THE VIVA MUJER GROUP OF LINCOLN MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

Viva Mujer is a grant-funded program at Lincoln Hospital. This program is designed to improve timely mammography, Pap smear, and related screening and preventive health care activities for women. A key program component involves use of volunteer Community Health Educators (CHE), which are unpaid volunteers concerned about the health of their neighbors and trained to provide education, advocacy, and case management assistance with targeted patients. The purpose of the program is to reach out to minority women at Lincoln Hospital and women living in the South Bronx who have not had breast or cervical cancer screening done in the past two years.

The volunteers are currently providing services through this program that are directly beneficial to the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center and its patients. Some of the services include assisting in scheduling patients’ appointments, completing referral forms, calling patients a day in advance to remind them of upcoming appointments, and calling patients at home to follow up regarding missed appointments.

These volunteers also assist patients in completing Medicaid and other medical coverage applications, provide Spanish and English translation services, escort individuals to various clinics at Lincoln, and provide general assistance related to accessing medical services and navigating the health care system.

The Viva Mujer volunteers also educate patients regarding the importance of preventive health care and provide outreach in the community an average of once a week. Along with the normal fears and misunderstandings about breast and cervical cancer screening, the volunteers at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center have had to overcome many socio-cultural and language barriers in their efforts to reach out to the inner city women. The time they dedicate to making a difference results in women being healthier and living longer.

CALVIN ROGERS

Calvin Rogers has been matched with his Little Brother, Sean, for more than five years. His primary goal as a mentor has been to be a positive role model and friend. Rogers is reliable, consistent, responsible and dedicated, someone on whom Sean knows that he can depend. Rogers role as a mentor is filling the need of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, which matches school-aged children primarily from single parent homes with positive adult role models and mentors. The organization has 100 young boys on the waiting list and is always in need of male role models; most of the boys on the waiting list have an average of a year wait before being placed with a mentor.

When the pair was matched five years ago, Sean was living with his mother in a single parent home. Sean needed a male role model and a boost of self-esteem. Sean was not a troubled or terrible child, but he needed male guidance and nurturing. Rogers has played an integral part in Sean’s maturing process. He has learned many positive lessons from his Big Brother and the lessons are on-going. Sean is excited and aware that he is special, and he can be a success in life. Sean’s self-esteem has increased by leaps and bounds, and he knows Rogers is in his corner whenever he needs encouragement and advice. Rogers and Sean are friends. They have developed a true relationship, and Sean now has a male in his life that he can respect and on which he can depend.

Rogers is a priceless asset to Big Brothers Big Sisters and the community. Due to the positive influence and guidance, Sean will now be a positive, productive member of his community and follow in his Big Brother’s footsteps and encourage others to do the same. Sean values Rogers’ friendship and constant encouragement.

In addition to being a major part of Sean’s life, Rogers recruits other volunteers and continues to secure funds for the agency. He solicits donations and corporate support and does his best to ensure that the day-to-day operations of the agency run smoothly. His service will enable Big Brothers Big Sisters to serve more children in the community.

Not only is Rogers a Big Brother, but also he is a Past Board President and active with the Executive Committee. He is looked upon as a leader in the agency, and he always encourages others to give their best. He is continually working towards the betterment of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

RUSTY MINICK

Rusty Minick, a native Oklahoman and avid fisherman, found the trips he took with his grandparents to be therapeutic, helping him to recover from the trauma of losing his parents at the age of fifteen. He founded Kids, We Care, Inc. in December 1995 as an outcome of his vision to aid the children of Oklahoma City after the bombing of the Murrah Building on April 19, 1995 and provide them with hope for a drug-free and gang-free future. Minick knows that his grandparents sharing in his life enabled him to heal and work through the death of his parents. He, in turn, wants to share with the children of Oklahoma.

Kids, We Care, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to help restore faith in religion and country for children that have suffered tragedies in their lives, is based in Edmond, Oklahoma. Initially, Kids, We Care, Inc. was designed to provide the children and chance to learn how to regain control of their lives with the help of learning to fish. Now, the program has expanded to include any child who has lost a parent or parents to tragedy or have suffered another harsh loss in their life.

