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Greetings!
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United Way of Northwest Michigan's RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program), a Senior Corps program under the Corporation for National & Community Service, has been targeted for elimination under a bill being considered by the U.S. Senate. The cut would affect the 2011 budget and would have an immediate effect on our ability to operate the Volunteer Center.
United Way's RSVP receives 61 percent of its funding through a grant under the Corporation for National & Community Service. The elimination of that funding would drastically affect the operations of this local RSVP program and the entire Volunteer Center.
United Way of Northwest Michigan's RSVP serves the counties of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau with over 500 volunteers serving over 200 different non-profit agencies in the five-county area. During the past year, these RSVP volunteers provided 26,000 hours of service in Northwest lower Michigan.
RSVP volunteers are ages 55 and older, and through volunteering contribute a wealth of life time experience and knowledge helping to make our area a great place to live.
Other programs under the Corporation for National & Community Service that are slated to be eliminated are AmeriCorps, VISTA and the other Senior Corps program, which includes Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions. If keeping RSVP and the Volunteer Center operating is important to you or those you serve please take a moment to let our representatives in Washington know.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
We need your help to preserve RSVP. A deeply divided US Congress is debating various funding bills that effect United Way's ability to recruit and connect volunteers to the non-profit agencies who need them. Please read the following and, if you agree contact our US Senators today.
Email both of our US Senators via their websites or call and leave a message letting them know you think funding RSVP is important. Here is a sample email and phone message:
· Email - Levin Stabenow
I urge you to consider the value of Office of Services to the Agingprograms like RSVP and vote to maintain the current funding. Volunteerism in northwest Michigan helps support our nonprofit agencies and without volunteers many will close their doors.
· Phone - Levin (202) 224-6221
Stabenow (202) 224-4822
My name is _________ and I am calling from _____________. I urge the senator to consider the value of Office of Services to the Aging programs like RSVP and vote to maintain the current funding. Volunteerism in northwest Michigan helps support our nonprofit agencies and without volunteers many will close their doors.
Thank You,
Steven Wade, Executive Director
United Way of Northwest Michigan
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| Walk Without Shoes |
On April 5, United Way of Northwest Michigan is going barefoot for One Day Without Shoes. It might be cold, it'll probably be uncomfortable, and our feet will certainly get dirty, but by doing so, we'll help raise awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a person's life. We hope that you will join us for our barefoot walk through downtown Traverse City on April 5. We will be meeting at the United Way of Northwest Michigan offices at noon. We'll leave from the United Way and walk down Union Street to Front Street then walk down Front Street to Cass and back to the United Way offices on Union. In addition to our barefoot walk we will also be hosting a shoe drive April 5 through the 9. Bring new or gently used shoes to the United Way offices at 521 S Union Street. Donations will be accepted Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. One Day Without Shoes is an annual event that was started by TOMS Shoes in which students, friends, parents, strangers, and co-workers host or join barefoot events. Some go barefoot for an hour, some for the whole day, but all become a part of a greater movement toward change. |
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| Give. |
If you have not yet filed your Michigan tax return, remember you can donate a portion of your return to the United Way. Simply use form 4642 to indicate the donation amount. Click here to access a copy of form 4642.
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| Advocate. |
April 12 is the Poverty Reduction Initiative (PRI) Opportunity Conference at Bayview Wesleyan Church on the corner of Wayne Street and Division. The Conference will feature guest speaker, Dr. Donna Beegle, National Expert on Poverty. Child Care will be provided. For more information click here. |
Volunteer.
National Volunteer Week
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April 10-16, 2011, is about inspiring, recognizing and
encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It's about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.
National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change-discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation. National Volunteer Week is not only our moment in time to celebrate our volunteers, but to enable a nation to share ideas, practices, and stories, wherever they happen thereby shaping a movement to re-imagine the notion of citizenship for the 21st century.
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| PRI Mentoring Breakfast | |
Wednesday, April 13 the Poverty Reduction Initiative's Mentoring Group will hold its annual breakfast at Faith Reformed Church in Traverse City. The morning will include a free breakfast, updates on the groups work and a keynote address from MSU Extension's Mentoring Specialist Lisa Bottomley entitled, "Do No Harm - Ethical Practices in Mentoring." To register, call 231.947.3200 x 209. A flier for the event can be found by clicking on this link.
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| Empty Bowls Event | |
The Empty Bowls event to benefit the Fresh Food Partnership is coming up April 17 at the Hagerty Center. The Fresh Food Partnership has a two-fold mission: to provide locally grown, healthy and fresh food to people in need through the food pantries, shelters and community meals programs in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties in Michigan and to support local agricultureby purchasing fresh produce from area farms at fair market prices.
For more information on this event please visit their website.
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CAT Members Needed
We are looking for 3 more people to serve on the Youth Grants Citizen Action Team (CAT). This team will meet on June 2 & 3 to interview representatives from area programs serving young people in the 5-county area. Following the interviews the team will award grants to the most effective and efficient programs.
If you are interested in being on this team please click here and fill out the short form. |
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Alternative Spring Break
In 11 short days Michelle Gallagher and Amanda Hilt will be embarking on an adventure to New Orleans with 10 students from NMC. While in New Orleans they will be helping to re-build houses for families who lost their homes during Hurricane Katrina. The trip is being funded solely on donations from the public and fundraisers that the students have put on. If you would like to make a donation you can do so by clicking here.
Keep your eyes out for updates on their trip which will be posted to  and our  . |
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