My Turning Point Occurred With The Death of My Father

Today’s turning point story is written by Pilar Pinel, founder of Embracing Latina Leadership Alliances (ELLAS). ELLAS is dedicated to the educational, professional and political advancement of underserved Latina youth. She is also a L’Oréal Paris 2011 Women of Worth honoree.

Throughout my young life, I found pleasure in helping others. It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I embraced the thought that everyone was born with a unique purpose and that time would lead me to realize what mine would be. For me, giving to others was not because I was wealthy, but because it was the right thing to do. As a Latina, I felt a responsibility to step up to the plate at such a historical turn in our nation’s history for women, in particular for Latinas who lacked role models in their environments and the resources to reach their full potential.

My father passed away when I was 24, the following year a brother passed away as a firefighter and one month later my brother-in-law died while driving in Mexico. Each left this world tragically and unexpectedly, but not without a lifelong footprint of their humanitarian contributions to their family, friends and community. During this time I felt abandoned in an emotional fog of – why? Little did I know that these experiences would make me who I am today, and how I would gain my wisdom and strength.

A year later, unexpectedly divorced and raising our 3-year-old son alone on limited income, I went to college while working nights and weekends.  Navigating through the post-secondary process alone, without role models or support, was extremely tough. There were times when my son was in class with me at 6 a.m., because I had no one to take care of him and quitting was not an option. Finishing my studies, I worked for two community college districts and later the legislative department. The political awakening I’d gained greatly influenced my founding “ELLAS” in 2003. When my son was young he would call me “Zina” (a princess warrior), because he said “I could overcome any difficult challenges thrown my way.. My name (Pilar) refers to “column/strength”— for me, each day is about faith, love and being grateful for those who committed their lives to our country’s freedom and strength.

My “turning point” was the synergy of my life experiences linked to timing and opportunity and seeing so many young Latinas reminding me of me at their age. However, if asked to put one experience at the top, it would be my father’s death. It opened my eyes to how fragile life is, and the window of opportunity we all have to contribute to positive change and the importance of setting one’s moral compass to assist others in their challenges regardless of our own challenges. To recognize the monumental power each of us possess when we give of ourselves selflessly in kindness and empathy. My passion possibly would not have been realized if not for someone seeing the potential in my vision and investing in the mission. A dear friend once said that “positive energy is only as good as it is shared.” SHARE! After all, we take nothing with us when we depart this world.

29 Things To Do In Chigago for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service

In honor of Leap Year, today we are highlighting 29 things to do while you are in Chicago for the 2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, June 18-20.

1. Create new ideas for service with old friends, colleagues and new contacts who believe in the power of people to create change.
2. Explore Chicago’s lush Millennium Park, home to the famous Cloud Gate or “Bean” sculpture and the Crown Fountain that spouts water from its digital faces.
3. Hear about first lady Barbara Bush’s personal commitment to service and how she is encouraging multi-generational service leaders and social commitments.
4. Deep dish pizza – need I say more?
5. Tour the exhibit hall and meet 80 vendors from nonprofit, government, corporate and merchandising sectors as they demonstrate the impact and results of their programs and services.
6. Roar with the lions at one of the nation’s last free zoos. Offering an unforgettable wildlife experience amid a stunning skyline, the Lincoln Park Zoo is open to the public for free every day of the year.
7. Join our first-ever Solution Centers for a casual conversation with experts in various issue areas. Experts include: the Corporation for National and Community Service, Team Rubicon and University of Phoenix.
8. Meet one of the 50 most influential people in the nonprofit sector, California Association of Nonprofits’ Executive Director Jan Masaoka.
9. Check out one of the workshops offered in the Youth Leadership track to see what the kids (and those who work with them) are doing these days.
10. Tour McCormick Place West (your Conference convention center) to see one of the largest collections of public artwork in Illinois. The breath-taking displays feature paintings, sculptures murals and more.
11. Tweet with hashtag #NCVS and let people know what you’ve experienced.
12. Walk down the Magnificent Mile, Chicago’s famous Michigan Avenue with world-class shopping, dining and architecture. Bring your walking shoes and your wallet!
13. Party at the Welcome to Chicago Celebration featuring mini-service events, sponsor booths, activities, regional bands and famous Chicago cuisine.
14. Check out the News Desk outside the exhibit hall on the third floor of the convention center for the daily newsletter, the latest Conference hot topics, media interviews and more.
15. Hear from former U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey about how a lifetime of service – both military and community – influenced his viewpoints on leadership, vision, organizational culture and leading transformational change.
16. Ford the Chicago River by boat tour and explore the city’s architectural wonders on the only river in the world that flows backwards. The reversal of the Chicago River was a massive public works effort that saved the Chicago region from waterborne diseases in the early 1900s.
17. Volunteer at the Conference. It’s what we do!
18. Visit the tallest building in North America – the Willis Tower – and step out onto the Ledge, a suspended glass box at Skydeck Chicago that is more than 1,000 feet in the sky.
19. Participate in the Sunday Supper, an opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds to come together to share a meal, discuss the challenges our nation faces and take action.
20. Meet up with Lil Sis, have dinner, convince her to move home. Wait … This isn’t my personal to-do list.
21. Share your Turning Point story to inspire others to find their passion.
22. Check out a Civic Fellows session, intimate dialogues with sector leaders like Susan Ellis, Michael Carter, Isabel Wilkerson.
23. Experience our nation’s leader singing “Sweet Home Chicago” or check out the local music scene whether your genre is jazz, blues or eclectic festivals.
24. Hone your professional speaking skills to make better pitches to funders, improve your presentations and feel more comfortable in the limelight. Be sure to check out session 2299, Professional Speaking Training with Bill Hoogterp.
25. Watch the fireworks, visit the beer garden and ride the ferris wheel (not necessarily in that order) at the Navy Pier.
26. Meet the wonderful staff from the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau on the first floor of the convention center. They have everything you need to plan meals, outings, transportation and anything else you can’t even think of to make this your best trip to Chicago ever.
27. Join a conversation about innovative thinking, entrepreneurship and leading change with Brad Keywell, Lightbank and Groupon co-founder.
28. Upload your Conference photos to NCVS on Flickr.
29. Relax, have fun, meet some new people and go home re-energized for your community!

