Project Management Day of Service: Finding Innovative Solutions to Nonprofit Challenges
“We rarely have the luxury of spending time on the business with a group of highly skilled professionals,” said Mariana McNeill, executive director of CareerCatchers. Dedicated to empowering the community’s most vulnerable populations through career counseling, mentorship and training programs, Mariana and
participate in the D.C. Regional Project Management Day of Service each year, taking advantage of the unique opportunity to work with project management professionals to solve tough challenges – at no cost. Hosted by
, the marathon-style event falls annually on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and is designed to help nonprofits find innovative solutions to their most pressing challenges. This year’s event will include 130 project management volunteers who will contribute hours of direct service to more than 30 projects for 25 area nonprofits. Participating this year for the fifth time, CareerCatchers will seek support in creating plans to boost infrastructure development, and improving marketing and communications efforts.
Created in 2014, the Project Management Day of Service started out as a one-day community service event in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. At each event, volunteer project managers help nonprofit leaders to scope and plan projects that allow them to do more to serve their communities. Since its inception, PMDoS events have been launched at locations across the United States and around the world, including Virginia, New York, Georgia, California, Australia and Poland.
For many nonprofits, pro bono project management can be a valuable asset when limited resources prevent smaller organizations from hiring full-time support. Points of Light is proud to partner with Project Management for Change on these events, which helped community-focused nonprofits more effectively manage their resources and give project management professionals the perfect opportunity to give back.
This year’s D.C. event will take place on Jan. 19, and Mariana will once again attend to meet with project management professionals. We spoke with her to learn a little more about her experience with PMDoS over the years, and how the events support CareerCatchers’ success.
Please tell us a little bit about CareerCatchers.
CareerCatchers provides sustained career counseling for more than 500 domestic violence victims, homeless, at-risk youth, previously incarcerated individuals, people with disabilities, and immigrants every year. Since our inception in 2007, we’ve worked with more than 2,100 individuals. Our mission is to ensure stable employment and upward mobility; identify and encourage participation in workplace skills training programs; enhance self-esteem and foster empowerment, primarily through one-on-one counseling as well as Job Clubs, workshops and mentoring/tutoring. The ultimate goal is to support clients as they move from poverty to self-sufficiency. CareerCatcher’s personalized and collaborative approach makes a difference in the community by supporting the most vulnerable residents in obtaining job training and sustainable careers while leveraging other county resources.
What project or need did you bring to the Project Management Day of Service last year? Tell us a little about your experience that day, and how the project management volunteers supported your work.
Last year we came to PMDoS for help with new fundraising ideas. The project managers assigned to us were incredible. After some discussion and collaboration with the subject-matter experts, the notion of establishing a junior executive board was suggested. The concept was fleshed out and one of our project managers, Angel Choi, said she’d like to be a part of the effort. By the time we left the room we had a plan for how to establish a board, how to recruit members, and its major purpose.
What happened after PMDoS? Give us an update on your project, or how your participation in the event helped your organization.
After the PMDoS session last year, the board of directors wholeheartedly supported the formation of a junior executive board. Angel, who had offered to chair the project of starting a board, followed up on her promise. Within a month, a five-member junior executive board was operational. In 2018, the JEB held two fundraising events, and by the end of the year added a CareerCatchers client to their membership. At this point we are working out the relationship between the board of directors, the junior executive board and staff to ensure that the needs and contributions of all stakeholders are met.
What has been the most valuable part of your participation in these PMDoS events?
The ability to take a step away from the day-to-day operations and focus on an aspect of the business that needs attention. The project managers help us articulate the issues and create a framework for coming up with an actionable solution.
Will you be attending the 2019 event? If yes, what do you hope to accomplish this year?
Yes, we will be attending this event. The first project is creating a plan for a steady revenue stream for infrastructure development. The second project is a communications and marketing vehicle that enables us to get our mission out to our target audience and increases individual donations.
What advice would you give to other organizations that are in need of project management support?
