EAST SHORELINE CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

Susan Kennedy was aware of the American Red Cross assisting the community all year long; however, she felt there was a special need to be met during the holiday season. Recognizing this need, the staff and volunteers began to contact other service agencies so as not to duplicate services. The result was the inception of a community-based program called Project Angel.

The angel in Project Angel stands for “A needful gift equals love.” The committee that founded this program identified a target group of individuals that are on assistance. They hoped that by providing these items in a systematic distribution program, the target group of individuals would be able to save some of their money. The “additional” money, in turn, could be used to purchase holiday items for their families.

During the first year, 35 families, which included 33 children, were served. The volunteers were able to supply toothpaste, toilet tissue, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, and other miscellaneous cleaning supplies. The recipients appreciated the gift so much because, due to the lack of funds, these items were often luxuries for their families. Now, the program serves more than 500 families and runs year long to help those in need as they are identified. Project Angel began in the Bay County area and now has expanded to Arenac also. They expect to grow and be present in Hurson, Sanilac, and Tuscola Counties this year also.

The project received patronage from local businesses and schools. They sell angels for a donation of one dollar or more. The individual can write their name of the angel and have it displayed to show the support for the project. The Red Cross assists the program by acting as a clearing-house for the acquisition and distribution of the products that volunteers from the community collect. Churches, youth groups, service clubs, small businesses, corporations, and schools all take an active part in the process. They obtain, collect, package and distribute the needed items. More than 200 volunteers work to make this program a success.

The Red Cross has asked that Project Angel be presented at the state level with the hope that the program will be instituted nationally. The fulfillment of these basic needs directly assists many in the community. This, in turn, aids the communities to become more productive and may also help the recipients to decide to also give back when they are able. The founders of the program believe that giving will beget giving, and that will make our world a better place. Providing these basic human needs of baby care, personal care and household care items (unable to be purchased with Food Stamp dollars) also promoted healthy, safe families within the community.

In the year 2000 we distributed packages to 660 families. Included in distribution day were 178 teen paks. The teen paks consisted of fast food and entertainment passes giving teens a safe place to go during the holidays. Volunteers disbursed 660 dozen cookies (that is more than 7,000 cookies) and 660 hand made greeting cards. Project Angel is truly a community supported program.

NEW YORK CITY POLICE FOUNDATION

The New York City (NYC) Police Foundation enhances public safety and quality of life in New York City by mobilizing voluntary contribution of money, time, equipment, and other resources to provide for the unmet needs of the NYPD. The Foundation stimulates the innovation within the NYPD to improve the delivery of police services to the public. It also encourages citizen involvement and community support of the NYPD through the Foundation’s public education activities.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has achieved enormous crime declines, driving crime down to levels not seen since the 1960’s. Every category of felony crime is down by record amounts, which includes at 65% reduction in homicides since 1993. The dramatic success came as a result of decisive changes in the way the NYPD was managed. The NYC Police Foundation has been a crucial partner of the NYPD. The Foundation provided seed capital for important innovations undertaken by the Department in 1994 when the dramatic decline in the crime rate began.

Initially, the Foundation funded the reengineering of the NYPD. This was a major effort that involved hundreds of police personnel in restructuring, reforming and retooling the Department. Secondly, it provided the crime-mapping computer infrastructure for Compstat, the now world-famous strategy and accountability meetings that have directed the NYPD and driven down crime ever since.

The Foundation works to improve cooperation between NYPD and the many communities it serves. It helped fund Streetwise, cutting-edge training that teaches officers about the diverse array of ethnic and international cultures in NYC. It supports citizen’s police academies where adults and teenagers learn about the challenges of being a police officer. In addition, the Foundation sponsors precinct open houses, a precinct/community newsletter called PoliceBeat, and the Commanding Officer for a Day program. It also underwrites the Model Block program which is a successful initiative that strengthens communities to take back their blocks from drug dealers and supporting minority recruitment drives. The Foundation purchases the horses for the Mounted Unit, funds rewards for Crime Stoppers, donates equipment for pilot projects such as bikes that brought back the police bicycle patrols, built a mock courtroom to improve the quality of police testimony, and retained a renowned expert to assess the NYPD’s complex technology needs.

