Posts Tagged ‘Points of Light Institute’

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The Road to Marting Luther King, Jr. Day: Tools You Can Use

Monday, December 20th, 2010

There are a lot of resources available for all of your Martin Luther King, Jr. Day projects.  Whether you’re volunteering on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a local nonprofit, planning a volunteer project of your own, or aren’t quite sure what to do, we have something you can use to make serving on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a better experience for you and the organizations you’re serving with.

We even have ways to participate in events that highlight Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community, and that don’t have to take place on January 17, 2011 in case you can’t devote the day to service.

On Sunday, January 16, people will come together across the nation for a Sunday Supper.  A meal hosted by someone who wants to bring together community members to talk about the problems facing their community and how to solve them.  Sunday Suppers are being held at people’s homes and community gathering places.  They’re meals prepared by the host, pot luck suppers, and dinners in restaurants.  Overall, they’re an opportunity to come together to start making change in communities across the nation.

Sunday Suppers are also being held to bring people together to watch America’s Sunday Supper; a meal with service leaders from across the nation talking about how community service can help solve the problems facing our communities and nation.  Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute, Dikembe Mutombo, Robert Egger, founder and President of DC Central Kitchen, and others will come together to talk about how community service can be the solution to our communities’ problems.

Community Cinema events are happening across the country, and you can .  The films featured at the Community Cinemas highlight the impact of individuals on their communities.  It’s a great place to start the conversation about how you can make a change in your community.

If you’re planning your own service project, we have step-by-step plans for creating and implementing your own service project and a toolbox full of planning aids.

You can even find tools and activities to help get families and youth involved in service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  There are tips for bringing service-learning to the classroom, resources to help teach youth about giving and volunteerism, and fun activities to help youth learn about Dr. King and his work.

Tell us about your Martin Luther King, Jr. Day service projects in the comments, and let us know what resources you need.

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Posted in Tools You Can Use, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Change Notes: A Quick Note of Sharing and Celebration

Friday, December 17th, 2010

"Volunteer"

Friends,

As many of you know, each year L’Oreal recognizes 10 extraordinary women change agents, a program that Points of Light Institute has helped support for more than five years.

Last week I had the privilege of attending the L’Oreal Women of Worth event in New York City, where the awards were presented by such celebrities as singer Tricia Yearwood and actress Kerry Washington.

The evening was hugely inspiring, and the stories of these amazing women were a great reminder of what we are all capable of accomplishing in the world.  The honorees themselves were profoundly touched and transformed by their experiences, and several former winners returned to share how the recognition had helped them extend their work.

volunteer, volunteering, volunteerism, L'Oreal, women of worthI presented the award to a young women, Simone Bernstein, who at the age of 12 began to create an organization and Website to connect young people to volunteer work with nonprofits.  She has inspired 1,500 young people in St. Louis to being life-long journeys of service.  Other honorees started medical clinics, a project to support military service widows, and efforts to help young women escape prostitution and sex trafficing.  I encourage you all to access the Women of Worth Website to read their stories.

On another celebratory note, generationOn, our new youth-services division, exceeded its goal and in one week activated 117,104 service pledges from young people and, in turn, Hasbro donated 117,104 toys, worth $2.6 million, to the Toys for Tots Holiday Gift Campaign for needy children. Whole classes of schoolchildren pledged and joined generationOn, and in at least one case, a school of 1,500 students made service commitments. Entire fraternity chapters, Kids Care Clubs, families, and scout troops pledged.

This effort was a great example of mobilization and activation, whose legacy will be tens of thousands of the next generation introduced to the power of service and how they can transform the world.

These are just two examples of the great work that is happening across the organization during this Season of Giving. Let’s celebrate these gifts of inspiration and mobilization.
In service,

Michelle Nunn

CEO, Points of Light Institute, and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network

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Post-election Thoughts: What Matters More Than Ever

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Michelle Nunnby Michelle Nunn, CEO, Points of Light Institute and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network

The election is now behind us, and it’s clear that many citizens wanted a change.  There is a frustration with the current state of affairs and the direction of the country.  Often it seems that voters selected candidates without enthusiasm or confidence that the current political system is capable of dealing with the tough challenges.

