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Building a culture of service by providing vision and resources
to strengthen communities through volunteerism
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July 2011

   
     
In This Issue
Check out Michigan's Prudential Spirit of Community Winners
Have you seen these national service videos?
Learn about the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Collaborative
 
 
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In the News
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Smarter Summers Project comes to Detroit
Smarter Summers

Smarter Summers will engage thousands of middle schoolers in cities across the country - including Detroit - through high-quality summer learning programs managed by BELL, Higher Achievement, Summer Advantage, and THINK Together. The project is supported by the Walmart Foundation.

BELL(which stands for Building Educated Leaders for Life) exists to transform the academic achievements, self-confidence, and life trajectories of children living in under-resourced urban communities. BELL is a leading non-profit provider of research-based, educational summer and afterschool experiences for children in grades K-8, who demonstrate the greatest academic and economic needs.

While in Detroit for the next three years, BELL will focus on two main challenges for students: the fact that nine out of 10 youth in the city qualify for free and reduced lunch and acute malnutrition among disadvantaged youth in Detroit.

With 1,000 youth served in 2011 alone, Detroit will be one of the largest Smarter Summers cities across the country. If you'd like to learn more about the Smarter Summers Project in Detroit, visit http://www.smartersummers.org/?page_id=5.

 

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Michigan Colleges and Universities Named to President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll
More than 600 colleges and universities - including several in President's Higher Education Honor RollMichigan - have been named to the 2011 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The Honor Roll recognizes institutions of higher education for their commitment to and achievement in community service.

Kalamazoo College was a finalist for the Presidential Award as part of the Honor Roll, the highest distinction available. Meanwhile, 15 other colleges and universities were named to this year's Honor Roll; including: Albion College, Alma College, Central Michigan University, Davenport University, Delta College, Eastern Michigan University, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Kettering University, Madonna University, Michigan State University, Olivet College, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.

Congratulations to these institutions! For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll.

 

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Congratulations to 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Award Winners from Michigan

Two students from Michigan were chosen this spring as the State Honorees for the 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Emily Smith of Birmingham and Phoebe Holmes of Oakland were chosen for their outstanding achievements in community service.

Emily was named the top high school youth volunteer in Michigan for her fundraising campaign to benefit hundreds of orphans and widows in Ghana.

Phoebe was named the top middle school youth volunteer in Michigan for her service at various organizations in Oakland, including the library, animal shelter, and youth theatre.

Emily and Phoebe were selected from an initial field of more than 29,000 youth volunteers from across the country. Two recipients from each state are chosen for special recognition in Washington, D.C. each spring.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards are presented by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and Prudential Financial. For more information, visit http://spirit.prudential.com.

 

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National Service Videos Showcase Efforts by Members

Multimedia items are great outlets for highlighting the efforts of national service members across the country. In recent months the Corporation for National and Community Service has distributed several multimedia pieces about AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programming - have you checked them out?

The "National Service - Count On Us: Joplin" video shows the vital role AmeriCorps has played in supporting the people of Joplin, Missouri as they recover and rebuild after the deadly tornado of May 22. To view the video - or to share it - visit http://youtu.be/RZApuJHy3GM.

National Service Count on Us: Joplin Response
National Service Count on Us: Joplin Response

The "RSVP: Making an Impact" video helps Senior Corps' RSVP program celebrate the last 40 years of service. To view the video - or to share it - visit http://youtu.be/voJIlDYAMqM.

RSVP: Making an Impact
RSVP: Making an Impact

Are you on social media? Help these videos get watched by sharing them via your Facebook wall or via your Twitter feed!