The Foundation has been in existence since 1971. It was founded by civic and business leaders as an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the NYPD and promoting public safety in New York City. The Foundation has raised $27 million for 300 police projects and donated goods and services worth millions of dollars more. The Foundation takes a particular interest in the development, education, and welfare of police officers also. It funds scholarships and awards, built cardiovascular fitness centers and supported a hypertension screening programs, and established an alcohol counseling center. It has also established a suicide awareness program and raised $2.7 million for bulletproof vests for NYPD officers. What began as a groundbreaking partnership is now a national model for implementing cutting-edge innovations in public safety.

TODD BERNSTEIN

The Citizenship Project was founded in 1995 to promote citizen action and ongoing civic engagement. It organizes volunteer service projects and advises other organizations committed to volunteer service on how to maximize citizen community involvement. Todd Bernstein is the president of The Citizenship Project. He raises funds necessary to organize service projects. Bernstein’s work also spans to other countries and assists them to promote civic engagement.

In 1996, Bernstein started the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. He wanted to set up a model program that would transform Dr. King’s federal holiday into a day, which brings together thousands of citizens of all ages and backgrounds to honor the legacy of Dr. King by responding to community needs. Under his direction, the Day of Service has been the largest Dr. King Day service event in the nation annually. This event has engaged more than 40,000 volunteers. It has been recognized for furthering the awareness of the ideas of Dr. King and for the contributions the project and its volunteers are making toward solving local and national social problems, especially as they relate to youth. Bernstein received the Human Rights Award by the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission for his leadership in making the Philadelphia King Day of Service a national model.

This year, more than 18,000 people volunteered in 400 projects as part of 5th annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service. Over 80 local and national news articles and two dozen television news stories recognized the project for its work in mobilizing the community. Some of the projects begun on the King holiday but continue throughout the year.

One example of a project was 500 volunteers trained as new reading tutors by Philadelphia Reads who then made an ongoing commitment to read with children for one hour each week during the year. Residents of a North Philadelphia neighborhood and students from Beaver College began a project to turn an abandoned house into a community center. This building that was previously utilized by drug dealers is now a safe haven of hope and opportunity in the neighborhood.

In 1997 Bernstein was a national planner and served as director of external affairs for the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future held in Philadelphia, the first national summit bringing together America’s current and former U.S. presidents to address domestic policy issues. His work to promote civic engagement has taken him to other countries, including Germany, Israel, Portugal, South Africa, and Ukraine.

Bernstein serves on numerous boards of directors. He is the president of the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust. He is a member of the executive committees of the International Visitors Council and the Jewish Community Relations Council, where he also chairs their Domestic Affairs Commission. He is the founder and president of the Wissahickon Volunteer Corps and serves on the board of directors of the U.S./South Africa Leadership Development Program, Friends of the Wissahickon, Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, and Philadelphia’s Promise/ The Alliance for Youth.

Bernstein’s ongoing commitment to bring people together to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges serve as a prototype for the nation.

CONNIE WHITAKER

The need for playground equipment had been evident for some time at Arlington Elementary. The existing equipment was 10 years old and inappropriate for the developmental and physical needs of the students. In addition to being unattractive, the equipment was also no longer safe. The injuries sustained by several students caused teachers to limit the number and age of students allowed to use the equipment. When the children went outside for recess, they had to play organize games or not at all. This inactivity contributed to increased restlessness in afternoon classes and a noticeable lack of physical agility and strength in students when tested in fitness areas.

Connie Whitaker took the initiative and made a change. She played a pivotal role in all aspects of the playground project. She was the creator and sole networker for the fundraising and purchasing portions of the program. She led and organized the Playground Committee. She networked so that others in the community would be aware of the need at Arlington and sought grants and supplemental funding from various venues. She challenged classrooms of students to become involved in planning and implementation of their own fundraising projects. The projects evolved into service learning projects used by the teachers to teach economics, volunteer service, and citizenship responsibilities.

Whitaker spearheaded the effort to gain the participation of outside businesses and the private sector for donations. She contacted local politicians, the Neighborhood Associations, as well as the media. She got the local newspaper involved and the project was featured in a story to increase public awareness of the need. As a result of this, several large donations were contributed. Her approach was innovative in that she involved the students in the project. This had not been accomplished before, but it aided in the drive and increased the students’ feeling of ownership. This also made the project a total community effort.

Within one year of initiation, Whitaker had raised the $40,000 needed to purchase new playground equipment for Arlington students. The new equipment was safe, fun to play on, developmentally and age appropriate, and also attractive. This increased community pride and knowing that the community pulled together and accomplished a seemingly impossible task.

