Volunteerism on The Huffington Post

Victoria Fine: Help People More Effectively With One Question

2009-11-19T13:21:06Z

When we decide to give back, many of us want to do something that will allow us to share our passions and expertise. In my case, I'm passionate about storytelling. I believe every person in this world has the right to have his or her voice heard and that the greatest and most troubling stories are too little reported in mainstream media.

A lot of other people believe that too -- at my last count, there were two dozen grassroots or international organizations that actively produce and promote stories in tandem with people living in conflict zones and developing countries.

In fact, while covering nonprofit news, I've realized that there's an organization to address almost every cause. It's comforting to know that the diversity of passions in this world can result in a wide range of opportunities to help others and benefits for those less fortunate. But, like me, you may feel overwhelmed or spoiled for choice with the ways in which you can give back.

I believe the answer to finding your best way to help and the organization to support it is a combination of finding what you're good at and then asking the people you're serving what they need the most.

Simple, I know. But nonprofits (and just nice people) can often let their enthusiasm distract them from the basic needs of others that must be met.

This was the case of two American brothers who started a nonprofit to help impoverished, rural communities in Nicaragua. In 2004, Mathias Craig, an MIT graduate and a self-proclaimed "huge fan of windmills," decided to combine his passion for engineering and doing good by starting a business with his brother Guillaume. The company, blueEnergy would plant wind turbines along the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, where 80 percent of the population lacked electricity. According to PRI's "The World," the venture was technically an enormous success. Communities that had never seen electricity before could now cook and do chores in the evening.

But while the people the turbines served were grateful for the electricity, the Craigs weren't prepared for the side effect of the new technology: a burgeoning obsession with watching TV. Locals used the limited electricity the turbines provided to catch their favorite soap operas and then spent their limited savings to buy new television sets.

When I heard this story for the first time, I smacked my forehead in frustration. However, in the Craigs' case, the brothers learned an important lesson in how to provide a truly helpful service to others: ask people what they want. The brothers have since broadened their efforts to alleviate poverty in Nicaragua by systematically addressing specific issues in each community they serve.

Talking to people isn't just about being compassionate. If it were, then companies wouldn't do focus groups or market research.

But it's an important step I believe is often overlooked in our best plans to help the world. We all want to share our passions and expertise with others, and some of us build big plans and elaborate campaigns to capture the imagination of our communities and fill the needs of others. But, taking the time to assess a need holistically can provide drastically better results in making a person's life better.

That isn't to say that you should put the passion you'd like to share aside or change the mission of a nonprofit to provide other necessities. Rather, it is the idea of remaining aware of a person or community's whole needs and finding the people or partner organizations that can compliment your abilities. It also means sharing resources and best practices between nonprofits within a similar genre of expertise or within the same community.

By being smart in the way we help, we can save time and provide more services to those who need them. By offering what we can and then tailoring how we help by listening to what else people need, we can effect change more efficiently.

Letter To Santa Program Ends At North Pole Because Of Privacy Concerns, Sex Offender

2009-11-19T04:01:09Z

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A group of volunteer Santa Claus "elves" in Alaska's frigid interior is determined to save a popular holiday letter service featuring the North Pole's most beloved icon.

The group is looking to counter a decision by the U.S. Postal Service to discontinue a program begun in 1954 in the small town of North Pole, where volunteers open and respond to thousands of letters addressed to "Santa Claus, North Pole" each year.

Lys Anzia: Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum and PEACEJAM on Global Healing

2009-11-17T12:00:51Z

“What I treasure most in life is being able to dream,” says Guatemalan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Rigoberta Menchú Tum. Holding dreams is an important part of life, but dreaming for Rigoberta took on mammoth proportions in 1979 when years of civil war and state violence against the indigenous Maya took the lives of her brother, her father, her mother, nephew and nieces. Extreme poverty also took the lives of two of her young brothers many years earlier.

In 1979, as conflict inched closer to Rigoberta’s village, her family organized to protect the Mayan families living in her region, but the destruction for her family was devastating.

From 1954 to 1982 Guatemala suffered under the military rule of one military dictator after another. Roaming armies burned down entire Mayan villages, killing the inhabitants of over 450 Indian communities. During this time over one million refugees fled the country.

“During my most difficult moments and complex situations I have been able to dream of a more beautiful future,” Menchú Tum says with conviction. Rigoberta was able to escape genocide, with the help of a Catholic nun and priest who assisted her to reach safety in Mexico.

Since then, Menchú Tum’s journey has been haunted by a lifelong quest to help her usher in peace for humanity and advocacy for the Maya, with empowerment for all global indigenous people.

Raised in the Quiche branch of the Mayan culture, Rigoberta was one of only a few women to receive a Nobel Prize in 1992. She is also the first indigenous Indian to receive the Peace Prize award from the Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo.

On Wednesday, November 18, 2009, Rigoberta Menchú Tum will be in Denver, Colorado for an all-day event that includes a VIP Reception, luncheon awards ceremony, and film screening of the revolutionary 1984 Sundance Film Festival winner, When the Mountains Tremble, hosted by the PEACEJAM Foundation. As part of the 2009 Inaugural Global Call to Action Hero awards luncheon, Rigoberta will share her insights on the Quiche Maya prophecies for 2012.