Come to PMDoS with your organization’s pressing issues!
Project Management Day of Service: Helping Nonprofits Tackle Their Most Difficult Challenges, One Project at a Time
Inspired to help local nonprofit organizations reach their full potential, Gary Vaughan volunteers his time and project management skills to create actionable project plans during the annual D.C. Regional Project Management Day of Service. Hosted by
, the event falls annually on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, and over 130 volunteers will contribute hours of direct service to more than 25 area nonprofits and 30 projects. A senior IT adviser with the Bureau of Information Resource Management at the State Department, Gary brings years of experience to the PMDoS marathon-style event. Now in his fourth year as a volunteer, he is helping under-resourced nonprofit leaders address their most difficult challenges at no cost, one project at a time.
Created in 2014, the Project Management Day of Service started out as a one-day community service event in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. At each event, volunteer project managers help nonprofit leaders to scope and plan projects that allow them to do more to serve their communities. Since its inception, PMDoS events have been launched at locations across the United States and around the world, including Virginia, New York, Georgia, California, Australia and Poland.
For many nonprofits, pro bono project management can be a valuable asset when limited resources prevent smaller organizations from hiring full-time support. Points of Light is proud to partner with Project Management for Change on these events, which helps community-focused nonprofits more effectively manage their resources and gives project management professionals the perfect opportunity to give back.
This year’s D.C. event will take place on Jan. 19, and Gary will once again volunteer his time to support nonprofits in his local community. We spoke with him to learn a little more about his involvement with PMDoS over the years, and what inspires him to give back.
How did you become involved with DC Project Management Day of Service, and how many times have you participated?
I have been an active member of the D.C. chapter of the Project Management Institute, which was a key initial founder of the day of service. I was attracted by the mission to help D.C.-area nonprofits, and the events also offer an opportunity to hone my project management skills in the “real world,” outside of the office. This year, I will have participated in the Project Management Day of Service for four years, including the upcoming event this month.
Tell us a little about your experience with PMDoS over the years, and your role at the event.
I have been a volunteer both on regular project management teams in addition to serving as a roving IT expert where I helped various teams. The most memorable event was one where our team coached a small international nonprofit in developing a plan for an internal, online human resources system.
What has been the most rewarding part of your participation in these PMDoS events?
It’s a great opportunity to meet not only members of the nonprofit community, but to interact with fellow project managers. I have also enjoyed talking with representatives of sponsoring organizations that exhibit at the event.
Why is an event like Project Management Day of Service so important, not only for the nonprofit sector but also for the project management volunteers who give their time? What keeps you coming back year after year?
I think that the one-day format is very pragmatic in making efficient use of time for nonprofits and volunteer project managers. We all tend to leave the event with a sense of accomplishment! It seems that every time that I participate, I learn something new about the practical and applied world of project management.
What advice would you give to nonprofit organization that are in need of project management support?
They should consider applying to participate in a Project Management Day of Service. I have already recommended it to a few nonprofits in my area. It is a great way for an organization that is lean on resources to get free stock-taking and planning all in one fell swoop. Taproot Foundation also offers some helpful, pro bono project management support for nonprofits.
Why is it important for others to get involved and make a difference in their community?
Nonprofits are essential partners in supporting our community, but are often short on budget and long on needs for funds and organizational support. My sense is that PMDoS provides a great way to match up organizations’ needs and the skills and good will of local project managers.
In addition to PMDoS, do you volunteer in any other capacity (as a project manager, or otherwise)?
I have volunteered as a project manager with Taproot Foundation, both to head a team on a long-term project to develop a WordPress website for a D.C.-area nonprofit that helps new immigrants, in addition to volunteering to assist nonprofits during a half-day workshop. In the past through the Project Management Institute, I also mentored graduate students in George Washington University’s project management program.
At Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Jr Middle School, volunteers with Hands On Atlanta sit in front of a mural of Dr. King on MLK Day of Service.
