Grand Street Settlement AmeriCorps Program

On Monday, January 19, 2009, the Community Builders at Grand Street Settlement participated in City Year's event in East New York, Brooklyn. We painted classroom doors in Thomas Jefferson Campus.

On Friday, January 23, 2009, the Community Builders are hosting a Peace March and Showcase for the community of the Lower East Side. Councilwoman Rosie Mendez will be marching with us and speaking at our showcase.

-Yani Lopez, Grand Street Settlement

Self-Advocacy Association of New York State

We are an AmeriCorps project in Central NY working under the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State. Our team is comprised of three members who each have a different developmental disability. Our project takes them into the community where they present on disability awareness and the challenges they face in living with a disability.

On Friday, January 23, one of our members, along with one of our continuous volunteers who is also a person with a developmental disability, accompanied one of my staff and myself and participated in a service project organized by the Residence Life committee at Syracuse University. This event was held as part of SU's week-long celebration of the life of Dr. King. We helped make blankets for Project Linus. These blankets will be distributed to children in area hospitals in order to minimize the institutional atmosphere in which they find themselves. We also helped a group of 5th graders from the Syracuse City School District make Valentine cards for area Nursing Home residents. In all, the AmeriCorps members and volunteers worked for four hours on this project.

-Daniel Flanigan, Central Region Coordinator, Self-Advocacy Association of NYS

The After-School Corporation AmeriCorps Programs

The After-School Corporation had 150 Community Works, Teach After 3 and TASC PLUS members, and the volunteers they recruited, participate in a service day organized by City Year New York. All together there were over 600 volunteers painting murals and rehabilitating Thomas Jefferson High School and a nearby community center in East New York, Brooklyn. Each member who participated was asked to donate a book to the book drive as well. Our members had a great day!

-Jessica Simonson, The After-School Corporation (TASC)

Community Counseling and Mediation Services (CCM) AmeriCorps

Children for Children hosted an event that was attended by 15 CCM AmeriCorps members who helped to prepare and set up for Martin Luther King Day Hands on Service day event which would be held on Monday, January 19, 2009. This event was held at Public School 57 in East Harlem, New York. This year’s events were exceptionally memorable and important for all involved due to the historic events of the inauguration of America’s first African American President, who has publicly urged the nation to go out and give back to their communities. Some of the duties of the members at this event consisted of the members setting up tables and chairs, helping to paint and decorate bags for the children attending the event the next day, also helping to lay brown paper and tape along the entire gymnasium. Other members assisted with setting up information tables and hanging banners for display the next day.

Children for Children’s mission is to mobilize the energy, ingenuity and compassion of young people, beginning at an early age to discover their potential to solve real world problems through volunteer opportunities and service-learning programs that instill a lifelong commitment to service. This is accomplished by Children for Children engaging more than 90,000 young people annually through 25 programs and initiatives that are implemented in 26 states. Grow Involved on MLK day is just one of the many continuum of programs Children for Children offers to young people, educators, families and community groups as a way to experience community service first hand and recognizing their individual and collective relevance.

Overall, this event went very smoothly everything and was well organized. The members accomplished a great deal, some commenting that they didn’t stop working until the event was over.

-Naphtali Aiken, CCM AmeriCorps

Buffalo Leadershape AmeriCorps

For MLK Day, The Buffalo LeaderShape AmeriCorps members worked with WHLD 1270 Radio Station’s ‘The Buffalo Change Empowerment Expo’ held at Kleinhans Music Hall. The 2009 Expo featured a Job Fair and Health Fair. AmeriCorps members participated in the tabling events or presented information to the public about the Belle Center’s programs and their time spent as members. One member presented material about how to reduce stroke, others set up and broke down vendor’s tables and worked back stage assisting artist who would later perform musical presentations.

Given the current economy and the lack of jobs in Buffalo and Western New York, anything we can do to bring employers and job seekers together helps to further Dr. King’s Dream.

