How Ruach Tova is Tapping into the Global Power of Good Deeds
Ten years ago Ruach Tova, or “Good Spirit” in Hebrew, set out to change the culture of service by encouraging and facilitating volunteer opportunities in Israel.
Ruach Tova, a global affiliate of Points of Light, founded Good Deeds Day on the basic premise that “every person can do a good deed and create positive impact.” In 2016, more than 1.5 million volunteers completed 14,000 projects in over 75 countries. Now in its 11th year, the day is an engaging way for individuals to create change in their community by addressing local needs, educating young people and distributing health resources. Through the global Good Deeds Day, Ruach Tova emphasizes that there are countless ways to dig deep and positively impact the community.
At the 2016 Conference on Volunteering and Service, Ruach Tova received the Points of Light Affiliate George W. Romney Excellence Award for their extraordinary work with Good Deeds Day. The award was established in 1996 to honor Governor Romney and his personal commitment to volunteer service and each year highlights various elements of volunteering and service. Governor Romney was chairman and CEO of American Motors, three-term governor of Michigan and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He was also founding chairman of the National Volunteer Center and a founding member of the board and executive committee of Points of Light. The theme of the 2016 Excellence Award was Changemakers in Local Communities, and it was presented to Ruach Tova in recognition of its “excellence in leveraging, engaging and managing local changemakers … to collectively create change to address community needs.”
Ruach Tova is the leading volunteer placement organization in Israel, matching volunteers with organizations that need assistance in a variety of positions and industries. Ruach Tova also operates a volunteer management system with a searchable database comprised of more than 5,000 organizations and 10,000 volunteering projects in Israel. The volunteer search is embedded in many websites, including the leading Israeli newspaper, Ynet, Israeli Volunteer Portal, Jewish Agency, and many others. The system enables Ruach Tova to match volunteers, according to their preferences, interests and geographical location, with individuals and organizations in need of help.
With eyes toward the future and bigger impact, Ruach Tova is organizing their first Good Deeds Day Conference this year in Mexico City, Nov. 5-7, 2016, just prior to the International Association for Volunteer Effort World Conference. The IAVE World Conference promotes, strengthens and celebrates global volunteering with members in more than 70 countries that share a belief in the power of volunteers to solve the world’s most pressing problems. It is the goal of Ruach Tova to position Good Deeds Day as a way to unify people of all backgrounds and cultures, to strengthen organizations and communities, and provide companies with a way to provide positive impact.
AbbVie Demonstrates What’s Possible When Employee Volunteers Band Together to Give Back
Service and volunteerism have the power to impact and change lives. And when a corporation engages thousands of employees who are ready to give back to their local communities, innovation and advancement take place on a global scale.
This summer, Points of Light partnered with AbbVie for its third annual Week of Possibilities, a program that engaged more than 5,500 employee volunteers in nearly 25,000 combined hours to help underserved populations. As the global activation partner, Points of Light affiliates in the United States, Europe, South America, Canada, Mexico and Asia provided employee volunteers with meaningful service opportunities that addressed challenges in the communities where they live and work. The Week of Possibilities builds on AbbVie’s extraordinary year-round commitment to corporate social responsibility, which earned them recognition as a 2016 Civic 50 company.
“We are proud to be partnering with the AbbVie Foundation on this global service campaign,” said Delores Morton, president of programs for Points of Light. “Volunteers have the power to change the world, and Week of Possibilities demonstrates how nonprofits and the private sector can work together to empower that change.”
This year’s program included hands-on service projects in more than 50 countries, with a particular focus on improving educational opportunities and facilities by transforming schools and other learning spaces. Volunteers refurbished libraries, renovated buildings, landscaped and gardened, collected books for schoolchildren, assembled furniture, painted walls, repaired homes and much more.
“Week of Possibilities unites AbbVie employees around the world in an effort to give back to our local communities, with a special focus on building strong education systems,” said Tracie Haas, vice president of corporate responsibility, brand and communications for AbbVie. “We’re delighted and privileged to partner with leading national and international organizations to help local nonprofit partners tackle our communities’ toughest challenges.”
Examples of Global Impact:
AbbVie employee volunteers teamed up with Points of Light affiliates, dedicating their time, energy and skills to make a difference in communities around the world.