As someone whose early career was as a civil rights attorney and who now leads a global organization focused on volunteering and service, spending the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in Atlanta is a full circle experience. In the span of five days, we joined this community to honor civil rights leaders; break bread together while discussing economic justice; roll up our sleeves to offer love and care to a west Atlanta neighborhood; and host just more than 50 Fortune 500 companies focused on integrating social purpose with business strategy. Dr. King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘what are you doing for others?’” The answers we heard inspire hope.
On a national stage, at the Salute to Greatness hosted by
, Dr. Bernice King honored amazing leaders who work to make their community and our world a better place. From U.S. Sen. Corey Booker, whose policies promote the values of social and economic justice, to Puerto Rico’s San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz who has been a light in the darkness, leading her community out of despair after a devastating hurricane, to Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of Chobani, who shared that his company’s values include producing affordable nutritious food and its employees’ rights. These honorees demonstrate what’s possible when you value and commit to doing what’s right.
Dr. King’s teachings show us that agreeing on “what’s right” isn’t easy but can come from meaningful dialogue about difficult subjects. Rooted in that philosophy, Points of Light provides tools for hosting
to offer a facilitated forum for people to come together, have tough conversations, learn from each other and discover actionable solutions. This year, our affiliate
, which gave the entire community a chance to be part of a rich discussion about economic justice and opportunity. The growth of this event, the attendance and engagement demonstrate the need and desire of community to share, reflect and problem-solve, together.
Photo courtesy of Hands On Atlanta
Volunteers do some gardening work as part of a beautification project in Atlanta’s English Avenue neighborhood on MLK Day of Service.
Despite frigid temperatures in Atlanta, the MLK Day of Service was reinvigorating as nearly 150 people rolled up the sleeves of their big, bulky coats and got to work in the city’s English Avenue neighborhood. The volunteers, including residents, along with Southwest Airlines and KPMG employees, and members of the Points of Light Corporate Service Council, cleaned up a park, restriped a parking lot, and painted vibrant art boards with inspirational messages. These projects were part of Points of Light’s Resilient Communities work with Southwest Airlines, an 18-month initiative in partnership with three of our local affiliates. Hands On Atlanta’s focus effort in English Avenue has been in collaboration with residents, like Annie Moore, to revitalize the area. Annie freely and wholeheartedly chooses to make every day a day about serving and being a light for others, and we were honored to recognize her with Daily Point of Light Award No. 6,175.
The English Avenue service projects were a subset of
across the city organized by Hands On Atlanta that engaged nearly 1,900 people as volunteers. These efforts are representative of the energy and activity across the country in which Points of Light, our affiliates and grantees engaged nearly 150,000 people in service projects and Sunday Suppers.
Our greatest opportunity for meaningful impact is through this coordinated effort that includes residents, community leaders and business leaders. More than 50 corporate partners that are focused on integrating social purpose into their business strategy joined us in Atlanta to connect and collaborate as part of our
. UPS Chairman and CEO David Abney, along with chief diversity and inclusion officer and UPS Foundation President Eduardo Martinez, welcomed us to the company’s headquarters where a diverse group of speakers representing small and large companies discussed everything from data philanthropy to storytelling. This determined group wasn’t deterred by the snow and ice that closed down the city on day two, as our Points of Light team quickly organized what would have been workshops into webinars. More than 50 participants who had traveled to Atlanta stayed warm in their hotels and joined the online discussions and we didn’t miss a beat.
This series of events marking Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday throughout the week is significant. It shows us that even as we approach 50 years since Dr. King’s voice was silenced, his vision was not and his legacy lives on through the ways in which we answer that question, “what are you doing for others?”
Connecting Atlanta Volunteers with Opportunities to ‘Do Something Good,’ on MLK Day and Beyond
“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. … You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Each year on the third Monday in January, friends, family, coworkers and neighbors come together in communities across the nation to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through acts of service. The largest national day of service, MLK Day is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on gains won during the Civil Rights Movement and to address contemporary issues facing our nation through meaningful civic dialogue and community volunteerism.