-Pamela James, Buffalo LeaderShape Program at The Belle Center

Self-Advocacy Association of New York State

Self Advocacy AmeriCorps members and volunteers developed a presentation for people with developmental disabilities and staff at Claddagh Day Hab in Angola, NY to get them discussing some of the barriers that they have in their communities and began working on an action plan to address them. The people with developmental disabilities in their day hab do a lot of volunteering in their local area.

One of the issues they have faced is resistance from Habitat for Humanity when they have offered to lend a hand to home building projects, even though the volunteers with disabilities and their support staff are very capable of doing the work. Another issue is lack of wheelchair access at locations where volunteers would go to help. The group decided to host an event and invite the public to highlight the contribution that volunteers with developmental disabilities are giving to their community. They decided to try to count all of the hours that they do and to talk to the minister of the local church about the need for wheelchair access at the food pantry.

AmeriCorps members will return to help them plan and then put on the event as well as start a self advocacy group in their agency to help people learn to speak up and become leaders. Attached is a photo of Self Advocacy AmeriCorps members and volunteers with two of the participants in the workshop.

Another group recruited volunteers and joined in on the Day of Service in downtown Buffalo. They helped with painting and packaging gifts for nursing homes.

I- Voice, People Helping People member, and Starlight Studios Artist Sheila Bush was pictured in the Buffalo News. She was a volunteer who was recruited by AmeriCorps members in our project. Click here for the article: http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/554444.html

-Sophia Roberts, Self Advocacy Association of NYS

Cortland AmeriCorps

Here in Cortland, we had what we called the First Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Education and Service. It turned out being a complete success. The morning portion of the day featured groups in the community that were fighting for social justice today and relating their causes to Martin Luther King's philosophies. Groups included an anti-war group called Cortland Community For Peace, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center, working on bringing awareness to populations of various sexual identities, the Center on Gender and Intercultural Studies and the Center on Ethics, Peace and Social Justice, both a part of SUNY Cortland, the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Everyone attending this portion was thrilled with the knowledge, activism, and hard work of all of these groups. After this portion of the day, everyone went over to the YWCA of Cortland to listen to Mr. Oscar perform soul music and his latest single “There's a Brother in the White House”. Mr. Oscar, otherwise known as Oscar Davis, currently a custodian at SUNY Cortland, performed for an audience of about 70 people mixed with adults and children, making this the fun highlight of the day.

After Davis' performance, Professor Seth Asumah, Chair of Africana Studies and Political Science Departments at SUNY Cortland, gave a speech on how the recent presidential election coincides with Dr. King's vision and philosophies while the audience of about 60 people ate their soup and bread lunch given by the YWCA. Dr. Asumah's speech was pivotal at giving everyone a more clear perception of President Obama's election in relation to Dr. King, pointing out similarities and differences in the two leaders. After Asumah's speech came the service portion of the day where people could volunteer at the local soup kitchen, Loaves and Fishes, the local camp and outdoor education center Lime Hollow Center for Culture and Environment, a clean up at the historic 1890 House, or the local Tompkins Cortland Habitat for Humanity affiliate. A highlight of this service portion was getting a few volunteers to help complete a new "Green Home" in Cortland built by Habitat for Humanity, in order for the family to move into their new home sooner. This service portion of the day helped culminate a well-rounded day of events to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a great beginning to a day of events that could grow and become even better in future years.

-Tim Rodriguez, Cortland Main Street Community Outreach Coordinator AmeriCorps

New Yorkers Volunteer

New Yorkers Volunteer staff had a table at the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Albany. People who visited the booth were asked to respond to a question about the MLK Celebration. Following are quotes in response to "What does Martin Luther King and Martin Luther King Day mean to you?"