In Lake County, Illinois, where AbbVie is based, youth and veterans were the main focus as volunteers transformed schools and renovated three properties to provide housing to families of military veterans, in conjunction with North Chicago Community Partners.
In North Chicago, teams partnered with Kohl Children’s Museum to bring the museum experience to kids who may not ordinarily have access, and provided a day-long Science Adventure program to more than 150 students.
In Menlo Park and San Jose, California, and Worcester, Massachusetts, AbbVie volunteers refurbished three under-resourced school libraries by improving the layout and providing new furniture, technology and library books.
In London, AbbVie volunteers worked at the Northside Community Center and painted more than 30 rooms from top to bottom, redid the computer lab with new carpet, 10 new computers and two new printers, and added new kitchen appliances. The impact was so great that the Center’s board chair reported that it is unlikely they could have stayed open much longer without the contribution made by AbbVie volunteers.
Nearly 50 volunteers in Tokyo spent more than 200 hours delivering the SEEK Program (Science Engineering Exploration Knowledge) to underprivileged children living in group homes. The SEEK curriculum is designed to spark interest in STEM topics.
In Singapore, volunteers participated in educational activities at Care Corner Student Care Centre.
In Montreal, 20 AbbVie employees participated with the Boys and Girls Club/Dawson Community Center, completing projects that had no staff support. From the moment they arrived, employees gardened, cleaned, painted and prepared for summer day camps.
In Guatemala at Escuela Vicente Rivas, more than 50 AbbVie volunteers worked on classrooms, while another 20 implemented interactive methodology and participated in STEM curriculum.
For five days, AbbVie volunteers and HandsOn CDMX worked with at-risk girls in Mexico at the Casa Hogar de la Santísima Trinidad, participating in painting and gardening projects.
Teams in Paris sang in nursing homes for National French Music Day, and in Thiais, AbbVie volunteers planted gardens and fixed homes for women.
Empact Creates ‘Done in a Day’ to Benefit Corporations, Social Service Organizations and Local Communities
It’s easy to imagine a rigid divide between the social services sector and the world of for-profit corporations, but cross-sector collaborations have the potential to do a lot of good. While employees at nonprofits may lack some of the expertise needed to keep operations running smoothly, employees at corporations may feel they lack the time and opportunity to serve their community. In Singapore, one organization seeks to solve these problems and unlock the mutual benefits of working together.
Empact, a global affiliate of Points of Light, launched Done in a Day to help social good organizations tackle their specific challenges efficiently and effectively. In a single, structured day, skilled volunteers from corporations are matched with nonprofits in need of support in specific areas, such as HR or technology. Through Empact’s signature program, corporate volunteers are able to offer talent and expertise to fill these gaps, which benefits the community and ensures that nonprofits can operate at optimal capacity.
UBS AG, a financial services company, partnered with the Students Care Service to help with fundraising efforts and increasing individual donor contributions. UBS volunteers came up with several feasible fundraising plans and mapped out a timeline of action for the next few years. Through the match-up, Students Care Service received fundraising guidance from experts, while corporate volunteers gained an awareness of the challenges facing youth in their community. As one volunteer shared, “I got more out of this than expected, in less time than we planned for.”
Done in a Day’s cyclical design empowers companies to strengthen nonprofits, which in turn fortify and support local communities. Empact also facilitates an event, giving employee volunteers the opportunity to collaborate and showcase their experience.
The organization sees the success of Done in a Day as the first step for corporate giving and engagement, and a platform to encourage long-term corporate partnerships and involvement in the future. After participating in the program, participants reported they felt more knowledgeable about skills-based volunteerism and inspired to volunteer more in the future.
Veteran Finds Renewed Purpose Through Volunteering
Through volunteer service, Americans connect with the spirit of unity that arose in the aftermath of 9/11. As Points of Light commemorates the 15th anniversary of 9/11 National Day of Service, we highlight those who have been inspired to give back to their communities.
As a veteran of the armed forces, Brittany Chaney has long been dedicated to giving back to those who have served. Like many veterans, Chaney looked to volunteer service upon leaving the military to ease her transition back to civilian life, and became involved in a variety of service projects through Points of Light affiliate Hands On Orlando. Chaney says she enjoys the opportunity to be involved with a lot of causes – her commitment to volunteerism being the driving force behind it all.
“I have a love for volunteering and being involved in the community.” Reflecting on her time in the Navy, Chaney says the military was one more opportunity to give back.