Rigoberta will be present to narrate the film screening at the Denver Newspaper Agency, Colfax & Broadway, 7-9pm. The Awards Luncheon will also feature the 2009 Global Call to Action winners of the exemplary youth-led service project as part of PeaceJam’s "One Billion Acts of Peace" Campaign.

The Quiche Maya classic named, “The Popol Vuh – Book of Council,” has been cited as the ancient text that kicked off the new-age “countdown” to 2012. Menchú Tum's own heritage claims connection to the ancient text.

During the PEACEJAM all-day event at Denver's Center for Performing Arts (Seawell Grand Ballroom), Menchú Tum will share her ideas on the true meaning of 2012; on humanity’s direction and earth’s evolution as she separates the Quiche Maya truth that is quite different from the “media spin” for the new disaster flick 2012. As a leader in humanitarianism, Rigoberta will share what she has learned and knows of the secret Mayan way and the Mayan prediction for our precarious blue planet earth.

The PEACEJAM Foundation was founded by rights activists Dawn Engle and husband Ivan Suvanjieff on the heels of a violent upsurge in (1994) gang violence in Denver, Colorado.

At the time, when street violence was killing youth at ever increasing numbers, Ivan was living in a rough section of Denver. Just outside his window, across the street, he was beginning to see boys who were long-time members of his neighborhood carrying guns. He watched them coming and going and he finally approached them one day.

“Why the guns?” asked Ivan.

“Because we need protection for our business and we need to protect our turf,” they answered.

“To have a business you have to be pretty smart,” responded Ivan quickly to the boys.

Ivan then asked what might have been interpreted as a simple question. “If you’re so smart, who’s the president of the United States?” They answered back shouting, they “didn’t know and didn’t care.”

Then Ivan asked the boys more. If you're so smart, “Who's Nelson Mandela? Who's Desmond Tutu?” Surprisingly, they answered the last questions correctly with great detail and fervor. They not only knew everything about Mandela and Tutu, they knew the history and politics of South African apartheid in every detail.

A big light bulb went off over Ivan’s head then as he thought, “Wow! If these young ‘gang-bangers’ are inspired by people like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other Nobel Peace Laureates who walk the talk, living lives of integrity and using a path of non-violence, maybe they can be role models... Maybe we can get the Nobel Laureates to work with these kids, to get these guys ‘in the hood’ to channel their energy into something positive instead of something negative.”

An idea was born and a window of opportunity had opened. Could Ivan and Dawn possibly make contact with the Nobel Laureates? Dawn had made contact with the office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama much earlier than this, before H.H. had ever been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, as she was one of the founders for The International Campaign for Tibet.

Knowing this, Ivan pressed hard on Dawn to, “Call the Dalai Lama! Call the Dalai Lama! Call the Dalai Lama!”

“The Dalai Lama doesn’t just talk on the telephone,” said a laughing practical Dawn. But dreams won out. Soon, Ivan and Dawn were on their way on a flight to Dharamsala, India to speak to H.H. in person.

As they met with the Dalai Lama, His Holiness was optimistic about their idea, but suggested that they worked with more than just his office. They would need to contact other Laureates to gather momentum for a worldwide consortium of youth that would dedicate themselves toward a global humanitarian movement of engagement and change.

One by one, Dawn and Ivan called the Nobel Laureates to see if they wanted to be part of a new idea.

“We sat in an artist’s loft, with no electricity and one by one we ‘cold-called’ the Nobel Laureates. Honest and truly we called Desmond Tutu. ‘Hi you don’t know me but…’ That’s how it happened,” outlined Dawn.

Formed to help youth become “part of the solution instead of part of the problem,” PEACEJAM provided a bridge linking the great energy of youth to the desperate needs of the world to become better place.

“It’s been a success ever since it got started. We had eight Nobel Laureates who said yes right away even before we had funding,” added Dawn. “Since we’ve launched the program, in 1996, we’ve had over six hundred thousand young people who have participated. We’ve also had over a million Global Calls to Action to date.”

A Day with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Rigoberta Menchú Tum will be open to youth and humans of all ages this Wednesday, November 18, at the Denver Center for Performing Arts (Seawell Grand Ballroom).

If you ever had doubts about our future or the future of our youth you’ve got a big surprise coming. PEACEJAM is helping create a new world. For a detailed schedule and more information about this event, and the sharing of Rigoberta Menchú Tum’s wisdom on 2012, go to PEACEJAM.

Eleven Laureates and global PEACEJAM youth work in tandem to bring "A Global Call to Action" to the lives many activists youth. The ten year plan includes core issues that can transform the world and our future. By 2016 they aim to reach together one billion Calls to Action Campaigns worldwide.

Jobless Volunteer Makes Time For Those Needier Than Her

2009-11-16T16:29:19Z

Annette Arca always wanted to help others through volunteering, but didn't have much free time. She was too busy juggling motherhood with a full-time career as a commercial real estate professional.