Whitaker has done much more than just work on the Playground Project. She has worked tirelessly for the past seven years to enhance the educational experience of all students. She facilitates classroom and volunteer activities, provides supportive materials, and lovingly gives of her time. Though her job description is Cafeteria Manager, her true duties include building and donating kindergarten furniture, planning and implementing a Santa’s workshop that benefited low income students, and working in conjunction with the Family Resource Center to host and coordinate parent, student, and teacher functions that strengthened communications and public relations between school and home.

Connie Whitaker’s selflessness and commitment has provided a shining example of teamwork. The experience with the Playground Project has promoted cooperation that extends far beyond the scope of the playground.

NAZARETH FARM, INC.

Tucked between two Appalachian foothills in West Virginia is a place unlike all others. It stretches over 125 acres of beautiful, rural property, and its buildings are simple yet prominent. As the gravel road unfolds before it, a white barn announces its name, Nazareth Farm, an association of the Roman Catholic Church, located in the Diocese of Wheeling/Charleston, formed in response to and rooted in the Gospel and Social Teachings of the Church. It is a place where high school and college volunteers and a permanent staff of nine people experience a life based on four cornerstones: prayer, service, community, and simplicity.

Since its inception on June 24, 1979, Nazareth Farm has grown into an organization that has become an important part of the Doddridge County, West Virginia community. The hands of Farm volunteers have fixed hundreds of area homes that were previously in disrepair. In 1999 alone, approximately 700 volunteers have served over 30 families and individuals. Repairs range from leaky tin roofs being patched, walls receiving a facelift of new paint, cold homes filling with heat after a new blanket of insulation was installed, and shaky entranceways becoming stable thanks to a new porch being built.

Not only does the Farm believe in repairing homes, but also in touching lives. Therefore, volunteers are encouraged to make a special effort to spend a part of the workday talking with the individual or family. Likewise, the owners are encouraged to lend a hand if they are able. Many of the people in Doddridge County are elderly and deeply appreciate the company that the volunteers from the Farm provide for them, sometimes even more than they appreciate the repairs to their homes. Each of the families and many other residents of Doddridge County are invited to the Farm for Community Night as well. Meeting the people in the area is important for volunteers, and they enjoy the Tuesday evening dinner and gathering with the community members just as much as the resident enjoy meeting them and sharing a meal and prayer time with the Farm.

Simplicity is an important aspect of life at the Farm, and it has many implications for daily life. Volunteers are asked to leave behind radios, televisions, hair dryers, and many other conveniences that are often taken for granted. These things, when removed from their lives, provide quality time for conversations with others and with God. As part of a simply lifestyle, yearlong staff members live on a stipend of $100/month. While it is a challenge, it emphasizes the simplicity that is embodied by the staff at the Farm and forces them to rely on each other for entertainment and to live their lives with only the things they need, and not necessarily the things they want.

Nazareth Farm seeks to rebuild broken homes and to build lasting friendships in the community. After twenty years, the Farm has made a positive impact in the area it serves as well as the lives of thousands of volunteers. The work at the Farm will continue as long as it is needed.

VOLUNTEER EXCHANGE REFERRAL SPECIALISTS

The Volunteer Exchange Referral Specialists (VERS) are dedicated to promoting, supporting, and facilitating volunteerism in Santa Clara County. The nucleus is Referral Services, which connects individual and group volunteers with the organizations and volunteer opportunities that most need them. Every week, 20 volunteer Referral Specialists aid community members in finding the most appropriate volunteer opportunities available. During the past 13 years, 140,000 volunteers have been connected with organizations and volunteer opportunities by the specialists.

Each day, VERS assists potential community volunteers in finding opportunities. The team interviews and then navigates a database of 2,600 service openings with 700 agencies. Next they return to the volunteer several choices that best match the volunteer’s skills and abilities. Last year, they referred over 18,000 people to local service programs.

VERS embraces diversity. Each member of their team is unique in the skills, experience, and talent they possess. They are of varying ages, and some are from different countries. They learn about the United States, the community of Santa Clara and service learning. They do not just connect volunteers with community needs; the VERS team also spends time working at women and children shelters where they prepare and serve food, and clean the kitchen and refrigeration area. They impacted about 200 residents at one shelter and over 150 at another shelter. The team worked at the Emergency Housing Consortium and prepared dinner and collected and donated hundreds of toiletry items for the shelter residents.