Through her involvement with Hands On Orlando, Chaney, now 33, came across the opportunity to work as a Frontline Families AmeriCorps member.
Through Frontline Families, Chaney and her fellow veteran volunteers have worked supporting organizations like Fairways for Warriors, a group in central Florida that teaches combat veterans how to use golf as a form of therapy; Crossroads Corral, an organization that hosts equine-assisted learning programs where veterans interact with horses to ease the symptoms of PTSD; and Cocktails for a Cause, an annual fundraiser that supports veteran organizations.
As a Frontline Families AmeriCorps member, Chaney has been responsible for coordinating the volunteer efforts of veterans in the local community. Most recently she has been involved in the Booyah Veteran Bus Project which helps disabled veterans get to and from their doctors’ appointments.
Chaney encourages other veterans to get involved. Volunteering “helps you integrate and get involved again,” she says. “It gives you a sense of purpose.” For veterans who are interested in volunteer service, Chaney recommends visiting their local VA to search for opportunities to serve their community.
In honor of 9/11 Day of Service this year, Chaney and other Hands On Orlando volunteers helped plant 25,000 flags outside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando to honor those who have served. This is one of many projects Hands On Orlando volunteers participated in across the city, not only honoring service men and women, but also memorializing the June terror attack at the Pulse Nightclub.
You can get involved by sharing a story honoring 9/11 first responders or a service member close to you on Twitter or Instagram using#911Dayand#HonoringService, and visit our 9/11 Day of Service gallery to see how volunteers nationwide commemorated the 15th anniversary through service.
Helping a Community Cope, Responding to Violence with Service
From national leadership to local communities across the nation, the violent events of the last few months have left many speechless and unsure how to respond – even the most disaster-ready. While emergency medical responders may treat the injuries of those individuals affected, how do we begin to mend the wounds created in our communities after tragedies like the recent terror attack in Orlando?
The LGBTQ community, local residents and people throughout the country were left hurt and grief-stricken following the June 12 shooting at the Pulse Nightclub – the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, with 49 people killed. In Orlando, people struggled with how to cope in the aftermath of the attack, and feelings of isolation hit many within the LGBTQ community.
Following the tragic event, Points of Light affiliate HandsOn Orlando sought to reach the grieving community through volunteerism, demonstrating the unique power of service to unite people across all types of boundaries and backgrounds.
The organization reached out to their more than 20,000 constituents by email, providing logistics and stressing the desperate need for blood donations to support the more than 50 survivors who remained in critical condition following the attack.
Plans to attend a local vigil were accompanied by the idea to create a banner that attendees, victims’ friends and families, and first responders could sign. Later, this banner would be divided and distributed to victims’ family members.
Kyle Trager, community partnerships manager at HandsOn Orlando, stressed the importance of reaching out to members of the affected community and bringing them together through service. With this in mind, the organization launched a series of volunteer projects called “49 for 49.”
These projects, one for each of the 49 victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, provided the perfect opportunity to empower hundreds of community members, offering them the chance to make a difference and stand united in service in response to the hateful actions that left so many feeling helpless.
From a Birthday Party for Homeless Children to Food Sorting Fun, each project was adapted from one of the organization’s existing service projects and individually honored one of the 49 victims. HandsOn Orlando staff read an account of each victim’s life and facilitated a discussion with the volunteers, providing a safe space for community members to reflect on the tragedy and connect with each other. Finally, before each project took place, volunteers observed a moment of silence.
Projects like these serve to provide communities with a number of opportunities to respont to tragedy. They offer a safe space for people to reflect on and learn from others’ experiences with the event, while also empowering individuals to take action through volunteer service to help their community recover.
HandsOn Orlando received the Champion of Service Award from Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman for their response following the attack and dedication to helping others in need. The organization has discussed the potential of directing their volunteer labor towards a permanent volunteer memorial in the future, but for now they are committed to keeping this incident at the local forefront through a legacy of service even after the news has died down nationally.
To find volunteer opportunities in your area, visit All for Good, or visit the HandsOn Orlando website to read more about their 49 for 49 projects.
