Julia Kennedy

Twenty-eight-year-old Julia Kennedy launched DC SCORES in 1994. Looking to address the need for quality after school programs, she committed herself to finding the right formula for inner city children.

DC SCORES finds effective ways to enable young people to express themselves with words, actions and leadership through after-school activities such as creative writing workgroups and a girls and boys soccer league. The program, now five years old, serves 500 children in the nation’s capital, with plans of expansion to Boston, Denver and Chicago.

Kennedy has a long history of volunteerism, dating back to when she was in high school. In high school and college, she worked in a soup kitchen, volunteered for four summers to build houses in Appalachia, and, after college, volunteered at a men’s homeless shelter. Along with DC SCORES, Kennedy is involved in the DC AIDS Ride.

In 1994, Kennedy decided to put her commitment to service to use. As a Teach for America corps member, she saw her students with little to do after school. During her afternoons, she created the first girls’ soccer program in DC public schools. Working with the support of the community, private businesses, local foundations and national corporations, DC SCORES was created. Kennedy’s advocacy has helped the program expand to 16 schools in the DC area. Ongoing professional development is offered to teachers and coaches, parent outreach activities include a monthly newsletter, regular open houses and opportunities to volunteer and an annual service project takes place in each community.

As DC SCORES begins to expand, the parent organization will take on the name AMERICA SCORES. The program will encourage students in cities nationwide to work together to identify ways to express themselves creatively about important issues affecting their communities and their lives. Additionally, as with DC SCORES, students will learn to think critically, both on and off the soccer field, while developing community awareness, athletic prowess and improved self-expression through writing.

DC SCORES program teaches students to be dynamic and productive citizens in their communities, encouraging them, in turn, to lead others.

Toliver and Valerie Grier

Disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, earthquakes and winter storms are common occurrences for the American people. It is through the tireless efforts of American Red Cross volunteers, that on-the-scene assistance is provided to victims of these disasters. Toliver Grier and his wife, Valerie, have been committed to serving the Red Cross in its disaster relief efforts. Toliver’s volunteer service includes an excess of 1,800 volunteer hours and spans five years of active service. During her 12 years of active volunteer service, Valerie, a certified nursing assistant, has served as Disaster Action Team Chairwoman for the Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Red Cross for a period of three years and attended over 120 local disaster calls. Valerie was also mobilized as a volunteer for Hurricane Fran in September 1996.

As DAT Chairman, it has been Valerie’s direct responsibility to coordinate the efforts of 18 DAT Volunteers on five active Disaster Action Teams, one of which she leads as the rotating on-duty Captain. As a Disaster Action Team Volunteer, she remains on-call between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. daily for a period of one week. Calls may come during any of those hours and mobilization is immediate, providing for the immediate needs of shelter, clothing and personal care items of disaster victims.

Not only is Valerie an active Emergency Medical Technician, she is fully qualified in almost every area of disaster training provided by the American Red Cross. She is also a certified instructor of First Aid, CPR, HIV/AIDS, Basic Aid Training and a wide array of disaster training programs. Keeping her hands on the pulse of the community, she volunteers her time as a member of the First Aid Station Team (FAST) for a variety of community activities and willingly offers her expertise in neighborhood activities aimed at educating the public in areas of disaster preparedness or basic safety techniques.

Likewise, Toliver, a city senior construction worker, has served as a Disaster Action Team Captain for the Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Red Cross attending more than 50 local disaster calls. As DAT Captain, his direct responsibility is to coordinate the efforts of 4-7 DAT Volunteers assigned to his current on-call team. This involves training of these volunteers, along with coordination of all aspects of mobilization while on duty. He is actively involved in educating the public in areas of disaster preparedness or basic safety techniques.

“It is through the efforts of volunteers such as Toliver and Valerie Grier that the American Red Cross is able to meet its Congressional Charter,” remarks Heather Livingston, Chapter Manager, Hampton Roads Chapter. “Valerie and Toliver Grier are the arms and legs help us reach out and serve the American people 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

Children’s Reading Program of Literacy Volunteers

The Children’s Reading Program started in 1994 as an outgrowth of the Literacy Volunteers Program of Martinsville. It is a pilot program in which volunteers read to children who come to the Emergency Room of the local hospital. When the child leaves to go home, the volunteer gives them an appropriate book to take home.

