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| Thank you , |
HandsOn Inland Empire staff and family wishes you a happy holiday season!
Inland Empire United Way's Volunteer Initiative, HandsOn Inland Empire, would like to take a moment to thank all of its volunteers, agency partners, and sponsors for another great year full of impactful service to the community.
Because of you and your commitment to making the community a better place to live and work, you have helped bring much needed love and attention to individuals, families, children and youth, animals, and the environment throughout the Inland Empire.
Thank you for all the work you have done this past year and all the work you plan to do in the coming year!
This month's eNewsletter highlights some of the major achievements of HandsOn Inland Empire from 2009.
Sincerely,
Volunteer Initiative, HandsOn Inland Empire
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| Volunteer Statistics for 2009 |
23 New Projects
43 New Project Leaders Trained
6,497.975 Hours Served by HOIE volunteers
$140,088.85 put back in the community through volunteering
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| Days of Service
MLK Day 2009 |
In 2009, HandsOn Inland Empire led more than 500 volunteers in transforming lessons learned from Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign into community service projects that addressed the limitations and injustices that are a result of poverty.
These projects ranged from animal support, school clean ups, neighborhood revitalizations, as well as a community conversation that discussed issues of poverty as they related to communities of the Inland Empire. This day of service had several components.
The first component of MLK Day 2009 involved volunteers joining forces with local community leaders in a discussion about Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign and how the components of the Campaign could be addressed locally.
HandsOn Inland Empire also partnered with the Pomona Weed and Seed Strategy for this Day of Service to engage volunteers in neighborhood revitalization. Volunteers helped to beautify the Abbey/Karesh neighborhood of Pomona by assisting in trash clean-up, landscaping projects, and other tasks that will help to provide a sense of community to a neighborhood in Pomona. This project saw over 200 volunteers!
For the third component of the day of service, HandsOn Inland Empire partnered with 7 other community organizations to develop projects that served to meet critical needs in the communities. Projects addressed issues related to Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign and not only served an opportunity to volunteer but an opportunity to learn about Dr. King, his message, and how that message can be leverage to create change in local communities.
HandsOn Volunteers from Pitzer College make puppets to assist youth improve their literacy skills at the Abbey/Karesh Community Center. |
| Special Projects
TeamConnect |
This round of Service 101 proved to be a success with projects that focused on creating sustainable communities through environmental volunteer action with projects that addressed recycling, reducing water consumption, reusing and recycling materials.
The last project was culminated with clean-up collaboration between the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District and HandsOn Inland Empire at the North Etiwanda Preserve in Alta Loma to address removing trash and invasive items from the preserved land for natural habitat.
Volunteers reclaimed over three tons of garbage and cement, rock, concrete combined from the park.
 Volunteers plant California Native plants in bio-degradable planters at the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park after taking a tour of the park and learning more about water conservation.
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TeenConnect |
As part of our effort to increase service among youth, HandsOn Inland Empire introduced more "teen friendly" programming which included our TeenConnect series.
TeenConnect focused on engaging high school students in service, as well as informing youth about issues in local communities.
Under the guidance of HandsOn Inland Empire's AmeriCorps*VISTA, a team of high school students conducted four service learning projects over four months.
These volunteers, ages 15 through 18, dedicated four hours once a month over a four month period, with each project occurring at a different community organization. The projects focused on the theme of "healthy living" and consisted of the volunteers leading children in preparing healthy snacks, planting a vegetable/herb garden, creating a fun and healthy environment at an elementary school, and making healthy cookbooks.
 HandsOn youth volunteers plant a vegetable garden at a local elementary school in Redlands to illustrate the health benefits of eating organic locally grown vegetables |
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Season of Service |
In 2009, HandsOn Inland Empire launched Season of Service, a series of projects that focuses on serving different impact areas and populations once a month.
HandsOn Inland Empire kicked off the summer with Season of Service: Summer fun and ice cream socials. This project series focused on providing ice cream socials and games for families at three local homeless shelters within the Inland Empire.
The fall series Family Fun and Funky Celebrations focused on providing social time and fun holiday crafts for families at local non-profits. Each project provided sustenance, fun and companionship for families and children.
We will start off the next year with our winter series focused on serving seniors. Sign up today! |
| HOT Project of 2009 |
Sending Smiles with Cards was adopted in August of 2009 and since its inception on the HandsOn Inland Empire calendar, it has proven to be one of our most popular projects of the year.
Each month volunteers have helped to make greeting cards for the children at the Pomona Valley and the Loma Linda Children's Hospitals.
We have received several thank you's from the volunteer staff at the hospitals to let our volunteers know what a great joy it is for the children to receive these thoughtful cards.
We are looking forward to another great year with Sending Smiles with Cards. Sign up today!
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| Salon Success Academies |
Holiday Party For Families From Local Family Shelters
On December 19th, HandsOn Inland Empire partnered with Salon Success Academies in Upland to provide guests from local family shelters a special holiday party.