Agents of Purpose, from Detroit and Around the World, Headline Conference Sessions
“Consumers want the companies, the brands they are loyal to, to be agents of purpose,” said Points of Light CEO, Tracy Hoover, as she opened the Business Track at the 2016 Conference on Volunteering and Service. Celebrating corporate changemakers who are inspiring the next generation of purpose-driven organizations, the session “What’s New? Leading with Spirit and Innovation” featured an impressive group of speakers who both inspired and challenged attendees to think about the role they play in collaborating with community and civic leaders.
In a TED-talk style format, speakers shared lessons of success grounded in the theme of “My Detroit, Our World.” Detroit’s youngest entrepreneur, 13-year-old Asia Newson (aka Super Business Girl), shared her winning strategy: teamwork. “You can’t do it all by yourself. You can try, but you need a team. And you need support from the community. It makes you stronger.” Attendees heard stories of triumph and change from citizen leaders, including, Damien Rocchi, CEO and cofounder of Grand Circus Detroit; Dan Carmody, president of Detroit Eastern Market Corporation; and Dennis Archer Jr., CEO of Ignition Media Group and president of ACS. Mark Davidoff, Michigan managing partner of Deloitte, moderated a discussion focused on making financial literacy a priority for the future of Detroit with panelists Sandy K. Baruah, president and CEO of Detroit Regional Chamber, and Kathleen Hatke Aro, president of the Accounting Aid Society.
“Innovation is the only path to sustainable growth,” said Jennifer Silberman, vice president of corporate social responsibility for Target, sponsor of the Business Track. She underscored the importance of leveraging the creativity and innovation of intrapreneurs—those who work within a company to accelerate change—saying “at the end of the day, agility isn’t just for startups anymore.”
Looking towards Detroit as a “Comeback City,” Professor Michael Gordon of the University of Michigan’s Center for Social Impact moderated a conversation about corporate and community leaders uniting in service to revitalize the city. Naomi Camper, head of the Office of Nonprofit Engagement at JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Heidi Magyar, director of community outreach programs for General Motors and president of General Motors Foundation, joined Malik Yakini, executive director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, to discuss the importance of investing in citizen leaders who are addressing community needs, and how to make decisions about how and where those investments are made. “There is no room for competition when it comes to doing good,” Magyar said.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan explained that business, coupled with the power of employees as volunteers and leaders in the community, is an essential partner in the growth of Detroit and an economic driver of jobs and capital investment.
The 2016 Civic 50 honorees were announced during the Business Track Luncheon & Awards Ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation. Sponsored by Target, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Deloitte, the luncheon explored insights and trends from the 2016 Civic 50 survey and honored the Civic 50 leaders that are providing a roadmap for how companies can use their time, skills, and other resources to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business.
Leading advocates of military caregivers came together to discuss strategies for leveraging the power of volunteerism in support of our country’s “hidden heroes.” The forum, sponsored by the Bob Woodruff Foundation, included facilitated group discussions and a panel of experts from government and nonprofit organizations that are focused on the needs of military family caregivers who face many challenges and often struggle to find support. Joey Caswell, wife of a wounded veteran and a Dole Fellow-Michigan with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, shared an emotional testimonial about the challenges she faced and
. “We want you to know, to love and appreciate, that behind every wounded vet is a caregiver who is helping to keep the vet alive,” said Caswell. “It is my goal that not one veteran or caregiver have to go through what we did.”
Larkin O’Hern, with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and a wounded veteran himself, added: “We want to take volunteering, which is good, to well executed volunteering, which can be life changing.”
The current challenges posed by the refugee crisis and the innovative solutions meeting them were in the spotlight at the Global Track’s “Harnessing the Power of Volunteering to Support Refugees.” Andre Cervi, co-founder of Atados and Abraco Cultural, laid out his organization’s work around hiring refugees to teach language and culture to local Brazilians. Joining him at this session, sponsored by Disney, were Celina de Sola, who grew Glasswing International from a three-person Salvadoran nonprofit into a network of 14 countries in Latin America; Lorrie Foster from IAVE (International Association for Volunteer Effort); and Lena Panagiotarea, general manager for Volunteer4Greece.
Volunteers building relationships—with causes, organizations and corporations, and each other—that is what forms the volunteer experience. At “Beyond the Volunteer Event,” sponsored by UPS, Maurice Hogan from Rock Ventures and Julia Sartor from The Greening of Detroit shared practical advice and insights on how they have successfully partnered to co-create volunteer events for employees. Sartor cites both customer service and providing a consistently positive experience as the most important factors in building volunteer connections—making sure that the experience is safe, directions are clear, and accommodations, such as bathrooms, are comfortable. A positive volunteer experience, said Maurice, is where “folks are honored and their time is honored.”