Arca has time for volunteering now, ever since she was laid off from her $65,000-a-year job, a position she held for six years, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Struggling to make ends meet with part-time real estate work and unemployment benefits, Arca cannot make the payments on her townhouse.

Despite these troubles, it's volunteering that helps her stay positive and feel fulfilled when confronting mounting bills, an unsuccessful job hunt and the reality that she may lose her home. Volunteer work can also be used constructively for career development, as it can fill in the gaps in a resume and provide networking opportunities that may lead to future employment.

She spends a day each week helping deliver more than 100 sack lunches to University Medical Center and Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. She also spends varying hours volunteering for Family Promise, an organization that helps homeless families.

Arca also devotes time to making sandwiches and distributing lunches through the Ronald McDonald House, and has been researching grants and gathering silent auction items for Family Promise, to secure more funding for needy families.

Las Vegas' unemployment rate has soared to 13.9 percent, and volunteer centers have seen a rise in the number of jobless volunteers. Arca is one of the selfless individuals giving her time to those who are even more needy, shifting her energy away from her problems and focusing it towards helping others.

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Texas Teachers Volunteer To 'Launch' Students To Success

2009-11-16T14:48:27Z

A middle school in Lake Jackson, Texas, is providing a launching pad to success for its students through a grassroots afterschool program, reports The Facts.

Created in September by a fifth-grade math teacher, Tracy Grotte, the Launching Pad program connects teachers with Rasco Middle School students who need extra help. Approximately 15 teachers volunteer their time in the library to help students maintain their grades and give them extra boost needed to complete their work.

Students can bring their homework and get help from teachers, or just sit and read, Grotte said. The teachers who volunteer to spend an hour in the library with students --most of whom are not in their own classes -- are giving of themselves and their time simply to better the students' performance, she said.

Students who bring their homework have the added benefit of learning new concepts from different teachers with different approaches.

Snacks are donated by the community, but many come directly from the teachers' pockets. An average of 35 to 40 students attend the program, which is offered every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from the end of school to 4:30 p.m.

Though time spent with the students in the library could be used for grading papers or writing lesson plans, the teachers are happy to give their time and see that it makes teaching during the school day go much more smoothly.

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Blue Star Mothers Send Care Packages Overseas

2009-11-15T19:32:38Z

Veterans Day was last week, but our troops are still in harm's way, with many more likely on their way overseas.

Fortunately, efforts continue to support veterans and military servicemen. The Blue Star Mothers of America, a nonprofit which works to support veterans and the mothers of those who've been sent off to war, organizes events for volunteers to package and ship gifts to overseas troops.

San Diego-based Chris Morrow filmed a Blue Star Mothers event in California for CNN iReport.

In the video, Blue Star Mothers co-founder Pam Woodward introduces the organization, and Sgt. Michael Scofield details the assortment of goods that can go in each customizable box.

For his shipment overseas, Scofield selects magazines, batteries, a DVD of "The Mexican" starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, coffee, sardines, beef jerky, microwave popcorn, loofahs (to which he remarks, "Our female soldiers will love this"), Mike & Ikes, gum and toothbrushes.

After filling up his package, Scofield encourages people watching the video to get involved in community action to support the military. "It's part of our country," he says. "It's what makes us great."

WATCH:

The Blue Star Mothers of America also work with Sew Much Comfort, a group which provides adaptive clothing to injured servicemen and women.

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Michelle Obama Announces Community Service Network for Vets

2009-11-13T14:23:36Z

On Veterans Day, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of Mission Serve, a network that links veterans to community service groups, calling upon Americans to commit themselves to volunteering.

The initiative, part of the public-service group Service Nation, aims to help veterans better integrate themselves in their communities, with only 13 percent of veterans reporting that their transition back to civilian life is going smoothly, The Christian Science Monitor reports. Mission Serve comes at a time where the unemployment rate of veterans is rising and nearly 2 out of 3 veterans report that they feel their skills are not being sought out by their community.

The idea of Mission Serve is to join groups already engaged in community service programs with veterans who have a desire to perform public service. A former Marine, for example, could have leadership skills to volunteer or work at a high school. A retired soldier could work with troubled youth. But there is no organized group bringing the skills to the need.

Mission Serve also wants civilians to engage with veterans in community service that benefits the needs of the military community, whether it be working on a free summer camp for military kids or offering veterans vocational, educational training and support.

Watch First Lady Michelle and Obama and Dr. Jill Biden during the Mission Serve announcement:

Read Michelle Obama's full remarks on Mission Serve.

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Poll: Vets Want To Keep Serving On Home Front

2009-11-11T12:17:27Z

The 1.8 million U.S. troops who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan appreciate our gratitude this Veterans Day. But what they really want, says a new survey, is the chance to help in their communities once they return home.

Time Magazine broke down some of the key statistics of the groundbreaking Civic Enterprises Survey: 92 percent of vets polled want to serve their communities once they return home, and most of them believe that their service should stand as an example for others in their community. Less than half of the 779 veterans who responded feel engaged in their communities, and only 13 percent strongly feel their transition to civilian life is going well, Time reported.