At
, a Points of Light affiliate, it is also an opportunity to celebrate Dr. King in the city where he was born and raised. Founded nearly 30 years ago, in 1989, Hands On Atlanta’s mission is to “tackle greater Atlanta’s most pressing needs by igniting a passion for service and creating life-long community volunteers.” Engaging volunteers year-round in programs focused on youth and families, education, hunger and homelessness, their work breathes new life into Dr. King’s vision of neighbors working together for the betterment of their communities, and our world.
“We’re the volunteer hub for the city of Atlanta,” said Tim Adkins, director of marketing and communications at Hands On Atlanta. “Like most other affiliates in the Points of Light Network, our job is to connect changemakers – you know, volunteers – to nonprofits and schools in need. We engage about 20,000 volunteers every year, over the course of 150,000 service hours with projects that we have
anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, which occurred April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. At the time, he was focused on a project he called the Poor People’s Campaign, which sought to address income inequality. To mark the anniversary, this year Hands On Atlanta partnered with
and committed to “50 Acts of Service” – 30 projects to be done on the MLK Day holiday, and 20 more to be completed between January and April.
“Dr. King’s commitment to service and helping others is at the core of our work. Like Dr. King, we also believe that, ‘everyone can be great, because anyone can serve.’ As the needs for Atlanta continue to grow, the demand for volunteers is greater than ever, and it’s our job to connect our network of volunteers to our nonprofit partners and schools who need their help,” said Tim. “Going big for MLK Day is a way for us to honor Dr. King’s legacy while showcasing the work with do 365 days a year.”
At parks and schools, nature preserves and underserved neighborhoods, hundreds of volunteers built benches, planted gardens, maintained trails, painted and beautified communal spaces. Still others volunteered at food pantries and community outreach organizations, organizing donations, assembling lunches for school children, boxing and delivering meals to seniors – and so much more. In total, Hands On Atlanta engaged more than 1,800 volunteers, who gave nearly 5,000 hours of their time on MLK Day.
Longtime volunteer Donnis Davis sorted and distributed food to pre-screened families in need.
“The coolest thing about it is the church where the food distribution program is held was once led by Ralph David Abernathy (a close colleague of Martin Luther King),” said Donnis. Dr. King had visited West Hunter Street Baptist Church, he said, and the congregation is proud to be affiliated with Ralph Abernathy.
Donnis, a finance manager for a local car dealership, has volunteered with Hands On Atlanta for 20 years, doing everything from painting houses and schools to packaging and distributing food, to planting gardens and doing landscaping.
This year, as part of Hands On Atlanta’s Civic Leadership Program, Donnis is committed to a yearlong partnership with Southwest Ecumenical Emergency Assistance Center, a group of churches that addresses hunger, unemployment and health. It offers a monthly food distribution program, a weekly food pantry and regular classes in job interviewing skills. A clothing closet provides business attire for people who can’t afford to buy a new outfit for an interview.
For Donnis, whose large family has always been active in church in community, volunteering gives him the “chance to do something positive with so negative stuff going on in the world.”
“It’s basically like therapy,” said Davis, who adds that volunteering has helped him improve his organizational and communication skills. “It’s made me more open-minded and empathetic.”
Sunday Suppers
A newer initiative of Hands On Atlanta is the Signature Sunday Supper event. Since 2015, corporate and community leaders have gathered for dinner on the Sunday before the King Holiday. Speakers lead discussion about topics pertinent to Dr. King’s mission – acknowledging that many of these problems continue to exist today.
“We want to have an open and honest conversation about possible solutions,” said Tim. “Hands On Atlanta wants to be able to lead those conversations.”
, a Points of Light program, is inspired by Dr. King’s vision that people of diverse backgrounds would come together to discuss injustices of the day and create a plan for action. The events, which can be hosted by organizations and individuals alike, call people to share a meal and engage in dialogue about issues affecting their communities.