Corporate Service Council Asia Meeting: A New Era of Corporate Engagement
More than 60 leaders in corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, and volunteerism convened in Hong Kong on May 25, 2016, for the Points of Light
Asia Meeting. Excitement in the air was palpable, as attendees explored opportunities for accelerating the impact of corporate citizenship in Asia.
“We are at the cusp of a boom in corporate social responsibility,” said Neil Bush, Points of Light Chairman. “The enthusiasm in this room, all centered on the topic of corporate service in Asia, is contagious. In the next 20 years, we are going to witness a complete restructuring of the CSR industry, and the leaders and organizations gathered in this room will be at the helm.”
Participants echoed the importance and strong need to lead purpose-driven organizations. “When you align life values with work, work is more fun,” said Joanne Oswin, COO of
, reiterated the changing trends across Asia and strong enthusiasm of all attendees. “At GE, the culture of service goes from the top to the bottom,” he said. “It has changed me, and changed how I lead.”
Guest speakers shared best practices from their service-leading brands, and representatives from our host partner
attended the meeting, along with Points of Light affiliates from China, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines and Singapore.
Looking for more ways to engage with Points of Light?
HandsOn Hong Kong Launches Social Enterprise to Employ People with Disabilities
In Hong Kong, people with disabilities are often not visible in the community. A lack of understanding and accessibility in the city has left people with disabilities somewhat shunned from the general public. Some 2 percent of Hong Kong’s population has an intellectually disability and these individuals are often left out of the workforce due to a lack of appropriate job opportunities.
With this in mind, HandsOn Hong Kong developed an innovative social enterprise to increase the integration of intellectually disabled adults into society, while also facilitating healthy eating habits in the workplace. The initiative employs intellectually disabled delivery assistants to deliver fresh fruit to offices on a weekly basis.
“Fruit For Good is unlike anything we have done since our inception in 2007,” says Shaun Bernier, founder and board chair of HandsOn Hong Kong, which is an affiliate of the Points of Light HandsOn Network. “Given the lack of employment opportunities for people with disabilities in our community, we sought to find a creative solution and one that could also engage our volunteers and the business community.”
To test the effectiveness of Fruit For Good, a pilot was conducted in January with 14 companies near Hong Kong’s central business district participating. Four delivery assistants were hired and seven HandsOn Hong Kong volunteers played a key role in helping them deliver the fruit, and liaise with drivers and participating companies.
Many companies were enthusiastic about the initiative, particularly to be part of an innovative solution to address a pressing social issue – in this case addressing employability of intellectually disabled adults in Hong Kong.
“During the pilot, our staff looked forward to the fruit deliveries each week,” says Vinny Lo, assistant to the president at Montblanc, one of the participating companies. “Many of them enjoy eating fruits, and they appreciated the opportunity to help the disadvantaged while having a healthy snack. It’s definitely a meaningful initiative.”
The delivery assistants also benefited, according to occupational therapist Tim Kwan.
“Fruit For Good was a valuable opportunity for our client to gain work experience in a supportive environment,” says Kwan, who works with one of the delivery assistants at Caritas Lok Mo Integrated Vocational Training Centre. “Not only did he gain practical work skills, but he also developed friendships with his colleagues and volunteers from the initiative. He is now better prepared to pursue similar jobs in the future.”
The initiative also provides HandsOn Hong Kong with a new potential funding stream. Fruit For Good received seed funding from Hong Kong-based Operation Santa Claus. HandsOn Hong Kong hopes to see the initiative become financially sustainable within the next year, in order to continue to support Fruit For Good and the organization’s volunteering programs.
Following the success of and positive feedback received from the pilot, HandsOn Hong Kong is now recruiting companies to participate in the official launch of Fruit For Good, with deliveries beginning in April. To find out more about Fruit For Good, please contact Liana Chan, social enterprise manager of HandsOn Hong Kong at [email protected].