The program was a result of the efforts of William Peterson, coordinator of the literacy program. Because 27% of the population was functionally illiterate, Peterson thought one way to influence preschool children was to read to them. The ideal place was where they have no reading material, no entertainment and are subject to boredom.

In the past five years, more than 8,200 children have been read to and received books. As a result of the program, the complaints in the emergency room have dropped to nearly zero. The staff and hospital administrators have commented on the quietness of the ER and have praised the program.

In 1995, the program won the Virginia Governor’s Award for Volunteer Excellence and in 1997 was awarded the American Hospital Association’s Award for Community Service. The program has created interest in Ohio, Kentucky and as far west as Idaho. The funding for the program comes from contributions by local business, civic and church organizations.

Volunteers who read are trained for their work. High school students receive community service credit while other volunteers come from civic clubs, churches and the literacy program itself. When the program started, there were 19 volunteers; now there are 92 readers. The original schedule of two shifts per evening has increased to three to accommodate the additional interest.

The program is 100% volunteer with no salaries or payments for services. Civic and church organizations fund the purchase of books to give away. The reading books are checked out of the Blue Ridge Regional Library and renewed and/or replaced every two weeks. Parents of children who are read to may get reading instructions on how to continue the effort at home, if needed, from the literacy program through the library.

The benefits of the program are an increase in literacy volunteer/student enrollment, an improved atmosphere in the emergency room, awareness in the community of the importance of reading (especially to young children) and the value of reading in education.

Southern California Housing Development Corporation

Located in the City if Rialto, CA, Renaissance Village is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when the public and private sectors come together and apply the proper resources to the solution of community problems. Southern California Housing Development Corporation (SCHDC), a nonprofit organization, undertook a two-year, $7.5 million dollar rehabilitation project of Renaissance Village. The partnership between SCHDC and the residents of Renaissance Village utterly transformed what had been a dying neighborhood, crippled by drugs, crime and a drain on public resources and services, into an attractive crime-free haven for low-income families.

The Rialto Redevelopment Agency invited SCHDC to propose a solution that would not only rescue the neighborhood, but also result in the creation of needed affordable housing. Once SCHDC acquired 144 separately owned units, they confronted the actual task of renovating the properties, all of which were scarred by graffiti, broken windows, accumulated trash, debris and arson damage.

SCHDC’s philosophy is not merely to create more affordable housing, but to improve the lives of the residents as well. To that end, SCHDC creates programs that will meet the needs of its residents. Just some of the services offered at Renaissance Village are the fine arts program, teen pregnancy/gang/drug prevention programs, Community Watch and a Free Lunch Program.

SCHDC is an AmeriCorps VISTA sponsor and VISTA members serve as on-site Social Program Coordinators. At Renaissance Village, the VISTA member was successful in bringing the residents together to address community challenges. Her volunteer corps, comprised of more than 30 residents, initiated and implemented a Community Watch program, a free lunch program that fed more than 100 children each day of the summer, taught Spanish to elementary school children and assisted in early literacy/childhood development programs.

VISTA corps continues to develop new programs that meet the needs of the community. Monthly Community Meetings are forums where the residents can discuss important issues and brainstorm solutions. In addition, the on-site management continues to screen all residents carefully and utilize criminal background checks to ensure that residents, both new and existing, are living in a safe environment.

Mary Lou Linton

“What do you want me to do?” That is the question that Mary Lou Linton asks as she enters Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee (HTFM) each day. The answer often varies from filing to fundraising. “Capably, humbly, and enthusiastically, Linton tackles each task placed before her,” remarks Elizabeth Humphrey, Community Events Coordinator of HTFM, “her presence is felt at many nonprofit organizations in the area and by many people.”

With a Master’s Degree specializing in Child Welfare from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and 40 years of professional and volunteer service in Milwaukee’s nonprofit arena, Linton’s work focuses on building stronger families and fundraising. She has made a positive impact on poverty in Milwaukee through her work as a volunteer, board and committee member at HTFM over the past six years. HTFM works for greater self-sufficiency among the poorest citizens through education and advocacy efforts. Development Director Bonnie Fuggiasco comments, “Mary Lou’s selfless actions and commitment to our cause sets an outstanding example for others.”