 

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Great Stories

Southeast Michigan Volunteer Collaborative Aims to Build a Stronger Community

Many months ago, several statewide service organizations in Michigan wondered how they could collectively use volunteerism as a solution in communities across the state facing challenging times. Cities of Service - Detroit Kick-Off

These organizations - including the Michigan Nonprofit Association, Michigan Campus Compact, Volunteer Centers of Michigan, Corporation for National and Community Service - Michigan State Office, and the Michigan Community Service Commission - set their sights on Detroit in an effort to tap into the pre-existing network and valuable resources already in place. The United Way of Southeast Michigan and the City of Detroit - Cities of Service Project quickly joined the effort and the drive to create a formal Southeast Michigan Volunteer Collaborative was on.

Donna Murray-Brown, Director of the Michigan Nonprofit Association's Metro Detroit Partnership, helped to initiate the efforts of the Collaborative - before it was even referred to as such.

"Before we start[ed] creating solutions for the community, we wanted to know what needed to be addressed and who should be part of this movement," she explains. "We gathered more than 40 people at our first convening session and they quickly realized they don't work that much together but that we all believe volunteerism could be used as a strategy for community development."

A variety of organizations came to those convening sessions - including those representing foundations, corporations, and volunteer connectors. They've formally dubbed themselves the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Collaborative and will now coordinate efforts to make a difference in the area.

"We hope to tack on to Detroit's Cities of Service Project and the initiatives it's pursuing," Murray-Brown says. "We hope to work together as the Collaborative to engage volunteers around a specific activity that can be tangibly measured to show what we've done."

As a result, the Collaborative is still looking for organizations to join their efforts as they move towards their first large-scale activity. If you're interested and are housed in Southeast Michigan, please contact Donna Murray-Brown at [email protected].

For those outside of Southeast Michigan, the partners listed above hope to replicate the efforts they've launched in other key communities across the state.

 


Opportunities/Resources

RESOURCES/SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

September 11 National Day of Service & Remembrance - September 11, 2011, marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, as well as the federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance. In observance of this important and historic milestone, you're invited to join thousands of other groups, and millions of people that plan to pay tribute as part of the single-largest charitable service effort in U.S. history.

In Michigan, efforts surrounding National Days of Service are led by the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), in partnership with Michigan Nonprofit Association, Michigan Campus Compact, Volunteer Centers of Michigan, The LEAGUE - Michigan, Corporation for National and Community Service - Michigan Office, Michigan Association of United Ways, and the Michigan Department of Human Services. The goal of the annual September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is to bring Americans together in the same spirit of compassion, unity, and service that existed after the attacks. The MCSC is encouraging all citizens in Michigan to participate in service as part of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 by coordinating local projects of their choosing that address a community need. Projects should be implemented on or near September 11, 2011 and be clearly linked to the observance of the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

 

For more information, or project planning resources, visit

www.911day.org.  


Healthy Volunteering in Michigan -
The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) uses service as a strategy to address critical issues affecting communities across the state. A large issue for many of Michigan's communities is that of health; including awareness of health services, access to quality health care, dealing with mental health/depression, obtaining affordable medications, addressing obesity, healthcare for the uninsured, and much more.

This issue is already being addressed in various ways - including through Governor Rick Snyder's MiDashboard, through First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" effort, through the Corporation for National and Community Service's strategic priorities, and much more.

The MCSC would like to provide our grantees, volunteers, and the general public across Michigan with valuable information and resources on how we can use service as a strategy to address various health issues. The MCSC's Healthy Initiative efforts will kick off the week of August 29, 2011 and be carried on throughout the year. At the end of August, please check www.michigan.gov/mcsc for information and resources related to how volunteers can help address Michigan's health issues.

 
AWARDS

President's Volunteer Service Awards - The MCSC is seeking nominations on an on-going basis for volunteer recognition. Nominees meeting established criteria will be presented The President's Volunteer Service Award. This award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard - measured by the number of service hours over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime. To nominate someone, click here.      