Forty years ago, John W. Gardner founded Common Cause by saying, “Everybody’s organized but the people.  Now it’s the citizens’ turn.”

This invocation seems particularly relevant today.  We have dynamic and engaged citizens who are creating new platforms for organizing.  Across the nation, there are individuals, “super-empowered citizens,” who are leading others and creating innovative change.  These leaders are emblematic of the best spirit of America.  They are tackling tough problems through direct service and creative action.  They are joining hands across differences, political and otherwise, and acting to create practical and pragmatic solutions.  We need to do more to highlight and lift them up and to follow their lead.

The current giant game of virtual Tag we launched last week is one innovative way to reach and connect individuals who can and want to make a difference.  People sign up for a volunteer commitment, then tag their friends through Twitter or Facebook or email to join their commitment or create their own.  (The interactive Tag web site is www.gethandson.com.) This is a celebration of the “hands on” network of service leaders who are creating change in our nation and world.

John Gardner, that remarkable civic entrepreneur and champion of citizen action, also said, “Don’t let the vast superstructure of civilization mislead you.  Everything comes back to the talent and energy and sense of purpose of human beings.”

People — people involved in the political system, in their communities, and acting as global citizens — are the answer.

After 9-11, Susan Morissette started a quilt in the form of a U.S flag to allow children to express their feelings about victims of that tragic day.  That “Heart of America” quilt now covers an acre and weighs almost one ton.  She recently said, “Over the years I found that it was not only our children that needed to feel helpful.  Our nation, in fact our world, needed that unity…When the chips are down, people come together. I have one acre of visual proof.”

Susan is one of our Daily Points of Light Award winners, and she is one of the citizens who is creating change through her passion and action.  On Tuesday she was elected for the first time to office as a member of Maine’s House of Representatives.

We need leaders such as Susan to continue to lead grassroots change and also to step into the political system to serve in public office.  We need leaders on both sides of the aisle who can find ways of stitching us together and helping us unite in common purpose around the tough challenges of our day.

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Tag — A Game To Restore Idealism

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Michelle NunnToday’s post comes from Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute and Co-founder of HandsOn Network.  It originally appeared in the Huffington Post on October 28, 2010.

As we approach the election, a barrage of political advertisements and commentary showcase the current and future electoral leaders of our nation.  Unfortunately, the reaction from the majority of the public seems to be one of profound disappointment and a collective shudder.  Politics increasingly feels like a game, but one that is played outside the bounds of civility and with only short-term winners.  And it feels like a game in which the real victory — building a stronger nation — has been lost.  A polarizing media, the lowest common denominator appeal of negative advertising, a trivializing and superficial coverage of the issues, and a failure of political courage all contribute to a disillusioning electoral landscape.

And yet, at a grassroots level, our civic landscape has great vibrancy and there are reasons for both optimism and idealism.  Across the nation, there are individuals, “super-empowered citizens”, who are leading others and creating innovative change.  Each day, Points of Light recognizes some of these outstanding grassroots leaders.  Individuals such as Christopher Fought, who after leading a team of volunteers from Ligonier, IN, to the Gulf Coast to help rebuild in the wake of Katrina, was inspired to mobilize his own community.  He founded Operation Foundation, a week-long clean and revitalization effort to restore Ligonier’s downtown.  With a budget of just under $8,000, Operation Foundation completed $250,000 worth of work in 2009.  More than 600 volunteers, or 12 percent of the town’s total population, showed up to help.

Individuals such as Renee Van Heel, who did not bow to despair when wildfires devastated her community in San Diego.  Instead, she started “Fired Up Sisters,” a group that has grown to include 600 women actively working to get fire victims back into their homes and help fire victims to become fire survivors.

These leaders are emblematic of the best spirit of America.  We need to do more to highlight and lift them up and to follow their lead.  So at a time of political bad sportsmanship and increasing cynicism, I want to encourage people to jump into a “game” that celebrates grassroots leaders and idealism and encourages positive action.  Points of Light Institute is launching the Get HandsOn Tag Challenge, an innovative digital and social media initiative to inspire and engage an extraordinary number of Americans to bring positive change to their communities.  Tag is, more simply put, the game you remember as a youth, but we’ve updated it for the 21st century and added a healthy dose of social consciousness.