The outstanding group of men and women of the VERS make a definite impact on their community. Though they may work behind the scenes, the team fills the gap that exists with the organizations that directly provide important human, educational, environmental and public safety needs. The service provided by VERS bridges the gap of solution and need. Their personal contact methods are an important factor in the success of the program. Since 1987, they have contributed over 56,000 hours of service.

EVA MORGAREIDGE

Eva Morgareidge retired from AT&T in 1993 and become a star volunteer with the Central Wyoming Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. She had to work through the death of her husband and her hope was to make a difference in people’s lives. When she presented to the Volunteer Program, she had no previous volunteer experience. Today, her “volunteer resume” would be quite full.

Morgareidge dedicates her service primarily to the area of human needs. She addresses critical community concerns of health and education. She is an expert at paperwork; and her expertise is utilized, especially in the area of completing government forms. She aids many people who are low-income, elderly, and disabled to receive much needed assistance. Most of the people may miss out on the opportunities afforded them because they are not able to correctly fill out their forms. She also works with first graders at Oregon Trail Elementary school so they can improve their reading levels.

Morgareidge also serves in a volunteer program that helps the low-income, elderly, and disabled. This Wyoming program assists the participants in receiving a tax refund as well as partial exemption of sales tax and property tax along with utility relief. Another program she works with is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). Annually, this service gives aid to over 300 clients per year. Housed at the Central Wyoming Senior Services, VITA seniors help other seniors fill out their income tax forms.

She is one of few trained, certified insurance counselors in the state of Wyoming. She makes herself available to people understand all their insurance policies. When they experience a loss, she is also available and gives assistance in filing claims. Along with insurance services, she is active in the area of health. Morgareidge coordinates and organized blood drives and volunteers for Natrona County Public Health during flu shot season. She also works with Medicare Part B, which enables qualified recipients to get the flu shot free. In addition to that, she trains new volunteers in this area to assist more of the population.

Her time is also shared with the Central Wyoming Hospice and her local church. The Hospice provides medical and nursing care to persons in their last stages of life. Bereavement care is also available for the families in need. She answers the phone, responds to memorial donations, and updated the computer mailing list at the center also. She helps out in the office and her church and also assists with providing food for funeral repasts.

Morgareidge has recently become a volunteer, but her time of service was been exemplary. She stays abreast of new developments, especially in the area of training and is always looking for an opportunity to serve. Rural areas in Wyoming are sometimes great distances away – 100 to 200 miles – but Eva will travel to work and to learn how to better assist those in need.

LYNN GOLDSTEIN

Lynn Goldstein was a 62 year-old who was used to working long days as an entrepreneur. When it was time to retire, he was able to give more time doing what he has always wanted to do – volunteer in his community.

Goldstein retired in 1994 and began working at the Jewish Family Service’s (JFS) food pantry in the Dallas area. The pantry donates conned goods and other food products to those in need that reside in the 15 North Dallas zip codes. Each Tuesday, Goldstein picks up bread from a local outlet store, helps sack it, helps stock, and also helps prepare the pantry for the incoming recipients. Each month, over 1,400 people are served, and he takes just as much pride in his service work as he did running his own business.

Goldstein works about four hours per week with JFS. After his jobs are completed at the pantry, he delivers the leftover bread from the pantry to children at the Vickery Meadow After School Program. He began his service at the Meadow when he began tutoring elementary school students in reading and math. When working with the at-risk students, he saw that some of the children could benefit from the additional bread and take home to their families. Because he stayed in touch with what was going on with the children, his efforts acted as a catalyst for JFS to soon begin an on-site distribution of food at Vickery Meadow.

JFS has a Partner-in-Conversation program that tutors non-American non-English speaking families. Because of Goldstein’s interest in tutoring English, it was a given that he become a part of the program as a tutor. He listens to those who need tutoring. They learn not only English but about America, and he, in turn, learns about their lives and cultures. Goldstein worked with one family in the program for a year as opposed to the average of a couple of months. He was dedicated to the family and wanted them to get as much as he could from him.

One of Goldstein’s greatest qualities is being a man of action as opposed to talk. He is a problem solver, organizer, and definitely a go-getter. In addition to serving with JFS, he has worked with the National Council of Jewish Women, the Advisory Board of the Dallas Municipal Library, chairs two Temple Emanuel committees, and volunteers during a North Dallas public radio and television station’s fundraising appeals.