 

SOCIAL MEDIA/NETWORKING
 
Find Us on Facebook & Twitter!
The Michigan Community Service Commission has spread its efforts to the social networking site, Facebook. Keep up to date on the latest news, events, and stories by searching for "Michigan Community Service Commission," "Michigan's AmeriCorps," "Mentor Michigan," and "Learn and Serve - Michigan." We're also on Twitter - follow us at @MCSConline, @miamericorps, @MentorMI, and @learnandservemi.

Michigan's AmeriCorps LeaderCorps Blog
Join members of the Michigan's AmeriCorps LeaderCorps as they "Get Things Done!" through one year of service. Each week a different participant of the LeaderCorps will share a story about their service. To read more, visit http://miacleadercorps.blogspot.com/

Learn and Serve - Michigan's Resources Blog
Check out Learn and Serve - Michigan's connection to resources and information relevant to the service-learning community through their Resources Blog! Postings are new weekly and often feature guest authors. To read more, visit http://learnandservemi.blogspot.com  

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Calendar of Events

September 11, 2011 

National Day of Service & Remembrance - Nationwide

Thanks to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, September 11 was officially established as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. For the third year, citizens across the country will engage in service projects in their communities. For more information, visit http://www.911day.org.  

 
September 15, 2011

2012 Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service Mini-Grant Application Available (Michigan)   

The Michigan Community Service Commission, Michigan Nonprofit Association, Volunteer Centers of Michigan, and Michigan Campus Compact will be awarding $15,500 in mini-grants to Michigan organizations to host service projects as part of the 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service. Download the mini-grant guidelines and application for information on how to apply at www.michigan.gov/volunteer.

September 29, 2011
Nonprofit Day - Lansing, MI

Each year, Michigan Nonprofit Association hosts an all day event for nonprofits, focused on advocacy and other issues related to nonprofits. This conference includes plenary sessions, lunch and meeting with legislators, and breakout sessions on target issues. For more information, visit http://mnaonline.org/nonprofitday2011.aspx

October 5 & 6, 2011
The Symposium: National Service as a Strategy for School Success - Thompsonville, MI

This first-ever symposium will bring together national service programs who are working to increase educational outcomes for Michigan's youth. Additional information will be available in the future at www.michigan.gov/mcsc  

October 22, 2011

Make a Difference Day - Nationwide

Make A Difference Day, the largest national day of helping others, is sponsored annually by USA WEEKEND Magazine and its 700 carrier newspapers. Make A Difference Day takes place on the 4th Saturday in October each year. For more information,
click here .

 

October 24, 2011

Governor's Service Awards - Detroit, MI  

The 2011 Governor's Service Awards, an evening of recognition and celebration, will be held at the Gem Theatre in downtown Detroit. Finalists and one winner in each of the eight categories will be recognized by Governor Rick Snyder and the Michigan Community Service Commission. For more information, visit

www.michigan.gov/mcsc.


November 16, 2011
Sixth Annual Michigan's Premier Mentoring Conference - Lansing, MI 

Join Mentor Michigan for their annual statewide conference geared towards mentoring organizations and professionals. Participants will have the chance to network with others, share best practices, and learn from the best in the mentoring field. More details will be available in the future at

www.mentormichigan.org.


November 17, 2011
2011 Michigan's AmeriCorps Member Celebration - Lansing, MI 

Each fall the Michigan Community Service Commission hosts the Michigan's AmeriCorps Member Celebration. The Celebration highlights the various streams of service within the national service family, including AmeriCorps*State and National, VISTA, and Senior Corps and offers several workshops focused on leadership, professional development, service project planning, and other topics relevant to members' year of service. More details will be available in the future at www.michigan.gov/mcsc.

   
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About the MCSC
The Michigan Community Service Commissionbuilds a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism. In 2010-2011, the MCSC is granting nearly $10 million in federal funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities. The MCSC is funding 26 AmeriCorps programs, 25 Learn and Serve programs, and seven Volunteer Michigan grantees. The Governor's Service Awards and Mentor Michigan are also premier programs of the MCSC.