The week of May 23-27, 2016, we are excited to engage with corporate and civil society leaders in Hong Kong. Board Chairman Neil Bush and CEO Tracy Hoover will participate in a meeting, sponsored by Hilton Worldwide, that will convene more than 50 members of the Points of Light Corporate Service Council around the theme of “Inspiring and Accelerating the Impact of Corporate Volunteering in Asia.” In the days that follow, more than 20 leaders from Points of Light’s network of innovative volunteering organizations from nine countries in Asia will meet to share strategies and successful approaches for mobilizing changemakers, building nonprofit capacity through volunteerism and partnering with companies in the region. These meetings are being hosted by HandsOn Hong Kong, one of Points of Light’s most inspiring international affiliates.
10 Reasons to Attend the 2016 Conference on Volunteering and Service
Each year, thousands of people who really care about the future of volunteer service convene at the Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service – to learn from, share with and get inspired by one another, and to work together to increase the number of volunteers in the world and the impact of the work they do.
This year’s event features 11 diverse learning tracks with more than 100 workshops with nonprofit, corporate and civic leaders. Plenary sessions will include inspiring leaders from the rapidly evolving field of social change, including activists, entertainers, civil rights leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, athletes, elected officials and CEOs from nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies—all joining attendees to celebrate volunteering and service and to highlight the impact of changemakers across the globe.
We hope you’ll join us! Here are 10 great reasons why you should register today:
Location, location, location.
This year’s event will take place in Detroit, a city that is a shining example of how social innovation, cross-sector collaboration and citizen engagement can drive change. Detroit is a big city on the rise – with culture, history, entertainment, grit and determination, and oh-so-many stories to share.
Unmatched value.
The annual Conference on Volunteering and Service is the largest service-related convening of nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders in the world. You won’t find an event that offers this much content, and this many inspiring speakers and changemakers anywhere else.
Progress and impact.
You’ll hear from people who are working on some of the world’s toughest problems, and learn about their solutions for the future. Whether you are new to your organization or a senior executive with years of experience, you’ll discover volunteerism and civic engagement practices that will make a difference in your community and your career.
Get inspired.
At our conference, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in industry-leading civic engagement discussions about solutions to the most important challenges you face in your local community. You’ll return home equipped with new plans, tips and tools to make your organization faster, leaner and stronger.
Make a difference.
Attendees will have the chance to participate in hands-on service projects designed to make an impact on Detroit. You can engage in peer collaboration and discover lessons learned across the city and in surrounding communities.
Meaningful connections.
This is the largest convening body in the nonprofit sector, bringing together leaders from all over the world to help you learn and grow. And, with plenty of opportunities for networking, you’ll reconnect with old friends and make new like-minded, diverse friends and contacts from all over the globe.
Discover new products and services.
Returning this year, with space for 80 exhibiting organizations, the exhibit hall will be an integral part of your interactive learning experience. Highlights include a demonstration stage featuring experts in volunteer service with new products, services and technologies; numerous fun service areas; multiple networking lounges and a social media lounge.
International learning opportunities.
With the global track, participants have the opportunity to learn about social change strategies, innovative approaches and emerging global trends that are inspiring citizen participation and deepening volunteer impact worldwide.
BONUS: Did you know Detroit has two border crossings leading into Windsor, Ontario? Extend your conference stay and visit Canada via downtown Detroit! Just take the Ambassador Bridge—the world’s busiest international land crossing—or the Detroit-Windsor tunnel, traveling 75 feet below the Detroit River.
Have FUN!
Whether it’s participating in the Compassion Games, engaging in some friendly social media competition to win prizes, or attending an evening event, there will be plenty of opportunities to have a lot of fun. Get pumped up at the Welcome to Detroit Celebration on June 27, which will include networking, games, food and beverages, as well as unrivaled views of the 58th Ford Fireworks shows – one of the best in the country – along the Detroit River.
Be a part of the movement.
Don’t miss out on this singular opportunity to join thousands of changemakers coming together to shape the future of volunteerism! Join us at the Conference on Volunteering and Service, June 27-29 in Detroit. Learn more and register today.
Carolina Linares, left, with fellow Financial Opportunity Corps AmeriCorps VISTA member Tamika Mallard
Someone asked me once (or twice) why I was doing a year of service with AmeriCorps VISTA, a national service organization that focuses on Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 resolution to eradicate poverty in our community.
It seemed ludicrous for them to think that someone would want to dedicate a year of their life doing something that wasn’t directly advancing their career. That doesn’t make them callous, it just makes them practical.