Linton has rallied for stronger families and increased access to childcare and diversity in learning with the Ebenezer Child Care Center. With eight locations, Ebenezer’s services touch thousands of children’s lives through its community-based approach. Linton has provided key input for Ebenezer’s services and programs. At the Benedict Center, where Linton has served as a board member for three years, women in the criminal justice system can learn about options for alternative sentencing. The center provides creative and vital solutions for keeping families together in our community.

As a volunteer member of the Foster Care Review Panel of Milwaukee County, Linton advocates for children’s futures. This panel is responsible for preventing foster children from getting lost in the shuffle. Its unique oversight perspective gives Linton a platform to advocate for the well-being of Milwaukee’s youth.

Linton’s other achievements include serving as Board President of the Mental Health Association of Milwaukee County (MHA) for six years, providing key leadership during the launch of a new direct service community program. At both the MHA and Benedict Center, Linton spearheaded successful fundraising initiatives and improved fiscal management and stewardship. Also, the Program and Allocation Committee of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee has enjoyed years of service from Linton. She provides key program and accountability expertise based on her broad array of personal, professional and volunteer experiences.

Andover H.E.R.O.s

H.E.R.O.s (Helping Everyone Read Outstandingly) is an organization of community volunteers interacting in a one-on-one relationship with a child who is considered at-risk for educational failure.

In 1996, the Basic Skills Teacher at Long Pond School, an elementary school in Andover, NJ, and her classroom volunteer read about President Clinton’s Reading Initiative. The premise of the program was that responsibility for the success of children in both school and life lay with the community that surrounds the child. Believing that the most effective outreach is one-on-one tutoring style, H.E.R.O.s was born.

Many of the children did not qualify for Basic Skills classes, but still struggling with success, they were in desperate need of extra attention. Basic Skills classes are limited to children who score below a present level on the California Achievement Test. Those who score above that level but who are still struggling in the classroom were receiving no aid.

H.E.R.O.s volunteers felt that with additional help this group could easily learn to read, and read well. Through extensive research they located a program to best serve their needs. The group’s organizers located a small company in Georgia that offered a volunteer-based program at a fraction of its cost. The program includes intensive training of paraprofessionals, a complete teaching plan with supporting materials, and pre-and post- testing for proper result evaluation.

The program grew slowly with volunteers from many corners of the community joining. Presently, volunteers include retired teachers and professionals, students and parents. The H.E.R.O.s volunteers have expanded their role to include tutoring for middle school students. In addition, they are mentors to those students who have emotional and behavioral difficulties.

The Christ Child Society

The Christ Child Society (CCS) is a church-based society of women that operates in Pittsburgh, PA. Since 1994, the group has taken on the task of “adopting” a cottage at the Holy Family Institute, a residential facility for boys age 10-13 that are suffering from abuse, neglect and the effects of broken homes.

The cottage, named Saint Martins, is home to 12 boys. It is not home very long to the same 12 boys; the population of boys is ever changing, and the women often meet new boys on their visits. The CCS has made dramatic changes in the appearance of Saint Martins to create an atmosphere of “home.” Reupholstering furniture, painting and bordering were just the beginning. They also purchased pictures and other items to create a more pleasant atmosphere for the children. The CCS also provides clothing and other items as necessary, which is very important to these boys, who may be leaving soon to return home or to foster care.

More important than the material items, has been the emotional support the CCS consistently provides. CCS does not let a month go by that they are not at Saint Martin’s throwing a party or hosting some fun activities with the children. Additionally, they assist with homework and other school related projects.

Brooklyn Union Meals on Heels Volunteers

The need to find a new source of volunteers to deliver meals to the homebound elderly in Brooklyn Heights gave rise to a thriving involvement of Brooklyn Union/Keyspan with the Meals On Heels (MOH) program of Heights and Hill Community Council. The Council, a nonprofit agency founded in 1971, to help older adults live as independently and safely as possible, recruited program volunteers from Brooklyn Union/Keyspan, a local energy company and corporate neighbor.

MOH is so named because of the narrow, one-way streets of Brooklyn Heights that make delivery on foot more efficient than using a vehicle. When the program started more than 25 years ago, there was an abundance of homemakers and retirees who were available to volunteer. As times changed, Heights and Hill looked to Brooklyn Union, which has headquarters located within a short walk from the MOH area. With revenues of $1.2 billion and 2,700 employees, 800 of whom are located at their headquarters, Brooklyn Union seemed like the ideal partner.