Evaluate Your Surroundings, Then Take Action

Today’s Turning Point story is written by Dallisa Hocking, Director of Sustainability and Community at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Dallisa is on the Advisory Council for Communities in Schools and an officer for the Las Vegas Business Academy. In her spare time she enjoys cooking and traveling with her grandma Eloise.  

“Even when opportunity knocks, a man still has to get up off his seat and open the door.” – Anonymous

I’ve been an outgoing person since childhood – from taking center stage in my school performance of “Little Red Riding Hood” to convincing neighbors why buying rocks was a good investment. As I grew into my teen years, I took my talents and targeted them towards the greater good of my community.

How can you take your energy and create change? Simply stated: Evaluate your surroundings and then take action. In other words, look at the world around you and determine what could use some extra care and attention.

Putting this theory into practice started in high school – I kept hearing about the dangers of cigarette smoking. For me, not smoking myself wasn’t enough. I began going to elementary schools and teaching children the dangers associated with cigarettes. Then a few years later in college, people I knew were affected by date rape drugs. So, I put my voice to good use and began facilitating sessions in college classrooms about the warning signs and signals to watch for. And, about four years ago, my brother was a Marine stationed in Iraq. Through our regular communication, he told me that many of his fellow soldiers didn’t receive packages and letters from home, and again I knew something had to be done. At work, I started a program called “Operation Camo Care,” rallied employees and created hundreds of care packages that were shipped to soldiers around the world.

These are a few of the ways I’ve taken inventory and then taken action. It doesn’t always have to be a grand gesture that helps many. It could be a small act of kindness that changes the life of one person, even if it is just for a moment.

So, keep your eyes open to the possibility of today and what you can contribute to the greater good. You may be surprised to see how far your good deed will go.

My Turning Point Was Influenced By Strong Female Role Models

Today’s Turning Point story is written by Eileen Bostwick, Director of the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs in northern California.  In Eileen’s spare time she enjoys traveling, spending time with her 6 grandchildren, and volunteering at their school fund-development events.  She also serves on the National Association Foster Grandparent Program Directors Board and on numerous local non-profit boards and committees.

My mother and the experiences I had growing up as a flower child of the 1960’s greatly influenced the person I grew into.

Issues surrounding aging have been part of my life since my early childhood. I never realized that my interest in aging was unique or different than that of my peers, to me it was normal.  My mother was an amazing woman who adopted me late in her life.  She had a rich fabric of friends who had achieved success in their chosen fields.  These strong, educated, caring women mentored me from my birth.  Each of them made a tremendous difference during a time when women weren’t recognized for such contributions.