This year, about 250 people attended the Hands On Atlanta Signature Sunday Supper at The Gathering Spot. Speakers included Nathaniel Smith, founder and CEO of the Partnership for Southern Equity; Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, senior fellow, racial wealth divide, with Prosperity Now; Natalye Paquin, CEO of Points of Light; and Lori George Billingsley, vice president of community relations at Coca-Cola North America. Cheryl Preheim, evening anchor with 11Alive news, was the emcee. The livestream of the event, which was shared on Facebook, received more than 50,000 views nationwide – from Atlanta, to Tacoma, Washington, to Chicago and New Jersey.
In addition, individuals throughout Atlanta were invited to host their own Sunday Suppers, in conjunction with Civic Dinners, an organization that provides a template for discussion topics. Hosts were urged to invite guests with different points of view.
Rachel Sprecher was excited to host a Sunday Supper, along with her husband and three other couples in their late 20s or early 30s.
“I think it’s great, and something we probably don’t do enough of – get together with like-minded, action-oriented peers to talk about issues,” said Rachel. “I really like the idea of having 50 of them, celebrating the legacy of Dr. King. I like that at the same time, on the same night, this will be happening all over Atlanta.”
Rachel also works with Hands On Atlanta through her job with Atlanta Public Schools, where she is executive director in the district’s office of partnerships and development. “Hands On Atlanta recruits volunteers to do projects at our schools,” she explained. “They do beautification projects; they do Saturday programming for our students, help with tutoring and mentoring – pretty much anything we need, they step up and volunteer.”
With MLK Day behind them, the team at Hands On Atlanta looks forward to doing more good in 2018. Their year-round programming focuses on the impact areas of youth development, family support and self-sufficiency, and education – 75% of all volunteer opportunities available through Hands On Atlanta focus on education and youth hunger.
, a popular “Saturday School” program, provides tutoring and homework help, STEM enrichment, health and wellness activities, and more. Building on the success of the initiative, the organization has developed programming to give parents the tools and resources for their kids to be successful, including the
program that provides weekend backpacks filled with food. And this year, says Tim, Hands On Atlanta will launch a new “at work” program for employers to engage their employees in the parenting skills needed to ensure their children are developing literacy skills.
This day of service, which takes place annually on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union on the University of Maryland’s College Park campus, is an all-day pro bono event that brought together more than 120 experienced project management professionals with 60 nonprofits across the Washington, D.C., region. Each organization was invited to send two senior employee representatives who had background knowledge of their organization’s current obstacles to attend the event, the goal being to scope, or assess, a challenge and build a comprehensive action plan.
To many nonprofits, pro bono project management can be a valuable asset when limited resources prevent smaller organizations from hiring full-time support. Michael Burke, one of the project managers attending the event pointed to this limitation as his motivation for volunteering at the event.
“Small nonprofits face difficulty with project management because the executive director is often the chief fundraiser, the chief organizer, and so on. That’s not the best structure for project management,” Michael explained. He added that pro bono events like the Project Management Day of Service are really useful for building out nonprofit’s long-term plans.
The event did not only benefit the nonprofits that attended, but also the project management volunteers. “This event is a great opportunity to get involved,” said volunteer Carl Schwad “I have worked on and off as a project manager for years, so this was a great opportunity to brush up on my skills and earn some PDUs.”
PDUs, or Professional Development Units, are required for project managers to maintain their Project Management Institute-certified credentials and keep their status as project managers. For Carl, who works in banking at Navy Federal Credit Union, this event was the perfect way to give back and nurture his own professional development.
Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, delivered an inspiring keynote address about the future of volunteer service and the local, grassroots support of CNCS. She noted that in the wake of a tumultuous election season, it is uplifting to see that “maybe, just maybe, service is the one thing that [Americans] can rally around and agree on.”