With a powerful community-driven website, Tag invites you to create, or commit to, a service project, then “tag” your friends, family members and co-workers to come online and do the same.  The site also lets you connect with other service-minded individuals, share stories of impact and see the ripple effect of positive change.  And although service is a prize in and of itself, we have included some other great prizes to raise the stakes.  But have no doubt, the underlying stakes of this game are high.  Tag is a fun game with serious intent — we are lifting up individuals who are changing the world, recognizing them by “tagging them” and encouraging those that are on the sidelines of change to join in the game.

Beyond the charged rhetoric and the inflammatory electoral accusations, millions of leaders in our communities are quietly tackling tough problems through direct service and creative civic action.  They are gathering neighbors together to re-imagine parks, rallying around local schools to ensure better futures for our students, and helping equip families for financial self-sufficiency through financial counseling.  They are joining hands across differences, political and otherwise, and acting to create practical and pragmatic solutions.

So… Tag, You’re it!  This is a game that will remind you about what really matters.  And perhaps it will encourage you to remember that at its base, the game of elections is about creating positive change and ultimately uniting behind leaders.  Leaders, who like all of us, are flawed, but have stepped into the arena with the hopes of creating a stronger nation.  Join us at www.gethandson.com and let’s unite around something we all can believe in — the power of the individual to create change by serving, advocating, organizing, and voting.

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Make A Difference Day 2010

Monday, November 1st, 2010

Saxon SeayMake A Difference Day 2010 was Saturday, October 23.  We’ve heard a lot of great stories about different service projects around the nation, and we wanted to share them with you!  Today’s  post comes from Saxon Seay, a member of our Marketing and Events team at HandsOn Network.


As I was driving through the north Georgia “mountains,” I felt incredibly inspired and renewed.  Each fall as the leaves on the trees change and surround my neighborhood with color, I think about the ways that change is good and can bring beauty, hope and transformation to the world.

True transformation is powerful.  Witnessing such powerful change is one of the greatest things about being a part of the staff at HandsOn Network as we have a unique opportunity to bring change to communities around the country and world as we mobilize others in service.

For me, this fall kicked off with Make a Difference Day: the “National Day of Doing Good” on Saturday, October 23.

For 20 years, we (HandsOn Network) and USA Weekend magazine have partnered to sponsor Make A Difference Day. This effort has grown over the years to include over 3 million volunteers young and old, individuals and families, and people from every walk of life, in cities and communities large and small.

Two weeks ago we heard from Kienan Lacey of generationOn as she and a team from generationOn and Points of Light Institute traveled to Washington D.C. to lead the amazing generationOn launch. Hundreds of kids participated in a service walk at the Extra Mile – the only national monument recognizing important civic and service leaders in our nation. They learned about the heroes of the volunteering and service movement and then participated in service projects to “Make Their Mark” on the world.

Many of our 250 affiliates also lead service projects in celebration of Make A Difference Day.  Their work was powered by Citi Group who aligned its fifth annual Global Community Day with Make A Difference Day to engage 47,000 volunteers in more than 100 countries in service projects!

From kids in D.C. to volunteers around the world, stories like these reinforce to me the potential and power of individuals to make real change. It’s clear that the thousands of projects planned in celebration of Make A Difference Day contributed to a greater national effort to build more robust education systems, protect green spaces and renovate public spaces among many other works.

Many, many thanks to all of you – our corporate and non-profit partners and our special volunteers – for getting HandsOn! and making a big difference in the lives of millions of your friends and neighbors this Make A Difference Day.

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was Jake Loggins!  Jake 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 Craig for swag!


Are YOU up to the challenge?

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generationOn: A New Global Youth Service Movement

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

"Volunteer"

Friends,

Imagine the power of young people such as Hasbro Community Hero Cole Layman, 12, who started the Paws for Thumbs up for servicePeace Kids Care Club in Tampa. Cole led this group in 20 service projects in his community.  Then, when he moved to Virginia, he volunteered to tutor younger students who needed academic help and urged his school to establish its first annual Random Acts of Kindness week.  In his “spare” time he composes songs to play at local senior centers, and he and his family have formed a band, “In Layman Terms,” to play those songs.

Imagine thousands of such creative, energetic kids, committed to service that resonates with their passions.

