews of Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee; and Devorah Vineburg and Anne Charneski of  Volunteer Center of Brown County

If you wish to become a full time or part time volunteer, these 10 steps will help start you off on the right path.

1.    Determine What You Can Contribute

  • How much time are you able to volunteer?
  • What time of the day are you able to volunteer?
  • Make a list of the skills you have that you could contribute to the school –this might include artistic, athletic, interpersonal, scholastic, organizational, mathematical, technological, or any other personal skill you have.
  • Make a list of things you’re passionate about. What issues interest you? This might include a passion for animals, the environment, health, safety, crime prevention, eliminating poverty, mentoring, tutoring, and so on.
  • Make a list of the kinds of work you’d like to do. In what ways can your skills and passions transfer to working with a school?

2.    Find Out What The School Needs

Are there already pre-determined opportunities for volunteers to help?

If not, find out where the school needs support:

  • Gather parents, community members, teachers, and/or staff to brainstorm school issues/needs.
  • Approach community members and parents and ask them to share their dreams for the school. What can a volunteer do to help make these dreams a reality?
  • Visit the school and discover ways to contribute. Observe a classroom and notice how a teacher works. Watch how a teacher structures the day and how he/she interacts with students. Where could a volunteer help?
  • Hold a meeting with a teacher and ask how you might be able to help in his/her classroom.
  • Hold a meeting with the school principal and ask in what ways you can volunteer.
  • Meet with a single student or a small group of students and ask about their dreams for the school.

3.    Outline a Volunteer Plan

Work with a classroom teacher, school principal, staff member, or club/sports leader to create your plan and determine ways to make the strongest impact.

4.    Outline Goals

  • What need are you addressing?
  • What does a successful end result look like?
  • What data can you track to establish success (ex. grades/test scores)?
  • What do you hope to achieve, both personally and for others?

5.    Share Your Plan and Goals

By sharing these details, you may learn of specific tricks, tips, or further ideas on how to make an impact.

6.    Use Community Resources

Schools are often under resourced; therefore, you might need to get creative about soliciting additional resources to make your project a success.

Where might you get donated materials?

7.    Follow Through on Commitment

Teachers, staff, parents, and students will become dependent on your work, especially if you are a full time or part time volunteer.

It is important to carry through with your promises and commitment.

Never bite off more than you can chew and be honest about your time commitment and availability.

If you begin to feel overwhelmed, remain open and honest about it.

8.    Evaluate Outcomes and Measure Success

Success is measured in many different ways.

Speak to teachers and school administrators beforehand to discuss appropriate benchmarks for your work.

9.    Recognize All Involved

Recognize students, teachers, staff and other volunteers.

10.    Reflect, Evaluate, and Move Forward

Reflection is strongly encouraged after every service experience.

While volunteers think about their experiences independently, a conversation among all participating students/volunteers creates a stronger sense of accomplishment and establishes a deeper connection to the school and community.

A group conversation provides structured time to think and talk about what occurred during the project.

This group conversation can often deepen student/volunteers’ understanding of the social issue your project addresses and increase their commitment to service and learning.

Here are some sample reflection questions to help facilitate a reflective discussion about the service project:

  • What issue(s) is being addressed? What did you notice happening around you during the project? What were the results/outcomes of the project?
  • So what? What did you think about during the project activity? How has it affected you?
  • Now what? What are the larger issues that caused the need for you to participate in this service activity? How did your efforts help? What else needs to be done to improve these problems? How will you apply what you learned in the future?

Now it is time to put your desires and passions to work!

Approach your local school and find ways to contribute.

Working with a school is one of the most rewarding experiences a volunteer can have.

For more information, check out the Adult Volunteers in Schools Resource Guide.

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Posted in Education, Equip, Get HandsOn, Mobilize, Service, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

26 Ways School Volunteers Change The World

Friday, August 13th, 2010

by Kyle Flood & Tricia Thompson of HandsOn Network;  Julie Moriarty of GenerationOn; Bonnie Andrews of Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee; and Devorah Vineburg and Anne Charneski of  Volunteer Center of Brown County

Volunteers are very valuable to schools.

Volunteering in a school has many benefits for students, the school, and volunteers

Benefits for Students

Students with volunteers support in their schools show:

  1. Improved grades
  2. Improved self-confidence
  3. Improved social relationships
  4. Higher test scores
  5. Higher achievement
  6. Better attendance
  7. Homework completion
  8. Greater graduation rates

When parents/guardians are involved, students tend to achieve more, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnic/racial background, or parent’s education level.

The more extensive the parent/guardian involvement, the higher the student achievement.

Students with involved parents/guardians generally have higher grades and test scores, better attendance, and more consistently completed homework.

Students with involved parents/guardians have greater graduation rates.

Students from preschool to high school benefit from involved parents and adult volunteers.

Increased adult involvement causes students to have better attitudes, more motivation, and higher self-esteem.

Suspension and disciplinary rates drop and antisocial behavior decreases.

Research indicates that when caring adults are involved in education, students do better in school and life, adults become empowered, and schools and communities grow stronger (Henderson & Berla, 1994).

Students do better when schools, families, and communities work together, and involvement (NCES, 2004) is strong.

Connecting schools, families, and communities is a key component to addressing the school dropout crisis, fostering higher educational aspirations, and motivating students. (Cotton, 2001).

Benefits for Schools

Schools with volunteer support are able to provide:

  1. Increased individual attention for students
  2. Extra hands on projects
  3. Stronger ties to the community
  4. Higher levels of parent-teacher communication
  5. Increased capacity to better serve a wider variety of youth needs
  6. Higher test/grade scores
  7. Strengthened programs
  8. Improved student behavior

Volunteers can positively impact academic achievement and social emotional development, promote career readiness, and decrease negative behaviors among young people.

Volunteers are also instrumental in creating community partnerships and promoting a positive image of the school within the community.

Millions of dollars worth of work is performed by volunteers annually (National PTA).

Benefits for Volunteers

Volunteers who serve in school enjoy:

  1. Increased time spent with children and community members
  2. Closer relationships between parents and children
  3. Improved communication, management, and interpersonal skills
  4. Improved problem-solving skills
  5. Increased self-confidence
  6. Opportunity to meet new people
  7. Clearer understanding of school structure, curriculum, and politics
  8. Valuable job experience
  9. Opportunity to serve as a role model for students
  10. Inspire, educate, and motivate future generations

Active parents, guardians, and volunteers in schools  improve personal decision-making and problem-solving skills, increase self-awareness, and foster self-confidence.

Parent/guardian volunteers form tighter bonds with their children and often find themselves having better communication at home.

In addition, parent/guardian volunteers aid their child’s transition of culture at home to culture at school (especially for ethnically diverse families). By assisting in this transition, parents learn the structure, and expectations of schools.

For more information, check out the Adult Volunteers in Schools Resource Guide.

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Posted in Education, Get HandsOn, Inspire, Service, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

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