Mildred was a social worker with the Native Americans of the Southwest.  A graduate of U.C. Berkeley her accomplishments are more remarkable due to her physical limitations.  She had Multiple Sclerosis and was wheelchair bound most of her years.  Jenny was a revolutionary and was instrumental in establishing Unions to protect the workers of our country.  Evelyn was a poet, writer and dreamer and recorded history as it unfolded.  These women along with others shaped my beliefs, nurtured my interests and raised my social consciousness and showed me the tremendous wisdom of older adults.

While in Community College in Marin County, CA I helped to raise cash and collect clothing to support Cesar Chavez, co founder of the National Farm Workers.  With 3 other students we drove to Delano and marched on the picket line to boycott grapes.  We met Cesar Chavez, and had the honor of eating dinner with him. This experience showed me a reality that I previously had no knowledge.  It provided the impetus to be community-minded and volunteer my services, something I have done most of my adult life.

Since 1990 I have recruited older adult men and women as volunteer tutors and mentors for special needs children in the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP).  In 1999 I implemented a Senior Companion Program (SCP) by recruiting older adult volunteers to assist frail elders to remain living independently at home.   Annually, over 85,000 hours of service provided by these dedicated FGP volunteers result in children attaining grade level and being able to promote to the next grade, at grade level.  Senior Companions assist older adults to “age in place, at home” rather than moving to assisted living or nursing homes for care.

Working with these programs has reinforced my understanding of the incredible need in rural communities for services for frail elders as well as the lack of access to existing services.  Too many older adults are unable to access medical care, nutrition programs, housing and recreational activities.  Isolation, elder abuse, alienation, depression, malnutrition and transportation are very real problems for the majority of older adults in the area.  I have worked to provide meaningful roles for older members of the community.  I would like to help society develop a better understanding of aging and change the stereotype of ageism that is prevalent today.  I would like to become a mentor to others as I was given mentors as a child.

My Turning Point Occured in the East Harlem Subway

Today’s Turning Point story is written by Gina Keatley, Founder/Director of Nourishing NYC, a community food program that feeds, educates, and advocates for tens-of-thousands of in need families annually. Gina is an award-winning chef, nutritionist, and humanitarian who has been chosen as a 2011 CNN Hero and a L’oreal Women of Worth.

In 2003, I had moved to New York City like many young, wide-eyed hopefuls with 900 bucks in my pocket and a ready-to-take-on-the-city attitude. I attended culinary school in NoHo followed by NYU for nutrition in the Village, but as I said I moved here with very little resources and found myself living in East Harlem across from the city projects. I had experienced poverty as a child, so I was not shocked or surprised by how these low-income people where living, I was, however, shocked that within a few block radius as the checkbooks got bigger, the waist lines got smaller. There is an invisible divide on the cross streets on 96^th Street and Lexington near where I lived. Below the street line, the financial demographics include some of the highest income brackets, the streets filled with fresh vegetables stands, little outdoor restaurants, and parks. In contrast, right above the line are the lowest income brackets and the streets are filled with liquor stores and fast food takeout stands.

My turning point was when I was walking to the subway in East Harlem and had to walk over a man lying on the floor with an amputation. Was this man a veteran or in a horrific accident? No, this man was a victim of diabetes! I was shocked to see that here in America, mere blocks from smoothie shops and gourmet grocery stores, we had Americans starving for nutrition. East Harlem has the highest rate of diabetes and obesity in all of Manhattan. As a trained chef and nutritionist, I had to do something.

Nourishing NYC/USA was the answer to the problem that I was seeing in my community. At Nourishing NYC, our direct service arm, we feed through our urban produce program thatdistributed more than 25,000 pounds of fresh produce on the streets on Harlem to in-need clients in 2011. We educate through our award-winning junior chef programs where we teach children culinary and nutritional skills for themselves and family. We advocate for a healthy environment through seasonal eating and workshops. Nourishing NYC has been so successful that we decided in late 2011 to expand nationwide with Nourishing USA, our nationwide advocacy arm.

Through Nourishing USA, Americans who are interested in helping their community can offer “nutrition for all” by ordering a free anti-hunger advocacy kit and grow, gather and give right in their community. To continue the programs, we are in need of donations and encourage anyone that feels these programs are worthy to please donate online at www.NourishingNYC.org or www.NourishingUSA.org. I am proud to have founded an organization that is reaching so many in-need clients. At Nourishing, I try and teach clients to be chefs both in the kitchen and out of the kitchen. As my grandma once said, “to eat is to enjoy, but to teach how to eat is to love.”