• "A day to celebrate my freedom."
• "I love you Martin Luther King -- You are cool!"
• "MLK Day is a day to remind all people to dream, never lose that dream, believe it and pass it along."
• "The community coming together as one."
• "A day of peace in the world to remember Martin Luther King, Jr."
• "My birthday is on his birthday, so I am special just like him."
• "True peace is not merely the absence of tension, but the presence of justice."
• "Happiness and Freedom"
• "Happy and Cool"
• "Martin Luther King day is important because even now when he is dead, his dream came true"
• "The struggle for freedom, justice and liberation in America continues."
• "Dreams are for everyone to dream"
• "Happy Birthday!"
• "Martin Luther King -- Let Freedom Ring -- I have a dream"

-Beth DeVito, New Yorkers Volunteer

Children for Children

More than 3,000 volunteers joined Children for Children in celebrating Dr. King's Legacy of Service on January 19, 2009 in New York City!

In the largest Grow Involved on Martin Luther King Jr. Day Event yet, children, families, and community volunteers came together at two Manhattan locations (MLK High and PS 57) to complete 20 different hands-on service projects. Hands-on service projects were also completed across the nation at 12 "I Have a Dream" Foundation sites.

Projects included making fleece scarves for the homeless, knitting blankets for infants, and assembling school supply kits for transitional youth. For one of the projects, Children for Children partnered with staff from MTV, painting murals to benefit the USO. Footage appeared during MTV's Be The Change Inaugural coverage. Additionally, CFC's Dream World, an area specifically reserved for the littlest volunteers (ages six and under), completed age-appropriate hands-on projects such as "Adopt-Me" dog bandanas.

Grow Involved on Martin Luther King Jr Day kicks off a semester of service that culminates with Global Youth Service Day on April 24th - 26th, 2009. Children for Children is again New York's lead agency for this global event. Join us in April, continuing Dr. King's spirit of service throughout the year!

-Carline Bennett, VP, Programs, Children for Children

SCORES

On Monday, January 19th, 2009, E3Sports celebrated MLK Day 2009 and led a day of service with the students of PS 158 in New York City. 50 students, along with volunteers from E3Sports, painted a mural on a wall in the schoolyard of PS 158. E3Sports also led a warm-up for all students and played interactive sports games to honor the ideals that Martin Luther King Jr. believed in such as teamwork, respect, community, empowerment, and tolerance.

Photos of the day can be viewed here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/61004735@N00/sets/72157612832305520/

-Nick Beckman, AmeriCorps VISTA Supervisor, SCORES

American Red Cross in New York State

The two portions of our American Red Cross Youth Council came together to assist the soon to be Veterans Outreach Center (VOC) in cleaning the abandoned YMCA building that the city has given them. Our chief projects consisted of emptying the shelves of the food pantry that has not been open for years and removing over 100 mattresses from the old dormitories. Everything had to be taken down five flights of stairs - we are feeling it today!

I did a unit on homelessness with them during lunch as the VOC's primary initial role is going to be getting our 100 homeless vets in the area into housing. We had 15 volunteers who logged 70 hours of service. Afterward I took them next door for a tour of the the new teen center where two of my fellow VISTA colleagues are serving and where they had an MLK day project going on.

News Channel 10 came and spent an hour with us and put together a wonderful story: http://news10now.com/Default.aspx?ArID=131986

Volunteers and employees from the American Red Cross in Greater New York, a humanitarian organization that helps people prepare for, prevent and respond to emergencies, will join 100 volunteers from HOPE worldwide, a faith-based volunteer organization.

Volunteers will canvass door-to-door throughout the South Ozone Park, Queens neighborhood, talk with residents and leave behind door hangers with fire safety information. The door hangers include information about smoke alarms, creating a household fire escape plan, and tips for cooking and heating a home safely this winter.

A post-canvassing celebration will include a raffle of Red Cross preparedness supplies and entertainment featuring rap artist Sophia Monique and R&B singer Gwen Miller.