"We don't need handshakes and victory parades," says Alex Lemons, 30, who spent eight years in the Marines as a scout-sniper, including four tours in Iraq, before leaving the service last month. "We need to come back and see that people are ready to put us to work after we've been out there on their behalf doing some crazy dirty work." The stresses of deployment leave some veterans unable to reach out to help, but many are eager to do so just the same, which could help smooth their transition back to civilian life. "Getting involved in volunteer projects helps you get out of your own self-pity and pain," says Lemons, who has volunteered with environmental groups near his San Clemente, Calif., home. "It helps me reintegrate into society and not feel so alienated."

As of October, the unemployment rate for veterans was 11.6 percent, higher than the national average.

Impact sees this as an opportunity-- there are a lot of causes that need public support, and a group of very capable individuals who really want to help in their hometowns. Have you ever partnered with local veteran organizations to work towards a cause?

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Jeana Lee Tahnk: Giving Thanks: 7 Ways To Teach Kids

2009-11-11T11:13:29Z

We're in a recession, the economy is in shambles and unemployment rates are at an all-time high. Add the frenzy around the H1N1 virus onto that and we're left with a current societal state of doom and gloom. Although it can be very difficult to seek out that silver lining when you feel burdened by cloudy grey skies, it's essential that parents figure out a way to find it. There's no doubt that kids are hearing conversations about money, getting exposure to the news and sensing the general malaise about our society. Now more than ever, it is important to teach kids about gratitude.

Study after study has shown that people who practice grateful thinking are healthier, happier and more content with their lives than those who don't. Robert Emmons at the University of California, Davis, conducted a long-term study on gratitude and found that the benefits of a grateful attitude also include: higher levels of optimism and life satisfaction; more generosity and helpfulness towards others; and less of a focus on material goods. In addition, he found that children who practice grateful thinking have more positive attitudes toward school and their families (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008).

Teaching your kids gratitude at an early age provides them with an outlook that will impact them positively for the rest of their lives. So, how do you do it? The most effective way is to model grateful behavior in front of your children. Say 'thank you' often to friends and strangers, talk about things you're thankful for everyday (not just at Thanksgiving!) and teach your kids to be appreciative of all the wonderful things they have in their lives.

I recently spoke with Dr. Caron B. Goode, founder of the Academy for Coaching Parents International, to learn more about simple tips for helping kids develop grateful thinking. She is a strong advocate of parents and kids embarking on a more grateful journey, whether by writing in a journal together or simply asking young kids what they were happy about in their days. Dr. Goode said, "Sharing in words and pictures is contributory to kindness and resilience more than anything else," adding, "I find gratitude is reinforced in the sharing."

She also suggested the following methods:

1) Daily Dose: Take time each day to encourage your children to express gratitude. They can do this by making an entry in a family journal or by simply talking about what they are grateful for.

2) Model Thanks: As with everything, modeling is the best way to teach your children to be grateful. Be lavish with your thanks. Thank your children for hugs. Thank the cashier for ringing up your groceries. Thank the bus driver for returning your students home safely. Letting your children see that you are grateful will encourage them to be so as well.

3) Establish Rituals: We all know the importance of family rituals. Establishing rituals that highlight being thankful is a wonderful teaching tool. Start dinner with each family member sharing what they are most grateful for. Say goodnight by sharing what you were thankful for that day. Any ritual that based on gratitude will reinforce its power.

4) Volunteer: Volunteering is a great way for your children to see gratitude in action. There are numerous chances in every community to volunteer. Homeless shelters, nursing homes, and mentoring programs are just a few. There may also be other opportunities closer to home. Perhaps an elderly relative or neighbor could use a hand. It feels good to help others. Therefore, your children not only benefit from that, but they also get to experience the warmth of appreciation. Two things for which they can be grateful.

5) Assign Chores: Children learn by doing chores. They learn what it means to be part of a whole. They learn their contributions are important. They also learn that most things take effort. Simple household chores can help children learn to be grateful when they benefit from the efforts of others.

6) Thank You Notes: Writing thank you notes for gifts is a very literal way of teaching your children gratitude. Putting down on paper what they enjoyed about a particular gift, reminds your children why they are grateful for it.

7) Find Your Gratitude: Always be on the lookout for things to be grateful for and express your gratitude. When your children hear you say things like, "Buster is such a good dog" or "What a beautiful day", they realize they can be grateful for even the smallest of things.

The effects of this way of thinking will be far reaching for kids and parents alike. By developing more authentic gratitude, you will have the tools to persevere through adversity with a greater sense of hope and purpose, and provide your children with an invaluable life skill.

Reedu Taha: Hunting as a Means of Therapy

2009-11-10T15:22:01Z

Over the course of thousands of years, as hunting has moved from a subsistence activity to a social one, there's no question that it has become controversial in nature, as well. Sport hunting, canned hunting, hound hunting, trophy hunting and now, even, therapy hunting.