LOU CODELLA

“Going the extra mile�Eexemplifies Lou Codella’s way of life. A young graduate student in Albany, New York attributed his success ability to focus on Codella. He advised he had no role models throughout his life, but when he was at The Children’s Village, Lou Codella had faith in him. Codella’s influence on the student’s life helped him to press on and persevere.

Lou Codella has spent the last 23 years working with young men at Butler Cottage and The Children’s Village. He spends about 25 hours weekly with the boys and makes time to take them on outings like rafting, baseball games and other youth gatherings.

Codella also volunteers at The Children’s Village events such as the annual Circus, Santa’s Store and Alumni Picnics. He has personally touched the lives of hundreds of residents as well as the staff at The Village. He graciously gives up some of his summer vacation time to take the boys to camp. He is dependable and can always be counted on to transport the youth back and forth, which is five hours of driving each way. On Friday evenings, Codella finds youth rallies and spiritually uplifting events for the young men to attend. His loyalty to the residents extends to visiting youth correctional facilities, meeting teachers, social workers, psychologists and staff to offer support when needed. Many young men have been affected by his presence, and his influence, friendship and values make him an extraordinary role model.

In addition to working at the Village, Codella serves as a volunteer chaplain at the Woodfield Detention Center in Valhalla, teaches Bible study classes there, and he travels to visit and counsel sentenced youth in the facility. He also volunteers with Angel Tree Ministry, Port Chester Housing Project Ministry, and the Christian Youth Ministry of the Lower East Side. In these ministries, his focus is to show unconditional love to deprived and hurting children by sharing the love of God.

Codella has used his life to make a difference in the lives of young men who may have been forgotten or have fallen through the cracks of society. He stresses hope and lives by example. He is excited about making a change in someone’s life and helping them to understand they are great and capable of great things.

HERO, INC.

Help Expand Recreation Opportunities (HERO) is a nonprofit organization founded to provide quality recreational opportunities for all people with disabilities. It first began operations in 1992 as a pilot project that would serve 50 recipients of mental health services who participated in an adapted tennis program during the summer. The pilot was so effective that it was expanded later that year to include developmentally disabled adults and children as well. The people that conceived HERO were community oriented able-bodied and disabled men and women who saw the need for this kind of activity. Each of the founders were dedicated volunteers whose years of service prepared them to take on the challenge of building HERO into the organization it is today.

After eight years of life, HERO has grown to serve more than 1,000 adults and children with disabilities throughout the New York metropolitan area. Some of the programs offered are adapted tennis, dance, karate, and pet therapy. The goals of the program are fun, fitness, and positive social experiences. The participants come from social agencies, special schools, hospitals, rehab centers, group homes, and Head Start centers. Participants may have developmental disabilities like cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, autism, attention deficit disorder and retardation. In addition, some of the participants may also have physical disabilities like multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury or be HIV positive, or they may suffer from emotional and environmental disabilities.

The program teaches activities in on-going sessions at various facilities. Progress of the participants is measured by the enjoyment and improved social inter-action with peers, teachers, and staff. HERO employs innovative approaches to both the activities and the equipment used. They integrate each session with the curricula and goals of the agency or organization involved.

HERO became involved with the United States Tennis Association in 1998. They wanted to also “grow the game.” During the past two years, HERO has introduced adapted tennis to more than 2,000 adults and children with disabilities through special tennis carnivals called “Free for Alls.” Each of the participants warms-up, stretches, and plays games designed for fun. The tennis sessions have produced many memories for the recipients who have not had the chance to do anything athletic before.

HERO is also active in teaching karate. Their program has featured developmentally disabled adults learning Japanese and working towards a special “yellow belt.” The adapted dance program has also enabled profoundly retarded persons with multiple challenges to feel part of a group while learning new social skills. The pet therapy program has afforded homeless youngsters an opportunity to care for an animal and feel the unconditional love unavailable to them in their present situations. All of the programs benefit immeasurably from HERO’s volunteers who serve with dedication and loyalty to the participants.

HERO will continue their mission of service to those of the New York’s Metropolitan population with disabilities through on-going programs that provide them with the fun, fitness and positive social experiences previously lacking in their lives. They wish to also bring this kind of special recreation to many more people, of all ages and disabilities.