That’s why this past Saturday was such a momentous day for Points of Light Institute as we launched generationOn, a global youth service movement.  generationOn aims to ignite the power and potential of young people to solve real world problems through service. Under the umbrella of Points of Light, it gathers a variety of leading youth service resources under one umbrella.  Its innovative new Website, generationon.org, offers tools and inspiration for kids, families, teachers, and nonprofits.

New Resources for Kids, Families, and Schools

generationOn’s assets include the programs of “Children for Children,” The League, and the philanthropy curriculum “Learning to Give.”  It also includes 1,800 Kids Care Clubs and thousands of schools that reach more than two milllion students in all 50 states and around the world.  Its efforts are supported by a generous $5 million gift from The Hasbro Children’s Fund, the philanthropic arm of Hasbro, Inc.

During Saturday’s launch, young people walked the Points of Light Extra Mile Pathway honoring such past service heroes as Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, and Martin Luther King Jr. Political commentator Cokie Roberts told them they each had the power to change the world. Then the kids rolled up their sleeves and put together hats and scarves for the homeless, wrapped 200 toys to donate for the holidays, and wrote 375 letters to the military. Actors Corbin Bleu and Madison Pettis, 12, joined us, encouraging the kids to get involved.

Finally, each young person pledged a commitment to service to fulfill over the next year.  They pledged to “feed the homeless and sing”, “inspire”, “create a recycling program”, and much more.

generationOn and The Hub

On Sunday, the brand-new generationOn announced its partnership with The Hub, the network and online venture from Hasbro, Inc. and Discovery Communications which is available in 60 million U.S. cable and satellite homes. The Justin Bieberpartnership will include televised messages supporting community service, an annual youth service event, strategic linking between generationon.org and hubworld.com, and a new “Hub Hero Award” recognizing youth who create meaningful change in their communities. The first winner is Allegra Valdivia, 12, from California, who was honored at the star-studded “Variety 2010 Power of Youth” event in Los Angeles for her efforts to help those in need. Young Hollywood activists and philanthropists attending included Justin Bieber, Bow Wow, and Shailene Woodley.

Get in the Game

We will shortly be announcing an innovative twist to our multi-year Get HandsOn Campaign to mobilize 500,000 volunteer leaders to complete 2 million projects.  You can whet your appetite for a special game of Tag by clicking on this .

In Service,

Michelle Nunn

CEO, Points of Light Institute and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network

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generationOn–Empowering Kids to Better Their World

Monday, October 25th, 2010

This post originally appeared on The Huffington Post on October 25, 2010.

Michelle Nunnby Michelle Nunn, CEO, Points of Light Institute and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network

This past Saturday hundreds of young people joined together to launch generationOn, a global youth service movement that encourages all kids to discover their power and potential to solve real world problems through service.  Powered by Points of Light Institute and supported by Hasbro, we officially kicked off this global movement in the heart of Washington, DC, on Make a Difference Day, the nation’s largest day of volunteer service.  It was the culmination of a week’s worth of activities that involved more than 26,000 young people in service ranging from book drives to adopt-a-shark programs — imagined and executed by kids.

Filling out pledge badgesThe kick-off event involved young people, from pre-school through 12th grade, in a “service walk” along the Points of Light Extra Mile Pathway. They learned about how service leaders such as Clara Barton, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Susan B. Anthony created social change movements and how all change begins with the spark of an individual.  As political commentator Cokie Roberts said as she spoke to the young people, “Each one of you has the power to change the world and to make your mark,” just as these heroes have done.

And as members of this new generation reflected upon their power, they rolled up their sleeves to act.  They made hats and scarves for the homeless, painted reusable canvas tote bags, wrapped toys to donate for the holidays and wrote letters to armed service members.  Over the course of a few hours, they wrote 375 letters to the military, wrapped 200 Hasbro toys and put together 310 winter warming packages for the homeless.

Actors Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) and Madison Pettis (The Game Plan, Cory in the House) joined us in service, lending their support and encouraging the young people to get involved.  “We start a movement and help make the world better,” said 12-year-old Pettis.  Bleu echoed that thought and brought excitement and inspiration as he shared his passion about the power of service and giving of yourself to create more good.