This year, The Cayuga County Red Cross made an extra effort to recognize MLK Day as a National Day of Service by educating others and by giving back in a different sort of way. Chapter AmeriCorps VISTA Members, Hunter Sweet and Teresa Harmon, visited a pre-school class at Westminster Nursery School and told the children about this historic day. The children enjoyed books about Martin Luther King Jr., and about the ARC’s mission to help others prepare for disasters.

The VISTAs also used the day to support their community in an unusual way. They set up a non-perishable food drop-off at the office, and on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delivered the donated food to the Calvary Food Pantry. This special day is a perfect fit for citizens who support the ARC and other community agencies. This year, and in the years to come, the Cayuga County Red Cross will make this holiday a day “ON” rather than a day “OFF”.

Children For Children’s

Children For Children’s MLK Event was an incredible success, engaging over 3,000 volunteers in service. Highlights included working with our youngest volunteers to complete their first service project in CFC’s “Little Dreamers” service area and working with AmeriCorps groups (CCM AmeriCorps LEAP and YouthBuild SOBRO) to lead hands-on service projects. As one young volunteer said, “Even through I’m just one person, I know I can help.”

-Diane Eschbacher, American Red Cross

Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty

With many Americans inspired to serve their country, this MLK Day was an important opportunity for Met Council to provide meaningful volunteer work as well as to attract new volunteers. Abbie (Met Council’s Outreach VISTA) assisted Stefanie, the Volunteer Manager, to develop a plan for Met Council’s MLK Day events, as well as work on attracting volunteers to Met Council’s MLK Day events by spreading the word via email, Facebook, Twitter, the USAService website as well as other volunteer opportunity databases. On the day of the event Abbie helped supervise and direct volunteers, and reported to CNCS via Twitter the status of the volunteer activities. All in all this MLK Day, with 77 volunteers, had one of the largest volunteer turn outs in Met Council’s history and was highly successful!

-Stefanie Greenberg, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty

Western New York AmeriCorps

Western New York AmeriCorps VISTA 2009 MLK Day of Service projects: International Institute of Buffalo (Buffalo, NY): Four (4) WNY AmeriCorps VISTA members assisted as volunteers cleaned and organized the resettlement agency’s “warehouse” for donations (toys, clothes, house ware, etc.) that are given to refugee families as they come to Buffalo.

St. Monica’s Scholars (Buffalo, NY): Three WNY AmeriCorps VISTA members assisted as volunteers aided students in assembling an “I Leave Peace Prints,” inspired art project and helped students put together essays on peace. This was also led by a VISTA member.

Cazenovia Community Resource Center (Buffalo, NY): One WNY AmeriCorps VISTA member led this project where volunteers cleaned, painted and organized a room in the Caz Resource Center that was being used as storage. Through the project, it was transformed into a space that will be used for their ever-expanding after-school tutoring program.

Asarese-Matters Recreation Center (sponsored by Buffalo State College Volunteer and Service Learning Center, Buffalo, NY): Eighteen WNY AmeriCorps VISTA members assisted as additional volunteers painted rooms, organized space, and refurbished furniture at the recreation center, so that it can better utilized by members of the community including youth. Also, VISTAs performed a community survey to determine what services are most needed in the surrounding neighborhood, which is one of the poorest in Buffalo. The VISTAs braved snow and wind and determined that senior services, homework assistance and employment services would be among the most utilized, if they were offered by the center.

AIDS Community Services (Buffalo, NY): One WNY AmeriCorps VISTA member led a small group of volunteers in doing outreach-oriented newspaper mailings to increase community access to ACS services.

Massachusetts Avenue Project (Buffalo, NY): One WNY AmeriCorps VISTA member participated in two community art projects that portrayed the relationship between slaves and New York (New York had the most slaves in America at one point in history).