Salon Success Academies provided an "All About Family" holiday drive, complimentary salon services, including haircuts, manicures, and makeup applications.
Each family also had the opportunity to take a professional family portrait and the children were able to visit with Santa.
Complimentary haircuts at Salon Success Academies Upland campus for their special guests.
Additional complimentary spa treatments were also available.
Complimentary family portraits.
Child visiting with Santa Claus.
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| AmeriCorps VIP |
AmeriCorps VIP members pose with Ronald McDonald before a service project at the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House
2009 saw an expansion of the HandsOn Inland Empire staff with 7 new AmeriCorps members added. As part of a new state-wide initiative, the Volunteer Infrastructure Program (VIP) was designed to address the significant challenges faced by California communities due to the recent economic downturn. As a local organization working to increase volunteer capacity within local nonprofits in the Inland Empire, HandsOn Inland Empire was awarded a team of AmeriCorpsmembers to accomplish the goals of the VIP program, as well as those of HandsOn Inland Empire.
Members were placed at host sites throughout the community to develop volunteer programs and harness the desire to serve and directly impact communities in need. The seven host sites include: Boys and Girls Club of Fontana; Desert Communities United Way; Desert Manna Ministries; Inland Valley Hope Partners; Pacific Lifeline; Reach Out West End; and United Way of the Inland Valleys.
AmeriCorps VIP members are making a difference in the community and the lives of local children, youth, and families and receive a monthly stipend, educational scholarship, loan deferment, free training, and gain valuable experience, as well as expand our efforts to create change through service.
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| Getting Connected with HandsOn Inland Empire |
As part of its continued effort to build community among its volunteers, HandsOn Inland Empire started the year 2009 with wanting to engage its volunteers through use of social media. In 2009, HandsOn Inland Empire introduced a blog as well as accounts on Facebook and Twitter to increase the accessibility and interaction with other people and organizations that strive to make this world a better place.
Currently, HandsOn Inland Empire is connected to approximately 140 people and organizations on both Facebook and Twitter. Also, its blog is designed to engage volunteers of all ages, skill levels, and volunteer interests.
It is HandsOn Inland Empire's hope that these social media platforms will increase the sense of community among its volunteers and promote volunteerism throughout the Inland Empire.
If you have not done so already, please join us on Blogspot, Facebook, and Twitter. These social networking sites provide an easy and fun way to stay current with all of HandsOn Inland Empire's latest news!
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Give a Day, Get a Disney Day!
It's up to you to make it happen!
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Starting January 1, 2010, Disney and HandsOn Inland Empire (an affiliate of the HandsOn Network) will be offering up to one million park admission tickets to people who volunteer with HandsOn Inland Empire and other participating organizations.
To
take advantage of this amazing opportunity, you must
sign-up and register through www.disneyparks.com. Those who do not sign-up on Disney's website first are not eligible for a free ticket!
Contact Denise School at (909) 980-2857 ext. 223 or visit the FAQ section about Disney's Give A Day, Get A Disney Day.
You must pre-register and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunities as they become available. Ticket quantities for this program are limited. Must be at least age 6 to participate. Other terms and conditions apply.
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| Become a Project Leader
It's easy and FUN! |
Each month our volunteer initiative, HandsOn Inland Empire (HOIE), offers training to our volunteers who are looking for a deeper commitment to service. This fun, informative two-hour training will tell you everything you need to start leading projects. It's easy! If you're enthusiastic, enjoy people, like to organize, and want to make a difference here in the Inland Empire, sign up today!Interested in leading a project? To find out what projects we need leaders for click here.
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Our Sponsors
Thank you!
Anheuser Busch
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Starbucks Coffee
Target
Union Bank of California
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Forward this eNewsletter
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Help us spread the word. Imagine how many people we could reach if everyone forwards this to five people.
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| Volunteer Initiative Advisory Board |
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Greg Brittain
Attorney-at-Law
Christy Campbell
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Dr. Rick DeBruyne
Lincoln Community Church
Richard Granados
RDS Insurance Brokers
Lowell King
Goodwill Industries of the Inland Counties
Paul Knopf
Pomona Unified School District
Peggy Long
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Diane Podolske, Ph.D.
California State University, San Bernardino
Terri Relf
The Macerich Corporation
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| Did you know? |
HandsOn Inland Empire offers diverse opportunities for individuals to serve local communities including our Alternative Sentencing Program.
In conjunction with the San Bernardino County Courts, this program places individuals, who are court mandated as part of their sentence, at nonprofit organizations to provide voluntary services.
These volunteers average about 6000 hours of service per month which provides about $136, 200 worth of impact within San Bernardino County.
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| Census 2010: "It's in our hands" |
Just 10 questions can change your community. Be counted in 2010.
Link for more information.
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