In recognition of their efforts to organize the event, the Project Management Day of Service Program Management Office was honored with a Daily Point of Light Award. The vision for the event is, “…for people to take the skill sets that they do professionally and join others who do that [same thing] professionally to help nonprofits directly,” said Kendall Lott, co-founder of Project Management for Change, and CEO and president of M Powered Strategies.
Kendall continued, “Our call to action is, most specifically, project managers stand up and be counted, take your skills to a market that desperately needs you and probably can’t afford you.’”
His powerful call to action was met in full force with a fantastic turn out of project management volunteers – many nonprofit representatives in attendance spoke up to express their gratitude to the project managers who chose to make MLK Day a day “on” instead of a day off, offering professional guidance that these organizations might not have otherwise had.
Ivonne Cameron, CEO of Hepatitis Foundation International, said the day of service had a wonderful impact on her organization, helping them take, “the ocean” of ideas they had, and trying to boil them “down into one simplistic program that we know we can implement this year and increase our fundraising and development.”
Stacey Crooks, chief development officer for Your Grateful Nation, an organization that helps Special Operations veterans translate their unique skill sets to the everyday work force, said: “I have next steps. I can go back to the board tomorrow and tell them what they need to do and what we need to do to take things to the next level.”
When asked if the Project Management Day of Service should continue next year, the crowd responded with an emphatic “yes!” From redefining marketing strategies to creating HR trainings, or even reevaluating the strategic direction of organizations, the 2017 Project Management Day of Service helped community-focused nonprofits more effectively manage their resources and gave project management professionals the perfect opportunity to give back.
On Martin Luther King Day, What are You Doing For Others?
In 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. posed the idea that, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” As we kick off 2017, millions of Americans will come together for
to honor his legacy through service and civic dialogue.
Points of Light invites you to join your neighbors and get involved with a service project near you on MLK Day. Here are
, and in collaboration with local partners, Points of Light is supporting MLK Day volunteer activities run by eight nonprofits across the country. If you live nearby, we hope to see you there:
of Philadelphia will unite the tristate area – Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware – for the 22nd annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, bringing together 140,000 volunteers at some 1,800 projects, including a health fair, workshops and a civic engagement expo.
will host a Sunday Supper and a variety of service projects designed to steward social change and challenge Atlanta communities to embrace diversity, in line with Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.
will host a Sunday Supper and engage volunteers in a weekend-long celebration through a variety of service and community projects, including a 5K walk/run, a peach march, a resource fair, and more.
will host a Sunday Supper and family movie night, kicking off the 36th annual MLK Day “Capitol March for the Dream,” and engaging residents in a community day of service.
will host service projects across two locations in New York City, involving educational enrichment and recreation for students, socialization for seniors and the revitalization of public spaces.
will host a Sunday Supper Movie Night, with service projects intended to create a sense of community togetherness and provide support to 625 local families struggling with hunger and financial insecurity.
in North Carolina will host a day of service at Four Seasons Town Centre. This event will include on-site service projects and a nonprofit fair where volunteers can connect with dozens of nonprofits.
Scores of other volunteer action centers will activate volunteers in partnership with Points of Light’s programs and divisions during the King Holiday.
In Washington, D.C., Points of Light will partner with
. During this marathon-style service event, project managers will provide pro bono speed consulting to nonprofit leaders, with the end result being a well-defined scope of work and project plan that nonprofits can then use to address specific challenges. During the event, 240 volunteers will contribute more than 1,200 hours of direct service to more than 60 area nonprofits, making a collective contribution of more than $150,000 worth of business consulting in a single day. In recognition of their efforts, the project managers will be honored with the
, to honor the legacy of a man who dedicated his life to the service of others.
As we kick off 2017, MLK Day is an important opportunity for Americans to unite through service. Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – calls together its community of changemakers to reflect on gains won during the Civil Rights Movement and to address contemporary issues facing our nation.