For me, it was so much more than just a rest stop from my career in journalism and photography; it was about doing something that would make me proud, and above all, something that would allow me to contribute to my community. I wanted to make a difference – as simple as that.
For many years, I had planned to become an AmeriCorps member, but it always came a close second after school, work, etc. The reason behind it was that it never seemed like the right time – until it was.
I started to browse through positions on the AmeriCorps portal looking for my best fit. Two months later, I found a couple of service opportunities that caught my attention and I went ahead and applied for them.
My introduction to AmeriCorps VISTA was through the Summer Associate Program at the Miami Coalition for the Homeless as an outreach coordinator. Immediately thereafter, I started my yearlong service with the Financial Opportunity Corps. HandsOn Broward, part of Points of Light’s HandsOn Network, was one of nine sites that pioneered this program.
In my VISTA role I help coordinate a financial literacy program that takes as a premise the coaching framework to help individuals become financially self-reliant. We do this through financial education workshops and one-on-one coaching. Among other duties, I help recruit and train the volunteers who would take on these roles.
This was not a service that was readily available to the community members in the low-to-moderate income bracket. Another aspect that makes this program unique is its focus on individuals, their financial goals and their strengths rather than their shortcomings. Someone could be somewhat money wise and still struggle to save.
Sometimes, they just need an accountability partner, and that is what we offer them.
I’ve also worked on developing strategic alliances with community organizations that have supported the success of the program.
As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, I understood the need to alleviate poverty and enhance the community in which I lived; that is why most of us commit to do this work full time for at least a year. But it is not until I started developing my program and started working alongside community partners, organizations and volunteers that I saw how this work was having such a positive effect in the lives of the people we were serving.
I used to think that it was too hard for one person to have an impact in our society, but being a VISTA member, I have found out that each person’s effort and talent contributes tremendously to change. I never imagined how vast the reach of one person’s effort was.
I decided to extend my service for an additional year because I told myself, “I am not done expanding this program.” (This was the second year this program had been in place.) I felt that my mission wasn’t complete because there were still some plans I wanted to implement in the new program year.
The VISTAs before me paved the way for us by creating the foundation to get the program started, and it was our job to build upon their effort and ensure the sustainability of the program for years to come.
Through this position I have been able to grow and improve myself both in the personal and the professional aspect. I learned a lot about myself, and through interacting with many people from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, I also learned how to adapt to different environments and adjust my approaches accordingly.
I knew HandsOn Broward was the perfect site for me in which to be stationed because of its collaborative, small-team environment. Working hand in hand with these people proved to be very valuable in my professional and personal life because each of them possesses a unique set of talents that they brought to the table.
They were always willing to share their expertise in a particular subject, and taught me skills that I will continue to carry and improve upon for the rest of my life. Sometimes it was as easy as simplifying an approach for me, since I tend to overcomplicate everything.
During my tenure as an AmeriCorps VISTA, I learned about leadership and presentation skills by training and managing a group of amazing volunteers who also taught me a lot about other topics. I saw from their involvement and dedication the qualities that I wanted to ensure I nurtured in myself. The skills I have learned through my service are too numerous to list.
In sum, I serve because through our work as volunteers, we are able to bring programs to a community that alternatively may not have access to them, because we are able to see our community grow from the efforts of like-minded people and because each step we take is helping someone who wouldn’t have been able to receive this service otherwise.
The expression “Esprit de Corps” – a feeling of pride, fellowship and common loyalty shared by the members of a particular group – encapsulates everything I have gained and expected to gain from serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.
I am proud to be a part of this group of like-minded and service-oriented individuals who work together to effect change in their community.
Here are some accomplishments from the Financial Opportunity Corps’ second year:
462 low-income individuals received one-on-one financial coaching from trained volunteers (financial coaches) at nine sites across the country.
More than 1,700 community members have attended financial education workshops supported by AmeriCorps VISTA members and trained community volunteers.
341 trained financial coaches are participating in the program, including 47 Bank of America employees.
At HandsOn Broward, 37 trained volunteers are working one on one with and providing financial coaching for 40 low-income community members. AmeriCorps VISTA also helped support financial education workshops reaching 279 community members during the past year.
For more information on AmeriCorps VISTA opportunities throughout the country, go to www.nationalservice.gov/VISTA. For more about the Financial Opportunity Corps, visit www.pointsoflight.org/financial-coaching.
