VIP Impact: Clean Up Project at the Guerneville Winter Shelter

Here is a great story from one of this year's service projects coordinated by VIP Leader Annabele Grace!

 

Volunteers at the Guerneville Winter Shelter. VIP Annabele Grace is pictured second from the left at the top of the stairs.

On February 5th, Sebastopol Community Church Youth Group and several client volunteers participated in a service project at St. Hubert's Hall led by West County Community Services VIP Leader, Annabele Grace. The high school students, several community volunteers and shelter clients scrubbed and cleaned, dusted and organized every inch of the building used for the last 3 months as Guerneville's Winter Shelter for the homeless. The group was also led (by shelter clients) on a trash patrol throughout the areas surrounding the shelter, including Main St. and the Guerneville Plaza. Kids, adult volunteers and homeless themselves worked side by side with an enthusiasm that was inspiring.
Client volunteer Justin Miller remarked: "I am thankful for the opportunity to do something useful and positive in my community. I was feeling down (because of not having work) and today I felt I did something worthwhile."
Another client volunteer said, "I am grateful I have a warm place to sleep every night thanks to the shelter. This is one way to show my appreciation."
"We hoped to leave the facility in even better condition than before we started the lease." said another volunteer, who asked to remain unidentified. (St. Catherine's church opted not to renew the lease at St. Hubert's Hall through March. The Winter Shelter moved after this project to the Guerneville Veterans Memorial Hall, where it functioned through March 31.)

Announcing... Photo Contest Winners!

Over the last month, we've held our year-end photo contest:

We asked our VIP Fellows to submit photos that represent life in AmeriCorps VIP.  Thank you to everyone who participated!  We got some wonderful submissions.

We are pleased to announce that we have some winners!

Best Promotional Photo - Submitted by Kim Nguyen, NCOE

 Just look at all of those proud AmeriCorps 'A's!  Pictured are all the VIP Fellows at the Napa County Office of Education: Sonia Ayala, Haley Schandelmier, Cherri Alcantara, Thanh Tran, Naima Wright-Clay, Kim Nguyen, and Aileen Savage.  

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Best Action Shot - Submitted by Anna Sieh, City of Duarte

 We love this photo because it shows both a volunteer volunteering, and a VIP Fellow assisting the volunteer in serving!  Pictured is VIP Fellow Philip Ledesma, who serves at the Foothill Unity Center.

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Most Creative Photo - Submitted by Lindy Capps, Volunteer San Diego

The following is a series of three photos of VIP Fellow Rachel Lebowitz at a service project at the Lakeside River Parks Conservancy on an MLK Day of Service.

 We love this series of photos because they're lighthearted - we're serious about serving and getting things done, but we hope to all have a little fun doing it!

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Congratulations to our winners!

Check out our blog next week to find out the results of our video contest...

Have a great weekend everyone!

Volunteer Vision: A story from CalSERVES After School

We love our volunteers.  They are the best resources in our program, and they make a huge difference in nonprofits around the state.  They not only allow organizations to make a bigger impact, but they themselves are often changed through the service they so generously offer. 

The following is a statement from Verenice Chavez, a volunteer at the CalSERVES after school program at Taylor Mountain Elementary School in Santa Rosa, CA.  Verenice was recruited by VIP Fellow Richelle Andrae.

"My experience with CalSERVES has very much impacted my life in a positive way. When I started to volunteer, my objective was to be updated on both my sisters who attend the program.  I also attended the program when I was in elementary.

As time passed by, I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with a third grade class at Taylor Mountain. Being in that classroom twice a week helping out the mentors, I had one on one time with the kids and I realized most of them didn't have the resources CalSERVES offered. Those kids are very talented and with the little push we give them they will go a long way. They may not show they have been impacted, but if you see the changes from the beginning of the year till now, it has shown they have grown in many aspects. I know I wanted to help kids as a career choice.  This experience made me comprehend that I want to be more than just a teacher, but a mentor too. I never would have thought those kids would have so much to learn from. They may be small but they sure know what they are talking about. There's not a day where I don't remember them, all of them I shared moments with, and their ways of being."

What's Next? : Life After AmeriCorps Resources

As the year is winding down and some of our VIP Fellows are getting ready to transition out of their current positions, "what's next?" seems to be the question on everyone's mind.

A year as a VIP Fellow provides experience in leadership, organization, service, and other skills that come from a year of building capacity, working on a team, and managing volunteers.  We  know our members are well prepared for the road ahead, whether they are going back to school, continuing to serve, or launching themselves into (or back into) the job market.  Here are some of our favorite resources that provide information you'll find helpful if you're looking for a job or to continue serving after AmeriCorps.

• A job hunting guide specifically for AmeriCorps members, developed by Education Northwest’s AmeriCorps program officers.

• The AmeriCorps Alums Career Center: provides not only job postings related to civic service, but also has professional development resources and tips as well.  Under the tab "For Alumni," select "Career Center."

• Idealist: job, internship, and volunteer opportunity search site for the nonprofit and public service sector.

• Indeed.com: a way to search multiple job search sites at one time. 

• Non Profit Expert: almost exhaustive list of nonprofit job search resources.

• Peace Corps, if you're looking to serve abroad for a couple of years with all expenses paid.

• Go Abroad: a search site for volunteer opportunities around the world.

• VISTA Campus Life After AmeriCorps Resources - these informational guides are geared towards AmeriCorps VISTAs, but most apply for all AmeriCorps members.

 Do you have any other helpful "life after AmeriCorps" resources to share?  Let us know in the comments!