We encourage people across the country to engage in dialogue about issues affecting their communities, and to take action through service. Here are three ways you can make a difference on MLK Day:
Become a Drum Major
Dr. King once said, “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness.” Join volunteers, leaders, and celebrities lending
America’s Sunday Suppers bring together people from diverse backgrounds to engage in dialogue around important community issues. As part of its commitment to building connections among people and communities, Southwest Airlines has partnered with Points of Light to support this meaningful way for changemakers to make a difference on MLK Day. Host a
history was made recently as we launched a brand new component to our program. As part of our national effort to mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with a day of service learning, we debuted a one-day version of our curriculum, centered around a service project benefitting local communities around the country.
Volunteers and AmeriCorps VISTA members pack care kits for Washington, D.C.-area homeless during the first ServiceWorks Skill Building Bootcamp.
And the
very
first of our 15 host sites to put on a Skill Building Bootcamp was the
(CPDC) in Washington, D.C. These firsts are obviously an important and exciting step as we continue to expand our reach and impact.
But it was also meaningful for me personally, because it was my first chance to see this collaborative initiative from
in action.
It blew my mind. Talk about layer upon layer of meaningful service; it was like seeing a thrilling performance of a play within a play. And the directors of that play were
explaining the critical role VISTAs play America’s struggle to lift its citizens out of poverty.
AmeriCorps VISTA members show their enthusiasm at the first ServiceWorks Skill Building Bootcamp, held in Washington, D.C.
That role is just as critical within ServiceWorks. VISTAs are passionate, professional and talented young people who’ve signed up for a year of national service to support poverty-fighting nonprofits, working with host agencies like CPDC – and can be the backbone of a program.
In our case, VISTAs are responsible for recruiting “opportunity youth” to join the program. These are 16-to 24-year-olds at risk of becoming disconnected from college and career. And getting them in our proverbial door – no easy feat. So the VISTAs at CPDC are finding ways to get creative in reaching this population.
Our VISTAs are provided with a service learning curriculum that helps “Service Scholars” – the program participants – learn about the value of volunteerism for themselves and their community, develop professional networks and even design their own service project.
To better appeal to potential participants,
VISTAs go above and beyond – tweaking and adjusting the curriculum to target the needs of the young people and the community in which they serve. They’re also charged with recruiting professional volunteers to deliver pieces of the curriculum or act as success coaches to the Service Scholars.
AmeriCorps VISTA members, volunteers and ServiceWorks participants gather for a service project as a housing community in Washington, D.C.
For this special day, the VISTAs worked beautifully together as a team of five. These young women epitomized national service – diverse, energetic, prepared, committed, able to problem solve on the fly – and frankly, full of fun.
If the VISTAs were the on-site directors of this unique ServiceWorks event, the stars of the show were the Scholars themselves. Getting up early on a cold Saturday to do a six-hour service “bootcamp” isn’t for everyone. The 10 or so scholars I met reminded me of the great potential in any group of 16- to 24-year-olds.
These kids had been recruited from various high schools in the neighborhood, but didn’t necessarily know each other at the beginning of the day. They probably weren’t entirely sure why they were there or what to expect. The start to the day reminded me a little of the coming-of-age movie, “The Breakfast Club.”
But within an hour of icebreakers and team-building activities, expertly led by the VISTAs, the Scholars were engaged and ready for whatever came their way. They were there to learn, to explore, to meet new people, to have fun and to make a difference in their community. They asked questions, they jumped into each activity with gusto and their individual personalities and passions came out more and more with each new activity.
Let’s not forget the importance of the supporting cast in a play. In ServiceWorks, community volunteers have an important role — and in this case, may have stolen the show. In the middle of the day, the VISTA team put together a project to show Scholars what’s possible through service – assembling care kits for those in need.
Adults from
., an organization serving adults with mild mental disabilities, joined the entire group. They were thrilled to be there, and so eager to serve. They hung on every word of the directions, and devoted focused attention to each step in the assembly line.
