Looking Back Over the Year - Make a Difference Day 2010

As the year starts to wrap up, we can see the incredible difference VIP Fellows have made across the state by mobilizing volunteers.  The following is a reflection from a volunteer at Make a Difference Day, one of the National Days of Service, at CSU Monterey Bay.  This piece appeared in the university's Illuminator publication in November.

-----

 What a Difference We Made...

     Actually, that’s incorrect.  I didn’t do anything except take pictures and watch.  But I feel lucky enough to have witnessed one of the largest collaborative gatherings of CSUMB students for a cause in a long time.  The occasion?  Make A Difference Day 2010.  As I watched Soledad St. in Salinas transform that day, I saw about 50 student volunteers from Out & About, W.H.A.A.T, Return of the Natives, Service Learning Institute, several fraternities & sororities and many other student organizations working hard together in a way I have never seen, at least at CSUMB.

                                 I may have not had a chance to get my hands dirty (even though in hindsight I wish I had!), but I did see that when people come together for a good cause, magic can happen.  When I arrived, it was dreary, the street was dirty and the overcast sky blotted out any light, but as the day unfolded and the sun emerged I discovered a healthy community thriving on good vibes and collaborative action.

     I saw artists painting raised garden beds with children.  I saw the students hand fresh fruit to the homeless.  I saw an entire block littered with garbage be transformed into a beautiful street full of life and activity.  I saw a band perform a free show for anyone to hear.  I saw donations being given to the non-profits organizing the event.  I saw a weedy and empty lot become clean and traversable again.  I saw smiles.  I hear laughter and music.  I smelled sunflowers and fresh vegetables being harvested.  I tasted fresh fruit given freely for all to share.  I felt amazed; the progress made in such a short time! 

     When people organize for humanitarian projects, wonderful things happen.  Having witnessed a beautiful coming together of many people from many different cultures, backgrounds, and ages, I can’t help but to wonder about what is still possible.  The CSUMB community may be mostly young and transitory, but Make A Difference Day 2010 gave me a good feeling about what we can accomplish if we really put our minds (and hands!) to it.  I wonder what we will set our sights upon next.

               I learned that if we truly commit, and we are willing to get our hands dirty… 

we really CAN make a difference.

by Joshua Reed-Doyle

At long last: Announcing our Video Contest Winner!

We had some amazing, inspiring, and heart-warming videos come to us for our recent video contest, making picking the winner a tough choice!  But at long last, we've chosen:

"This AmeriCorps Life" Video Champ: By Rachel Lebowitz from Outside the Lens

We love this video because it is life as a VIP to an extent; Rachel's video includes a project run by volunteers that she coordinated!

Congratulations, Rachel!

Thanks, everyone, for your submissions!  And have a wonderful rest of your Monday.

It's Time for Family Volunteering

It's almost officially summer - which means the sun will be out more, plants are abloom... and children are out of school for a couple of months!

This is a great time to think about incorporating family volunteering into your organization.  With children free for an extra 5 or more hours a day, many families are looking for things they can do to enjoy eachother's company until school starts again.  Family volunteering can provide a fun experience and bonding time for a family, instill children with a value of service as they serve alongside their parents and siblings, and can provide many hours of extra help for your organization.

Check out Energize,Inc's resource section on Family Volunteering to find some information on involving families in your volunteer program.

Unrelatedly - an update on our video contest: we've had some delays in judging because of the large quantity of projects going on in VIP right now.  We won't be able to announce a winner this week, but we'll post them as soon as we have a champ!

Have a great evening!

Smart Storytelling: It can get you more volunteers!

Compelling storytelling about an organization and its cause can be tremendously helpful in recruiting volunteers to serve for any cause.  Great storytellers ignite passion in those who are willing to listen by communicating well what makes their organization so important. 

If you'd like to get some advice about telling your organization's narrative effectively, check out these free resources:

• Chronicle of Philanthropy chat with Michael Margolis.  This morning, Chronicle of Philanthropy held a live chat with Michael Margolis, a consultant focused on helping nonprofits tell their narrative.  View the transcript to see how Michael answered the audience's questions.
• Free digital book: Believe Me.  Michael Margolis is offering a digital copy of his book for free when you sign up for his mailing list.

Enjoy!