AME Zion Church (Buffalo, NY): One WNY AmeriCorps VISTA member aided volunteers in organizing a large room used by the community for recreation and education. The VISTA member also assisted with the signature WNY AmeriCorps MLK Day project, which was “A Storybook of Change: Civil Rights on Canvas. This project recruited local artists and youth to create original pieces that illustrate the history of the Civil Rights Movement, both nationally and locally in Western New York.

-Lissa Piper, VISTA Director, Western New York AmeriCorps

Tompkins Community Action

TCAction is a private, not-for-profit social services agency that serves the communities of Tompkins County, New York and is based in the city of Ithaca. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, TCAction’s Energy Services Department collaborated with Ithaca College, which was recruiting its students to participate in a day of service. TCAction’s VISTA created one hundred “energy conservation kits” that included extensive educational material about how to save energy and improve indoor air quality, information about TCAction’s Energy Services programs, and a 13-watt compact fluorescent light bulb. Ten Ithaca College student volunteers distributed ninety-five of these kits door-to-door in the Northside and Southside neighborhoods of downtown Ithaca.

-Sarah Wraight, AmeriCorps VISTA, Tompkins Community Action

RSVP Genesee County

In Genesee County, RSVP joined forces with AmeriCorps to conduct a used cell phone drive in association with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Through the efforts of 12 volunteers, phones were collected at five sites: Byron-Bergen High School, a Learn & Serve site, two local libraries, the YMCA and Batavia TOPS Friendly Market. A total of 44 (an auspicious number) phones were collected. These phones will benefit local domestic violence victims, frail elderly individuals, and individuals serving in the military.

-Dorian S. Ely, RSVP of Genesee County

Chautauqua County FGP/RSVP

In remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr., the two area Senior Corps Projects celebrated by making Martin Luther King Day a “Day of Service, Not a Day Off”. Chautauqua County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Lutheran Social Services Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) joined with other Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) Projects across our nation to serve in our local community. This year RSVP and FGP launched the “911 Cell Phone Bank” program. Partnering with CellPhone Bank.org, both senior corps projects will collect used cell phones. The used cell phones are then sent to CellPhone Bank to be refurbished, reconditioned (batteries are replaced; memories cleared, and complete check up of the phone). The phones are returned to our office to be distributed to area seniors “free of charge”. The cell phone will only call 9-1-1 but offer area seniors a wonderful security either while they travel or out in the community. Be mindful that by donating your used cell phone they will be properly recycled and not polluting a landfill.

-Debbie Basile, Project Director , Chautauqua Co. FGP/RSVP

Foster Grandparent Program of PEACE, Inc.

The Foster Grandparent Program of PEACE, Inc. - Syracuse, NY - collected children's hats, mittens and gloves in December and January in honor of MLK Day. The hats, mittens and gloves will be donated to some of our volunteer stations to be distributed to children for use in the remaining months of winter. With the Syracuse area already receiving 109+ inches of snow this winter, the donations will be greatly appreciated! FGP is still collecting donations; as, ironically, our last in-service meeting (collection day) was cancelled due to a snow storm!

-Beth O'Hara, Foster Grandparent Director

Niagara County RSVP

The Niagara County RSVP Martin Luther King Day of Service project at the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club was a great success. Thirty-one volunteers painted closets, organized the sewing room, inspected library books and cleaned the wood working shop. The diverse group of volunteers, ranging in age from nine to seventy, included a librarian, a corporate lawyer from Buffalo an international student from the University of Buffalo, the public relations director for the Niagara Falls school district, members of the RSVP Advisory Council, staff from the Banana Republic's Niagara Falls Outlet Mall store, a former Niagara Falls city administrator, HANCI staff, a family from Lockport, RSVP volunteers and staff and many more wonderful volunteers. A number of the volunteers found the project on various Internet websites including the Obama site. RSVP volunteer and advisory council member Rev. Jimmy Rowe made the contact with the Boys and Girls Club and arranged for the project to take place. RSVP staff recruited the volunteers.

-Priscilla Dolling, RSVP Director, Niagara Falls