Over the years, the program has grown to include employees from management, middle management and union personnel. Twenty-one business areas have been represented. The current roster of 45 is sufficient to allow for two volunteers to deliver meals each day of the week. The actual delivery takes less than an hour and is accomplished as part of a lunch hour.

The operation of the Brooklyn Union MOH program is relatively simple. Volunteers are recruited by current members as well as through internal publicity about the program. They receive a volunteer manual, instructions on what to do in an emergency and street maps of the neighborhood. Each new volunteer accompanies an “old-timer” before assuming full status. A Brooklyn Union employee acts as the in-house coordinator and schedules the volunteers. In addition to daily informal contact, the staff of Heights and Hill meets formally with the volunteers periodically and publish a volunteer newsletter to talk about the agency, hear concerns and give insights into the aging process.

Some of the volunteers have formed attachments to one or more of the older people receiving meals. On several occasions, Brooklyn Union volunteers have alerted Heights and Hill staff to potentially dangerous client situations. More than one volunteer has testified to the sense of satisfaction he or she has received from making a real difference in people’s lives.

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York Ministry to Seniors

In 1992, an increasing need for outreach to the homebound in the Archdiocese of New York became apparent. With the trend toward shorter hospital stays, discharge planners at local hospitals reported that recently discharged individuals would need assistance during the first few weeks at home. Other than paid home care agencies, there was no established system in place to serve these individuals.

Together, Sister Jean Canora, O.S.F and Eleanor Ramos, M.S., structured a program called Outreach to the Homebound. They, with the assistance of two additional staff members, formulated a training guide for volunteer coordinators, recruited volunteers from the parishes, supervised their training and maintained on-going support.

The volunteers are trained to provide medical transportation, shopping, home visits, telephone reassurance, and chores. Some parishes provide a meals-on-wheels delivery route one or two days per week for seniors and those with HIV/AIDS. The visits and telephone services increase the support services for the homebound individuals. By 1997, nearly 600 trained volunteers from 51 parishes volunteered to help more than 1000 homebound persons. Additionally, more than 100 sessions of caregiver support seminars were presented to approximately 350 caregivers.

A vital aspect of Outreach to the Homebound is the creation of community. Service to the homebound goes well beyond parishioners. Services are provided to any individual in need.

Judith Lajoie

Judith Lajoie is a formerly battered woman who had a vision of what a successful transitional home for women and children would consist of. In August 1991, The Haven of Grace Ministries became incorporated and Judith started planning to open a home for women and children overcoming addictions and abuse. She had decided that the Haven would not take state or federal money. It was to be funded entirely by donations from foundations, church and civic groups and private individuals.

Through the hard work and planning of Judith and several volunteers, the Haven opened its doors in 1993 in Woonsocket, RI. It has three components: residential living, community outreach and a violence prevention program.

The residential component is a two-year program taking in women and their children from drug rehabs and prisons, serving as a battered women’s short term shelter. Group counseling is offered to help the women acquire skills such as money management, driver’s education and job training. Each woman is required to enroll in an educational or job training program. Of the 53 residents that the Haven has housed since 1993, 30 have entered college. The women are also required to volunteer at the Haven after six months of residency. Many have additionally volunteered at local soup kitchens, nursing homes and schools.

The community outreach portion of the program also consists of individual and group counseling, a 12-step spiritual group and casework services. It provides outreach to families with donations of food, clothing and household items on a weekly basis. At Christmas, they provide gifts and clothing to families in the Greater Woonsocket area.

The Haven offers a violence and substance abuse prevention program to elementary, junior high and senior high schools in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. The services include parent workshops, teacher trainings, creation of school resource centers and a Students Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.) curriculum which is offered to the students. The six students sessions are designed to educate students on the different forms of abuse and the prevention skills necessary to avoid abusive behaviors and relationships. They also discuss the role of substances in relationships and its connection to abuse, self-esteem and decision making. The students are taught assertive techniques in dealing with peer pressure and strong emotions such as jealousy and anger.

Judith now serves as the executive director of The Haven, coordinating volunteers and client services. She provides services such as teaching Bible Study and running support groups. She is responsible for the business aspects of the program which she started. Judith has also published a children’s book on prejudice called, The Leopard and the Panther: What’s the Difference? It is used in elementary schools to teach children about prejudice.

The program that she dreamed and created has received the Make a Difference Day award for the past two years.