That's right, a recent USA Today article explains how wounded Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are turning to rugged activities such as hunting and fishing to help heal physical and mental wounds.

The Armed Forces Foundation was profiled in the article as being among groups that organize outings aimed at getting a growing number of veterans out of hospitals and into the "therapeutic embrace of nature."

A Washington DC-based non profit, the Armed Forces Foundation provides comfort and solace to members of the military community through financial support, career counseling, housing assistance and recreational therapy programs.

When I reached out to The Honorable Julie Mogenis, who heads the organization's outdoor sports program, to express my dismay that hunting was being championed as therapeutic, I subsequently received an email from Army Spc. Brett Wolf, the wounded war vet who was profiled in the USA Today article, as well as five of his pro-hunting friends and colleagues.

What started out as an exploratory mission to extend the Armed Forces Foundations' outdoor sports program to include other outdoor activities that don't promote killing, quickly became a personal one.

I suggested extending the program to include war vets volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and even lending a hand at an outdoor animal shelter. Instead of receiving an answer from a representative of the Armed Forces Foundation, I received several hostile emails that pegged me as a tree hugger, as someone who has never spent time in the country and as someone who is insensitive to the needs of wounded soldiers.

While my intentions were not to start a holy war with the men and women who protect our country, I must say, that most of the accusations from Mr. Wolf and his friends and colleagues are not true. I have spent time in the country, as well as in other countries. In fact, if they must know, my father used to hunt when we lived in Africa. That was until the day a lone gazelle danced before him in the field as he prepared to shoot. He said it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen -- the gazelle, negotiating nature -- and he put down his gun. That was in 1979 and he has not hunted since. I also attended a Maritime Academy in Maine, where my friends were permitted to leave campus during hunting season, and did. What Mr. Wolf and his fellow soldiers don't know is how grateful, yet sorry I am that they are fighting for our country. I am not a proponent of war anymore than I am of killing animals. But I will give them the satisfaction of calling me a tree hugger. I am pretty sure that I have even been called that -- albeit affectionately -- by my own mother.

After the emails from Mr. Wolf and his compatriots stopped trickling in, I reached out once again to the Armed Forces Foundation to ask that they kindly refrain from handing out my contact information to people I did not know. It was then that I finally received a response, as well as an apology, from a representative of the organization.

Sasha Lahr, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Armed Forces Foundation, said that while she is not an avid hunter, she has come to appreciate that what she finds therapeutic -- dance, massage, a corona -- is not for everyone.

"I eventually realized there was nothing I could do but help support him in whatever he decided to do as he tried to move on," said Ms. Lahr, referring to a young man she worked with who was barely out of high school and had just come back from Iraq after having sacrificed both of his legs for our country. "He was forever changed by his selfless civic servitude, and I feel strongly that I have little room to judge what constitutes a milestone in his eyes."

Ms. Lahr added that she liked many of the ideas that I suggested, especially Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as volunteering at an animal shelter. She even agreed to explore an additional program within the foundation, which would include a partnership with United Action for Animals, and serve as another avenue of recovery for veterans.

"Who would have thought that an article about hunting could bring soldiers and animals in need, together," said Jennifer Panton, President of United Action for Animals. "I think it's great and I look forward to working with the Armed Forces Foundation as it pertains to saving animals and not killing them."

Michael Bedford, VIA Executive Director, On The Power Of Volunteering

2009-11-07T13:54:42Z

from the VIA blog, by Michael Bedford:

Volunteerism gave me access to powerful lessons about myself in the world. After Peace Corps, I have committed my life to humanitarian assistance programs across Asia, having worked on programs in thirteen countries of the Asia-Pacific region. In 2000, I served as Peace Corps Country Director in Bangladesh, and had the wonderful closing of the life circle, where I could help mentor young Americans experience [as I had 30 years earlier], the powerful lessons of themselves in the world.

Read the full post from Volunteers In Asia

Evan Hochberg: Why the Loss Leader Approach to Volunteerism is not the Answer

2009-11-05T14:03:39Z

I, along with many other civic, philanthropic and corporate leaders, was recently honored to attend the Points of Light Institute's 20th anniversary ceremony at Texas A&M University where President Barack Obama and former President George H. W. Bush spoke. This historic event honored the enormous advances of the service movement launched two decades ago. It also served as a forum to encourage innovative ideas about service as a solution to many of the challenges facing our communities today. It was inspirational and thought-provoking.

As I listened to our esteemed speakers, two questions struck me: everyone has such good intentions, but are good intentions good enough? And is it enough to merely encourage Americans to volunteer? To both questions, I found myself answering "no." When it comes to making headway on critical issues through volunteerism, we must remember that this is not an area where we can make it up in volume alone.

Simply encouraging more people to step up - without giving serious consideration to the critical skills and knowledge needed to make an impact - will never solve our communities' most pressing issues, including hunger, homelessness, crime and disparities in education and healthcare. If volunteerism is to be a powerful driver of social impact and business value, government, nonprofit and business leaders must focus not just on more volunteers, but on more productive volunteering. We must look to reimagine service in a way that responds more deeply to the needs of the nonprofit communities and the clients they serve.