Minick’s goal is to attract all children who need good influences in their lives. He then focuses on directing them toward healthy activities such as fishing and the outdoors. With the help and involvement of others with the same goals, Kids, We Care, Inc. makes a difference in the Oklahoma City areas children’s lives. Minick realizes that children are our future leaders, and they need encouragement now to reach their potential in the future.

Minick has seen the tremendous impact on children’s lives and is encouraged by the work he does. Through simple acts, such as fishing trips and taking children to sporting events, he has helped put smiles back on the children’s faces and laughter in their voices. The program now has many corporate sponsors, but Minick has dedicated his life and livelihood to helping the children of Oklahoma become caring, prosperous and productive members of their community.

He is currently working on the Kids, We Care Ranch, to be located near Guthrie, Oklahoma. Located on 160 acres, this camp will be completely handicapped-accessible, and the premier camp in the state. We have four ponds completed so far, and we’re seeking help from builders, road contractors, lumber companies, utility companies, and anyone interested in making monetary or in kind donations to speed up the process of building this $6 million project. The sooner this happens the better. Then we can make a difference in the lives of so many children that need guidance and encouragement. Come join in with us, and we all can say: Kids, We Care!

CARL & ARLENE SHIPLEY

Late in 1993, Carl and Arlene Shipley learned about a young girl that had contracted AIDS through sexual abuse. They were childless, and they thought carefully about this serious responsibility. Their doubts and fears disappeared when Tashia flew into their arms at their first meeting and asked Arlene was she going to be her new mommy.

In 1994, Carl and Arlene Shipley opened their hearts and home to Tashia. As medical foster parents to this abused and neglected child (and after her death, foster parents to 27 teenage boys from Juvenile Justice) the Shipleys learned that love and attention can and does work miracles in the lives of abused children that others have forgotten. The Shipleys lost Tashia to AIDS, but their love and care allowed Tashia to live two years as opposed to the two months the doctor had predicted.

Tashia was believed to have been the first child in Florida to have contracted the HIV virus through sexual abuse. Government reports show that the abuse began as early as two years of age with her first sexually transmitted disease. She hid in closets out of fear and was inflicted with pain at a young age. The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services removed Tashia from her abusive home. The Shipleys introduced Tashia to religion and spent most of their days encouraging her, giving her positive attention and loving her.

To the Shipleys, Tashia was not a statistic; she was their child. She was a real person who was never allowed to just be a child. After her death, they realized that there was more to be done. The couple founded AngelAID in 1995 in Tashia’s memory, and turned their pain into positive action.

AngelAID is a nonprofit agency solely devoted to providing services and support to children with life-threatening illnesses or situations. A grass-roots organization that has made significant contributions to the Jacksonville community, AngelAID serves more than 2,000 children. AngelAID includes a free clinic, Thanksgiving services are coordinated for 1,500 annually, more than 55,000 Christmas gifts are given to AIDS children and families every year, and dozens of families have been moved out of homeless environments.

The Shipleys were pleased to be able to relocate the AngelAID offices into a two-story complex, “The Tashia Shipley Building”, that was renovated entirely by volunteers. AngelAID now has party rooms and a sanctuary on the first floor that holds the weekly five-hour children’s respite party. The second floor houses a free medical clinic where Carl Shipley, who is a licensed nurse, and doctors donate their medical expertise and counseling on-site. The Shipleys also visit schools, churches and organizations to educate the community about death, abuse, AIDS and at-risk children. They believe they are angels on earth, a belief to which Arlene Shipley is a living testimony because she was able to overcome 16 years of child abuse and be a loving, productive citizen. Carl finished his PhD in family and marriage counseling in December 2000, and now runs private and group counseling sessions at AngelAID. Dr. Shipley and his team of doctors offer families a place to vent their fears and losses.

In the future AngelAID will begin a model children’s program, AngelWARRIORS. This program will be a “good gang” concept that gives real life rewards to children in any program for taking personal responsibility for their decisions and giving back to their community. Their aim is to make it “cool” to be good and give back.

ANNE MOCHNICK

Seventeen years ago Hospice of Marion County was established with the mission of providing humane and compassionate care to those with a life-limiting illness, impartial without regard to race, national origin, age, gender, religion, disability, place of residence or ability to pay. Family and Friends are a vital part of the Hospice Care Plan. The Hospice team worked closely with family members, friends and care givers to respond to the patient’s needs. Education, practical support and emotional support are provided to insure that a Life of Quality is maintained for all those who have contact with the patient.