Corbin Bleu and kids thumbs up for service

Hasbro Community Action Hero Cole Layman performed with his family’s band “In Layman Terms”, embodying the generationOn creative spirit of giving.  Cole, 12, started the Paws for Peace Kids Care Club in Tampa, which he led in 20 projects.  When he moved to Virginia last year, he volunteered to help younger students who needed academic and social help.  He also helped the school establish its first annual Random Acts of Kindness Week.

And finally, each young person pledged a commitment to service to fulfill over the next year.  Their pledges were to “feed the homeless and sing”, “help my community”, “inspire”, “create a recycling program” and many more.  Their aspirations symbolized the power and inspiration of what generationOn is about — igniting the power of all kids to make their mark by creating meaningful change in the world.  We hope these commitments will grow to encompass millions more across the nation and the world.

generationOn brings together a variety of leading youth service resources under one umbrella, including the programs of “Children for Children” and The League and the philanthropy curriculum “Learning to Give”.  It also includes 1,800 Kids Care Clubs and thousands of schools that reach more than two million young people in all 50 states and around the world.

The Hasbro Children’s Fund, the philanthropic arm of Hasbro, Inc., is supporting generationOn with a generous $5 million gift, enabling us to offer a continuum of resources to students, families, schools, and teachers through, among other things, a new interactive website.  We are bringing the fun and inspiration of unique assets and properties to bear in creating a unique movement to engage the power and energy of kids.  Key program initiatives include a national youth leadership program, recognition programs, a club model that allows kids to participate in service around the globe, a signature kid-powered volunteer week, youth service grants, and significant support for the non-profit and education fields.

Historically, change has often been driven by the idealism, passion, and energy of young people — from the civil rights movement to the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia.  We have never had a greater need for creative action in the world, and we have never had a more willing and ready new generation that stands ready to meet them.

Please visit generationOn.org to see the amazing resources available for parents, teachers, and kids to make their mark on the world.

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Posted in Michelle Nunn, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

generationOn’s Heroes

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

by Kienan Lacey, Manager of Marketing and Development, generationOn.

Heroes.

Everyone has a hero in their life.

Whether it’s a superhero or a family member, we all have heroes we look up to. But not all of us realize that we can be heroes too!

It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live. We can all be heroes by taking action and volunteering.

I work at generationOn, the newly-created youth service division of Points of Light Institute, an organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world.  At generationOn, we believe in the power of KIDS to change the world, and the power of volunteering to change the lives of kids.  This is why I am so excited for the launch event of generationOn this Saturday, October 23, 2010 (9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.), at the Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway in the heart of Washington, D.C.!

I have planned many service events over the years, but nothing like this before! The generationOn launch event is not just a day or service- it is the start of a service movement- a global service movement- that will teach all kids that they can be heroes in their community by volunteering.

Just steps outside of the White House, hundreds of kids will participate in meaningful service projects like creating fleece scarves for the elderly or decorating reusable tote bags to help the environment.  And everyone will have the unique opportunity to go on a tour of the Extra Mile, my most favorite monument in Washington, D.C. This amazing monument is so special because it honors American heroes who changed our world for the better through service. Kids will learn about Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, and more!

With the support of a generous, $5 million investment by the Hasbro Children’s Fund, generationOn is helping young people develop into healthy, empowered, creative problem-solvers and global leaders.

October 23rd will be a historic day for our next generation of heroes. I am proud to work at generationOn and hope that everyone will join me and the generationOn movement!

This is the time! Become a hero! Make your mark and make a difference!

Kienan Lacey is the Manager of Marketing and Development at generationOn. She become involved with the organization as a volunteer and has worked there for the last three years. Kienan was born and raised in New York City and graduated from Santa Clara University.

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Looking Forward to New York!

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Broadway show billboards at the corner of 7th ...

I’m taking a moment away from what is going to be a crazy week to reflect on how excited I am for this year’s National Conference on Volunteering and Service.  Every year I look forward to this time with colleagues across the Network and the sector, but I am particularly excited this year since is where I was born and raised.  It’s been a while since I called New York my home, but it’s just not a place you ever forget.