The nation's renewed excitement, engagement and commitment to citizen action is palpable. Voices from DC to LA, from President Obama and his wife Michelle, to Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashton Kutcher, are encouraging Americans to move from spectator to contributor. The message is pervasive, motivating and compelling. And it's working. The number of volunteer forces in the United States is on the rise. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, despite the challenges of tough economic times, roughly one million more people volunteered their time or services in 2008 than in 2007.

Our nation's impassioned plea to "give back" is being heard loud and clear. The Corporation for National and Community Service also reports that nearly 62 million Americans contributed eight billion hours of volunteer service last year. But unfortunately, all too often, too many people, with good intentions, are given volunteer tasks that are beneath their level of skill and knowledge and ultimately will not drive sustained change. The key to our success as a service nation is not just getting people to care, but also helping them figure out how they can make the greatest difference, given their time and their skills.

While we within the service community can be proud of the tremendous advances we have made over the course of the past two decades, we cannot limit the measure of our success to transactional metrics such as numbers of volunteers and hours of service. We must remember that countless volunteers and endless volunteer hours, in and of themselves, are not the goal, nor will they achieve the goal. They are a means to making a positive contribution to society, but it's what those people do with their time that's what is really important. We must design volunteer efforts that can truly make an enduring difference.

We -- government, business and nonprofit leaders -- must challenge ourselves to reimagine service. To do this, we must clearly define volunteer roles and expectations. We must focus on matching talents and skills of volunteers to the needs of nonprofits. We must place top priority not only on recruiting, but retaining, volunteer talent. We must invest in the time and the tools necessary to successfully manage volunteers and create a positive and impact-driven experience.

We can no longer be satisfied with simply growing our nation's volunteer forces. In order to drive good intentions to greater impact, we must reimagine what volunteerism looks like and can achieve. Join the dialogue on how we can, together, reimagine what volunteer service can do.

Johanna Garton: Giving Back Without Waiting for the Ask

2009-11-05T11:43:41Z

As we sat listening to the car radio, the news of these bumpy times launched us into conversation. I wondered aloud what further sacrifices we may have to make for the good of the whole. On its face, our neighborhood in northwest Denver doesn't appear to be suffering, with its still-bustling coffee houses and restaurants. But beneath the surface I knew there was more to the story. I saw the boarded-up churches, and knew that there were families at our son's elementary school for whom Friday meant the last day of hot meals for their kids until Monday when school rolled around again and the free breakfast and lunch programs kicked in.

I was already maxed out, volunteering at our elementary school, serving on three boards and donating consulting work to local nonprofits with tight budgets. "So what do you think you can be doing," I casually asked my husband. Expecting a response about making a donation to a homeless shelter or offering to help a local nonprofit with computer problems, I was shocked to hear, "Well, I figured since you were doing so much, that just about covered it for both of us."

As I tried to get deeper into what I saw as an unacceptable response, it soon became clear that my husband's main objection was important: pleas for help are just too generic. In fact, that is the case for most people. I know from experience that an overwhelming percentage of people, when asked by a friend or colleague to give time or money, will step up to the plate. But what about those people who are never asked? In my experience, if they are not asked, they will not act.

I have seen our Colorado nonprofit community struggle, and watched as organizations I respect close their doors. Most of us have plenty to give and serving in the community does not need to be a long-term commitment, doesn't need to be organized through an agency, nor does it need to entail leaving your home. So for those waiting for the call to action, I suggest taking a more proactive approach. Visit a local nursing home and read to the seniors with your children, pick up trash in one of Denver's parks or pull together a frozen turkey and canned goods to drop off at a local food pantry.

The possibilities are endless, and so, too, are the resources. For links to volunteer opportunities around the state, a good place to start is the Governor's Commission on Community Service The Commission serves as Colorado's leader in promoting civic engagement, volunteerism and community service, and provides links to local service delivery programs around the state. Another resource soon to appear comes with the recent passage of the Kennedy Serve America Act. This legislation will increase the numbers of AmeriCorps members in all corners of our state. Are you a candidate? Lastly, right on the Huffington Post main page is a link to All For Good, a searchable database of local volunteer opportunities.

I remember being a new mother and feeling at the end of the day that I had accomplished nothing. Some days I barely managed a shower, and most days I didn't have time to watch the news or engage in a real adult conversation. Someone told me that in those moments, I should remember that my job that day was to raise my child, and surely in doing so I had taught him a lesson or two in the process. These words have kept me going long past those early parenting days, and now I hope to go one better than that. For perhaps in teaching our children the lesson of giving, we can all find some small way to help others in the process.

YouTube's Video Volunteers: Help Promote An Organization Fighting Hunger

2009-11-04T09:45:21Z

One in six American children doesn't know where they'll find their next meal. Food banks across the country are being stretched thin and the holidays may force even more of a strain. That's why YouTube wants you to help the hungry this Thanksgiving. Their Video Volunteers project is asking you to profile an organization that is helping to feed hungry Americans, in a three-minute video.