Anne Mochnick has been a champion for Hospice and its philosophies. She has been a volunteer with Hospice of Marion County for 16 years. During that time she has provided extensive community outreach especially to the Silver Springs Shores community where she is “Hospice.” Mochnick is a bereavement volunteer who provides support to individuals who have lost a loved one. This service is provided for thirteen months by specially trained Staff and Volunteers. The Bereavement Program provides group support meetings, private one-on-one assessments, ongoing workshops and a Speakers Bureau for the general public.

Seeing the need for support for the bereaved after the 13 months provided by Hospice, Mochnick started a program to meet the needs of her clients in the Silver Springs Shores area. The program is modeled after the Hospice program and that of the Catholic Church. Her wisdom and tactful, intelligent suggestions have found her to be the best source of information.

Hospice of Marion County has designed a Bereavement Program for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one through death. Mochnick is specially trained to provide follow-up support to those who have lost a loved one on their service. Grief is a health human response which could be experienced differently by each person. Grieving people share certain feelings.

Mochnick has accomplished her goal of providing service to her clients. One client that she provided support to needed extensive “hand-holding” to achieve a goal of true independence. Mochnick provided that hand to hold through those most dark and challenging moments. That clients has achieved her independence and Mochnick is truly grateful for the chance to help someone.

The adage that “actions speak much louder than words” certainly holds true when considering Anne Mochnick’s service and how it relates to exemplifying the universal concept of “volunteerism serving as an inspiration to others.” Mochnick exemplifies not only the spirit of hospice, but the true essence of volunteerism. Her efforts have benefited patients and families, have visibly enhanced the community presence of the organization and have had a positive influence on staff members.

VIRGINIA DEVERY

Councilwoman Virginia Devery exemplifies volunteerism in her community. In addition to volunteering her time as a city council member, Devery organized an annual Volunteer Fair in 1999 to highlight local community and county organizations that need the support of volunteers. The event is held each year at the beginning of National Volunteer Week. If past year’s events are an indication of this year’s results, Devery’s fair will be extremely successful once again.

The third annual volunteer fair will be held on April 22 to kick start a week of recognition for volunteerism throughout the nation. The volunteer fair features up to 40 local organizations that are seeking additional volunteers to assist in their endeavors. In the first two years each participating organization garnished approximately five new quality volunteers. Overall the fair, as a result of Devery’s efforts, has linked more than 150 people to organizations that desperately need assistance.

The organizations that receive assistance vary as much as the volunteers themselves. Devery has placed individuals with halfway homes, battered women shelters, soup kitchens, the local library, emergency medical squads and the fire department. She has helped organizations that provide animal and nature learning, assistance to the elderly and the physically and mentally handicapped, youth athletics and the local YMCA. Her efforts have helped residents from high school students to senior citizens. She provides a necessary link between those who can serve and those who need service.

For Devery, this is not a one-day or one-week event. She has created a volunteer pamphlet for the community, which provides additional information for individuals who may not be able to attend her event. Additionally, she has provided a volunteer resources opportunity Web site on the township Web site (www.mountlaurel.com) to provide further opportunity for awareness of her efforts. Devery recognizes that her position as a Councilwoman can be used for the benefit of the community and neighboring towns.

BRITTANY EASTER

Many may wonder how you could call a fourth grade student a hero, but that is just the title placed upon Brittany Easter. She is a shining star in her community and aides in bringing her peers quality education and cultural diversity through her work with the Tulsa Opera, Tulsa Ballet, and the Tulsa Youth Opera.

A student at Brassfield Elementary School in Bixby, Oklahoma, Brittany has an exceptionally strong family life, and has been exposed to art and culture. Brittany has participated in plays, musicals, theater productions, and has been on stage with the Tulsa Opera’s TOSCA, Tulsa Ballet’s NUTCRACKER, Theater Tulsa’s MIRACLE ON 34th STREET, and Theater Arts Children’s Theater THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Most of her fellow classmates have never attended a professional play or even know about opera. Her hope is that they, too, will develop an appreciation for culture and the arts. She gives performances in her community, and many of her teachers, classmates, their families, and other community members attend. Easter showcases what she has learned in her participation in various productions, giving added insight to show learning something new can be fun.