The accomplishment and joy they felt at successfully packing each kit was palpable, and their enthusiasm sustained the rest of us. The Scholars seemed motivated by their new “friends in service” – cheering them on, offering to help and getting to know them.
Energized by the project, Scholars then got down to the bootcamp material – a series of sessions on topics such as professionalism, resume writing and dressing for success. An entirely new cadre of community volunteers joined to facilitate these lessons.
One session was led by an African-American woman who grew up in Philadelphia. She’d made it out of the inner city and served more than 20 years as a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department. The Scholars were impressed by her professional accomplishments and were captivated as she told them how she got there.
There really was service everywhere you looked at Mayfair Mansions Community Center that day. It was clear that volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, and have different abilities and motivations.
But thanks to the direction of ServiceWorks VISTAs, it all comes together – surrounding our next generation of college students, professionals and service leaders with diverse and heartfelt volunteer skills, success stories, and solutions to personal and community challenges.
Millions of Americans will come together during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, in a weekend of service and dialogue to honor his memory.
The civil rights movement taught us that when Americans are united in lending a hand, helping our neighbors and building better communities, our country lives out Dr. King’s ideals and can fully realize the American dream.
On this holiday, volunteers inspired by Dr. King serve each other in hopes of creating what he called the “beloved community.”
of Philadelphia will unite the tristate area (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware) for the 21st annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, bringing together 135,000 volunteers at some 1,800 projects, including collecting, sorting and packing donated business attire for men and women in need.
will host an America’s Sunday Supper, including an audience conversation around the theme “The Cradle to Prison Pipeline.” The nonprofit is also offering service opportunities during which volunteers will help bridge the literacy gap by reading to underserved youth at Atlanta public schools.
in North Carolina will organize a Community Resource Fair with 25 nonprofits providing support services to low-income families as well as sharing financial resources available to them, with nearly 10,000 volunteers in action.
will host service projects across two locations in New York City, involving educational enrichment and recreation for students, socialization for seniors and the revitalization of public spaces.
will mobilize 700 volunteers in New York City with a Community Resource Fair, engaging in civic discussions and hands-on service projects, including painting inspirational murals and creating care packages for cancer patients.
will host a two-day MLK Empowerment Summit in Los Angeles, giving community members the ability to learn about local economic opportunities, while also enjoying community activities, dialogue and a film screening.
in San Francisco will train volunteers to read with students in an effort to develop enthusiasm for reading; meanwhile, parents will learn techniques to foster literacy at home.
in Buffalo will engage 400 AmeriCorps members, students and community volunteers in a large-scale community food drive in support of 1,000 local military families.
volunteers in California will assist veterans and people recently impacted by the justice system to develop resumes, prepare for job interviews and improve their financial literacy.
will conduct a Professional Development Day in Los Angeles – providing resources to help residents find jobs. An estimated 150 volunteers will support workshops ranging from resume writing to mock interviews.
will host the annual MLK Read-In – during which children are paired with volunteer “reading buddies” – sharing the importance of reading and building relationships across communities.
in Detroit will host the Dr. King Day Summit – Stepping Up to Fulfill the Dream, which includes a brunch creating dialogue among community leaders. Service projects will commence in the weeks following the summit.
How will you make the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday a day on instead of a day off? Join millions of Americans across the country on Jan. 18 for volunteer service and dialogue to honor Dr. King’s memory.
MLK Day of Service volunteers assemble care packs for wounded veterans.
– Inspired by the legacy of Dr. King, America’s Sunday Supper invites people from diverse backgrounds to come together to share a meal, discuss issues that affect their community and highlight the power each one of us has to change lives.
to teach young people workforce skills. With help from volunteers like you, the MLK Day bootcamps will give 16- to 24-year-olds valuable exposure to critical workforce skills, such as effective communication, resume building, project management and networking.
. This special President’s Volunteer Service Award honors volunteers who perform extraordinary everyday acts of service.
For more about the MLK Day of Service, please visit