The three best videos, as judged by YouTube, will appear on the YouTube homepage at the end of November next to a video about Feeding America, one of the nation's most prominent hunger-fighting organizations.

Actor and activist David Arquette appears in the Video Volunteers introductory video to encourage viewers to participate.

WATCH:

Beautify A Traffic Island, Get An Island Vacation

2009-11-03T17:23:40Z

The title just about says it all. GOOD is hosting a contest for neighborhood visionaries to spruce up their city streets. The winner will get two round trip tickets to the island of Dominica on American Airlines, two nights at Calibishie Lodges, and two nights at Shangri-La Resorts, and two free passes to the Aerial Tram rainforest tour.

Raring to get started? (We never wanted to fix a traffic island until now, either.) Here are the details:

1. Before you start, register online for Good's Islands for Islands project.

2. Pick a really ugly traffic island and take a "before" picture-- Good says "the uglier the better."

3. Give your island a makeover either in Photoshop or in reality. Flowers, sculptures, water features, hey, maybe a hammock you could use in case you don't win the vacation. Capture your handiwork in an "after" photo.

4. Send the pictures, along with your name and a 30-word description to Good, and they'll post your submission online as soon as they receive it. Deadline for entries is Jan. 2, 2010. Check out their site for full details.

Here's a taste of the winnings from the contest site:

Shangri-La Resorts is located in a lush rainforest, one thousand feet above sea level, fifteen minutes from the capital city of Roseau. Amenities include riverside stone tubs that are fed by healing, natural hot water, natural steam sauna, large yoga pavilion, rustic cabins with modern conveniences. Services include massage, mud scrubs, Watsu, early morning Yoga and Qi-gong classes, chiropractic evaluation and treatments.

We're not even sure what Watsu is, but it's got to be great for the back pain you'll doubtless incur while beautifying the drab traffic islands in your neighborhood. Good luck!

Red Cross 'Holiday Mail' Will Greet Troops

2009-11-03T15:05:36Z

Move over, e-mail. The virtual greeting just won't cut it this holiday season, as the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowles have teamed up for the third year for their Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

The initiative invites Americans to share their gratitude and thanks by sending holiday greeting cards via snail mail to U.S. service members, veterans and military families nationwide and abroad. Last year, the program received over 1.4 million cards, mirroring the number of men and women serving as active members of the U.S. armed forces.

Holiday cards will be collected through Monday, December 7th, and must be sent to the following address:

Holiday Mail for Heroes 
P.O. Box 5456
 Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Volunteers at Red Cross chapters across the nation sort and review the cards, then pass them on to service members, their families and veterans.

The following guidelines from the Red Cross will help you get your gratitude on:

Do:

Sign all cards

Entitle cards "Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran"

Send holiday-neutral cards rather than those with religious themes

Limit cards to 15 per person or 50 for school class or business group

Bundle groups of cards in single, large envelopes

Don't:

Send letters

Include personal information such as home or email addresses

Use glitter - excessive amounts can aggravate health issues of wounded recipients

Include inserts of any kind as they must be removed in the screening
process

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On Detroit's Angels Night, Volunteers Are On The Lookout For Fires

2009-10-30T12:47:41Z

Last night was the first of several planned Angels Nights in Detroit, where volunteers walk and drive the streets looking to report suspicious fires. They find more than you might expect. Between 10 and 40 suspicious fires are reported in the Detroit area every day, and the 30,000 volunteers who showed up for the first Angel Night were there to make sure they all got reported to the fire department efficiently.

From The Detroit News:

"It's very important to participate at a time when there are more abandoned homes and there's a greater potential for fires," Diane Green said. "We have to step up and keep our neighborhood safe." Although fewer volunteers had signed up by Thursday than in previous years, the Northwest Activities Center ran out of the 1,000 Angels' Night hats and lights for volunteers, according to organizer Gail Carr...Volunteer turnout was "phenomenal."..."People wanted to help our city," she said. "They feel like this is something we have to do. The word got out."...On the eastside, Carl Ramsey, the manager of the Neighborhood City Hall on East Seven Mile, said he was proud about the 250 patrols and other volunteers. "It's going well," he said. "The block clubs and the community groups have really stepped up."

Volunteers receive an Angels Night hat, a flashlight and a meal from White Castle. Detroit residents interested in taking part in further Angels Night volunteer walks this week can sign up on www.angelsnight.org or call 313-224-4415.

Inspirational Stories From No Impact Week: The DC Green Muslims, Volunteering In Costa Rica And Confronting "Poverty Consciousness"

2009-10-29T10:59:05Z

Starting Sunday October 18, HuffPost hosted the inaugural No Impact Week, where people around the globe examined and reduced their ecological footprint by taking part in a short and intense period of conscious consumption supported by local and online communities.

Of the over 5,000 participants, an environmental-conscious organization of Muslims who call themselves Green Muslims in the District was the largest localized community to take on the project. The D.C. Green Muslims used No Impact Week as an opportunity to improve both their spiritual and environmental practices, and to be "green in a Muslim community, and Muslim in a green community." They created this inspiring video to sum up the eight-day experiment:

Sign up here for the next No Impact Week, which starts November 15.