Even as an elementary school student, Brittany is motivated by what she sees in life and is conscious of making the world a better place. In first grade, she noticed there were several students in her class unable to read. She thought of a creative idea to interest her peers in reading so they would have more of a desire to learn. She wrote stories and drew illustrations, and her teachers allowed her to read and show them to her class. The children enjoyed the stories and soon asked the teacher to add Brittany’s stories to their reading nook. This small project may have been a turning point in the lives of some first graders who may have never learned to read and subsequently fallen through the cracks of the educational system.

In addition to that, Brittany helps in other ways at school. She knows that some of the children come from low-income families, and she always speaks a kind word or shares a story to make her classmates’ time in school more focused and enjoyable. She also befriended a young man who had learning and physical disabilities. He was brought into her class for several hours daily, and none of the other students seemed interested in him because he was retarded. She became his special friend and helped him to feel wanted and appreciated. He is no longer in her class, but when she does see him, she always makes a point to say hello and ask how he is doing.

Science fairs, invention conventions, and other school-sponsored events have also been a platform where Brittany shares the joys of learning and sharing her talents in crafts, music, writing and art projects. She loves to write stories filled with interest, fun and excitement. She is never asked to do the things she does; she just recognizes a need and looks to formulate a solution. She recently won first place in her school’s Reflections Program Visual Arts.

She is also involved in her school’s SWING CHOIR music program. The students have sung for Channel 8 television on Christmas Day, a local nursing home, the Bixby Chamber of Commerce, the Bixby Horizon’s Club and the YMCA Christmastown.

Brittany was on the 4th grade Whitey Ford Basketball Team the “BOBCATS” and she received a certificate for outstanding performance and achieved first place trophies in the regular season and post season tournaments.

She has volunteered for the Gatesway Foundation in Tulsa at their Gatesway Balloon Festival, a fundraiser which helps kids with disabilities. She is also an active member of Tulsa Zoo Friends.

Though a young girl, Brittany Easter has been honored on many occasions for her giving spirit and service to her community. She was honored as Student-of-Month, “Shining Star” in her classroom, and she was chosen as a “Mark of Excellence” by her principal as well as being awarded a Good Citizenship Award.

LAMBUTH AREA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Within Jackson, Tennessee is the third largest neighborhood in Tennessee, the Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association. The neighborhood consists of approximately 1,500 homes situated around the Lambuth University campus in midtown Jackson.

Initiated out of a desperate need to revitalize their neighborhood, a group of individuals began to meet to discuss concerns and how they could facilitate changes that would better their neighborhood and curb its continued decline. Soon thereafter, the group organized, became proactive, and continues to be an instrument for urban renewal and the elimination of urban blight for the Lambuth University area.

Since its beginning, the Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association (LANA) has been recognized for its positive influence in bringing about change to improve their neighborhood. Through these efforts, LANA has served to empower sections of their neighborhood with the voice for change that they may not normally have had prior to their existence.

An example of their positive efforts has been a successful campaign to down zone the neighborhood to prevent the further encroachment of absentee landlords seeking to turn historic homes into low-priced rental apartment units. The absentee landlords failed to make necessary maintenance improvements to the older homes and soon their appearance began to deteriorate. The area also began to decline from a rising crime problem. An increase in car thefts, attempted rapes, burglaries, and purse snatching cause the remaining middle class families to leave the area, which caused even further decline.

Although met with skepticism by city officials initially, the persistence of LANA to facilitate a zoning change for the neighborhood led to major long lasting impacts on the area in regard to the preservation and revitalization of the area. One such increase occurred in a newly approved local historic district within the neighborhood. The sale price for these homes has risen by more than thirty percent.

Another victory for the neighborhood group came when they were instrumental in keeping pressure on the local school board to locate the city’s newest elementary school in the LANA area, and when they were instrumental in organizing police neighborhood patrols for the area. LANA also organizes special events to raise citywide awareness of the neighborhood’s uniqueness. Such events include a Christmas and spring tour of historic homes in the neighborhood.

While many problems have been addressed, LANA continues to be a proactive voice for the elimination of absentee landlords, substandard housing and awareness of racial diversity, infrastructure improvements, and historic preservations.