As we all scramble around this week to prepare for over 5,000 conference attendees, I salute and celebrate the hard work of my peers who are on the planning team at Points of Light Institute and HandsOn Network and applaud the staff of New York Cares, our local HandsOn Action Center.  New York Cares is an amazing example of the work of our affiliates, and this Conference celebrates what they do each and every day.

So, yes, I am looking forward to time in my home town, but what I’m most excited about is learning, connecting and participating at this year’s Conference (oh, and running in ).

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Cooking Up New Opportunities by Volunteering

Monday, June 14th, 2010

by Katrina Kibben & Veronica Parages

This post originally appeared on Monster.com’s blog and it is republished here with their permission.

Volunteering can be a great way to network and gain career skills while helping give back to the community.  Monster recently teamed up with Points of Light Institute- HandsOn Network as part of our 2010 Keep America Working Tour to deliver volunteer opportunities to job seekers.

We spoke with Veronica Parages, Director, Skills-Based Volunteering at Points of Light Institute – HandsOn Network to get more information about how volunteering can benefit your job search. A French native and cooking enthusiast, Veronica is going to take a crack at using cooking as a reference point to answer some questions about her other passion: volunteerism!

Are volunteer organizations looking for a specific age range? Is it better to be older, younger, or can anyone with a passion to help others volunteer?

Any age is perfect! Volunteering on a project is like helping in the kitchen. Even if you don’t know how to cook, everyone has unique skills and talents that can be put to use. The same is true for volunteering- you have skills that can help others, professional or personal, and as long as you’re willing to give it a try, volunteer organizations will help you find a project that meets your competencies.

How can volunteering help a job search?  Does it help with networking?

Let’s use another cooking reference.  Suppose you know a good Chef, an expert who was recently laid off during these tough economic times. Without a full time job, a chef could choose to stay in bed all day. But, because they’re helping the food bank to find new resources, they’re meeting vendors to get some fresh ingredients for free.  They feel helpful and productive, and stay engaged in the community. In the process, they meet new people, expanding their network of contacts. A growing network is one way to increase your chances of finding employment and it all started with volunteering.

How do you see volunteerism playing into a larger career development strategy?

Chefs aren’t born cooking- they must learn. Volunteering your expertise, sometimes working completely outside your normal realm, could help you develop leadership skills. Suddenly you’ve got a whole new set of skills to offer an employer and again, more opportunities to find a new job. Plus, volunteering is a great way to try something new in a low risk environment. Who knows- you may find your true passion in the process.

What tips do you have for people who might be volunteering for the first time?

  1. Be open-minded: Skills-based volunteering is a new world that can give you a lot but is quite different from a business environment!
  2. Nonprofit organizations need help to be helped: Here is an example: I was talking to a young volunteer when I discovered he specialized in logistics. He was currently volunteering every Saturday for a food bank delivering meals. He liked what he was doing but was disappointed that the distribution system wasn’t efficient and that he was not delivering to the same families every week. I suggested he offer up his logistics knowledge to the food bank to help reorganizing the food distribution. His skills and help would be appreciated and he, and the other volunteers, would be able to have more impact as they continued their food deliveries.  Be proactive in proposing your talents, skills, and knowledge.
  3. Be creative! This is your opportunity! Constraints and lack of resources in the nonprofit sector shouldn’t stop you! Think outside the box, put your “noodles” to find solutions… it is worth it

What’s the most unique or offbeat volunteer organization you know of?

HandsOn Network of course!!  We are always trying to find new recipes and skills-based volunteering is just one. We want to connect the right volunteer with the right skills to the right project for a major impact- how great is that!  Contact HandsOn Network at one of its 242 Action Centers across the United States to discover skills-based volunteering initiatives or to find the right project for you check out the Hands On Network website. If you are interested by the subject, the National Conference of Volunteering and Service is offering plenty of opportunities to learn more about skills-based volunteering, just click here!

Now – get out there and start cooking, I mean, volunteering your skills!

Want to learn more about volunteering to develop your professional skills while you’re unemployed? Check out this video with a volunteer answering a frequently asked question about volunteering.

Also, if you’re interested in a culinary career, check out our community- Chef’s Blade.

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Posted in Economy, Equip, Inspire, Mobilize, News & Links, Service, Tools You Can Use, Volunteering, Volunteerism | No Comments »

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