This Muslim community, which created a unique guide that placed inspiring quotes from Islamic texts side by side with tips for how to live a lower-impact life, was only one of many groups that customized the week for their specific location or religion. Throughout the week, four hundred participants interacted on a daily basis through the No Impact Project Ning and created over seventy groups based on shared geography, interests and heritage -- from a Mt Eden, New Zealand group to a Spanish language Latino American group.

We hoped that people would take on this project in a community. We asked for participants to share their stories and lessons from their experience. Here's what they had to say.

For Donna Joseph from Everett, Washington (who inspired Arianna with her blog about getting ready for the project), No Impact Week made her rethink what she needs to buy versus what she has fallen into the habit of buying:

I was able to take a second look at my consumption. This is the area where I need the most improvement. I, like so many others, have some leftovers from single-motherhood. It is the poverty consciousness that makes us all want more. This week, I did stop and think. Did I really need that new mop? Yeppers, I did, but I could do without the cleats to put on my shoes to walk on ice this winter. After all, I use a wheel chair anyway. I have learned to reuse and make do. I knit blankets for traumatized kids for the Binky Patrol, and find I can get all the yarn I can use at the thrift store. It takes a little creativity to join the colors, but that is where the fun comes in.

For Elanor Moore, No Impact Week also helped improve her spiritual practice:

On a spiritual note, I learned that when I'm a better Buddhist, in the moment, fully experiencing what I'm doing and understanding all the implications of my actions, it's easier to be green - and vice versa. Participating in No Impact Project Week helped me be a better Buddhist, and being a better Buddhist helped me make fuller use of No Impact Week. Once again, I found that when I did things the right way, the smart way, the responsible way, the greener way, life became that little bit easier. And my path ahead became a little bit clearer. I don't know about happiness or money, but gaining clarity was definitely a plus from the week's activities. I'd rather have clarity than happiness or money anyway.

Leda Meredith discovered her reliance on electronic sources of music, and that giving them up created a sense of inner peace:

Powering down was the big one for me. Even though I got rid of TV months ago, like many people, I'd gotten used to my life having a soundtrack: earphones on and tunes or podcasts while I walked to the train station, videos on my iPhone while I rode the train; even my cookery had music or downloaded programs accompanying it.

Suddenly I was cooking to silence, by candlelight, or listening to the city as I walked through it.

I thought it would be boring and that I'd be restless without that electronic soundtrack. Instead I found myself feeling something so unfamiliar that it took me a while to identify it.

I felt peaceful.

I've often felt happy and just as often excited, and told myself that made up for the anxiety I also often feel. But peaceful? That hadn't been part of my usual repertory.

Meanwhile, Jean Godar from Costa Rica discovered a sense of camaraderie that carried her through the week, and most of all, the beauty of volunteerism:

This whole week was a chance to focus on the various aspects of my habits and feel connected to like minded people. This week I learned, that I am not doing enough to lower my impact, that it is not so difficult to do better at lowering my impact, and that it is actually fun. Part of the pleasure and satisfaction I got out of this week was the feeling of camaraderie I felt with the people involved in the No Impact Project. The other part was the focus and self examination required for each day's goals - I saw change.

The best part of the week was my volunteerism, I began working with a newly forming organic farmers cooperative here with my neighbors in Costa Rica where I live. The cooperative's goals include creating a sustainable healthy way of life for our local small farmers and to provide locally grown organic food for the people in our community. I am very excited and hopeful about this project.

Elizabeth Borelli used No Impact Week as an opportunity to learn how to make a variety of foods from scratch:

I made a lot more healthy food from scratch, which meant less pre-packaged snacks, so our family reserves dwindled to none by the end of the week. That was when my four year old demanded "Mom, how do you spell 'Can you go to the grocery store and buy more snacks?'" in an apparent attempt to cast her own vote for change. Instead I handed her some homemade granola and that seemed to suffice. I never did get a chance to make my own yogurt though!

Lysa from Hawaii discovered that living a No Impact lifestyle was more difficult than she initially conceived:

I was so sure this week was going to be easy for me. Instead I was surprised to find that even with all that I do to reduce my "footprint" it is still pretty large. I've learned a lot from all of you in just one short week and find myself contemplating simple daily moments in a clearer view now. I will continue to improve my ways and share my thoughts and experiences to everyone inside my sphere of influence. I truly believe we as a collective whole can and do make a difference and I congratulate all of us for trying.

For Jerina Page from Cottage Grove, Oregon, No Impact Week provided a great blueprint for how to bring our environmental concerns into the the real world:

Weeks such as we just held are critical to the success of future environmental change because they provide a nonthreatening way to explore just how easy it is to lower your impact on the environment. This event helps fight the truth that "thinking about it is far worse than doing it" for those who are just thinking about it or taking baby steps toward smaller footprints.

Sign up here for the next No Impact Week, which starts November 15.

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