JERRY PAUZUS

Jerry Pauzus works with several programs including the DAD’s Day Campaign, United Way Project Ramp, Children’s Hospital, Festival of Trees, Cancer Fund Raising, and Dollars Against Diabetes.

Pauzus got involved with Dollars Against Diabetes, an annual campaign spearheaded by the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO. It is one part of the Blueprint for Cure program, which was created to bring working men and women together to raise money to fight a cure for diabetes. This cause particularly touches him because his son Daniel was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of two.

Pauzus opted not to just live with the disease and be complacent; because of his son, he became involved with Dad’s Day. When he started with the program, there was not much fund raising activity in the Detroit area for the campaign. Pauzus knew that had to change, and he dedicated himself to make an immediate difference. He contacted other parents of diabetic children and his union friends initially. He mobilized a network of volunteers that would specifically work on fundraising. His eight year commitment to DAD’s Day has made the Detroit chapter area, which was previously not in the top fifty cities for fundraising, number one in the United States.

Pauzus’ leadership, influence, and determination are the reasons for the chapter’s success. Thousands of dollars have been raised to help find the cure for diabetes. His organizational skills, commitment, and dedication has resulted in their chapter growing from eight members to more than 300 members. The volunteers work on busy street corners requesting donations from passing motorists to benefit diabetes research. They have also utilized golf tournaments, raffles and other local events to raise money.

With Pauzus as the DAD’s DAY Chaiman, union members, civic organization, and community leaders have come together working toward the same goal – finding a cure. As George Bush said, “The DAD’s DAY program is a shining example of volunteerism in action and a reminder of how we as American citizens must learn to measure success – not by the sum of our possessions, but for the good we do for others.”

Because of Pauzus’ son Daniel, who is challenged personally with the disease of diabetes, he has refused to take it sitting down. He has opened the community’s eyes to the disease, is a staunch advocate of finding a cure, and will continue to work diligently to raise money to do so.

DSS KIDS FUNDS

The Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS) cares for nearly 10,000 children subject to severe abuse or neglect in their home. In 1999, the Department established the DSS Kids Fund to provide comfort and assistance to these children. They have more than eight specific programs geared to give the children what they were not receiving at home. In addition to these programs, the Fund also supports the 30,000 needy children who remain with their birth families while receiving services from DSS.

The Department assembled a board of DSS employees, foster parents, and concerned citizens to develop the Kids Fund. By gathering the varied people, the needs of the children would be better served. The DSS Kids Fund is a private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that affects not only the children but the families that are caring for them also.

The Fund has a Placement Packet Project, which provides every child entering care with necessities. Many of the 8,000 children who enter foster care each year come without adequate clothing and with poor hygiene. The packets include items such as infant formula, toiletries, clothing, diapers and toys that make the transition to foster care as comfortable as possible.

In addition to the Placement Packet Project, the Fund sponsors a Foster Children’s Holiday Gift Drive to ensure that each child in DSS care has a memorable holiday season. They also have a Literacy Campaign that solicits donations of books and funds so that children in foster care can learn and grow. Foster Children’s Summer Campership Drive sends foster children to either day or overnight summer camp for one or two week sessions. Experiencing camp assists in the growth and development of the children.

Each of the 29 DSS Area Offices has rooms for supervised visits between foster children and their birth parents. The Fund uses donations to decorate the rooms to help make what may be a difficult visit a bit easier. The Fund also has a Computer for Foster Kids Program, Meals for Foster Kids Program and a Foster/Adoptive Family Recruitment Campaign. These programs help give the adolescent children a good start on their education, nourishment, and shed light to the plight of the children in the state.

Finally, The Fund has a Special Moments Fund. Knowing that foster children do not have the little things that other children may take for granted. This Fund helps to purchase things like visits to museums, amusement parks and camping trips.

DSS Kids Fund is caring extended across the generations. One young girl is particularly grateful for them. She is a teenager heading for college, though she was robbed of her youth by a drug-addicted mother who used drugs in front of her and left her for days at a time at the age of six with responsibility of two younger siblings. The teen was sent with a foster family with her siblings and is now looking towards her future. She advised, “it means so much to me, just knowing that somebody cared. DSS gets a lot of bad publicity, but I don’t know where I’d be without DSS and the Kids Fund.”