FRIENDS FOR YOUTH, INC.
Through its Mentoring Services program, Friends for Youth matches youth one-to-one with community volunteers. Volunteers cite wanting to make a difference, giving back to their community, and providing support that they themselves did not receive as youth as reasons for participating. All help to fulfill Friends for Youth’s mission of creating and cultivating friendships with youth, providing opportunities for enrichment and growth, and focusing on ways to help them achieve their potential.
Friends for Youth serves predominately low-income, ethnically diverse youth between the ages of 8 and 17, in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Currently, 229 volunteers serve as mentors. For one year, Senior Friends (mentors) meet with their Junior Friends (mentees) for a minimum of three hours a week. Together, Friendships work on homework, play in the park, take day trips, or just spend time talking. Throughout the year, program staff provide ongoing, individualized support to the volunteers to maximize the success of each Friendship.
Friends for Youth’s clients face violence, school failure, child abuse, drug abuse, early parenting, and suicide. ‘Natural’ mentors (such as extended families, neighbors, or coaches) who were so readily available in the past, are no longer as accessible. Additionally, San Mateo County has the highest percentage in the state of children who live in families with two working parents. Consequently, parents have less time to spend with their children. With less adult involvement, few natural mentors, and more free time, children will choose their own mentors who are oftentimes not the positive influences they need.
Friends for Youth uniquely benefits its volunteers by offering a highly structured program with ongoing support, including workshops and group activities. Since 1979, Friends has matched more than 1,500 youth with volunteer mentors. 85% of Friendships complete their first year, and many more continue their relationships beyond the one-year commitment. Because of their relationship with their mentor, Junior Friends demonstrate an increase in self-esteem, set high goals for themselves, and strive toward being positive, contributing members of their communities.
In compliance with the mentoring field’s 10 Quality Assurance Standards and Best Practices, Friends for Youth has created a model for volunteering for other agencies to adopt and tailor. The Friends for Youth Mentoring Institute was founded in 1998 as a response to an overwhelming number of requests for support. During the past year, through trainings and technical assistance, the Mentoring Institute facilitated the creation of even more volunteer opportunities locally and nationally by serving 350 new agencies through more than 80 trainings or workshops.
Friends for Youth relies on a diverse source of funding including: foundations, corporations, individuals, government entities, special events, and an endowment fund. Over 50 schools and agencies refer children to its program. Friends for Youth partners with schools for its Youth Achievers after-school program and with local agencies to provide life skills workshops. Stanford and Santa Clara Universities provide mentors and student research support. Corporations provide activities and volunteers for children on the waiting list, provide on-site technology activities for youth, and provide a source of mentors.
GINA ROLLO
Greater DC Cares is the largest provider of volunteer and business philanthropy services in the greater Washington region, matching almost 60,000 volunteers each year to local nonprofit organizations. But like many nonprofits, they also utilize volunteers within their own organization to support ongoing programs and events. Gina Rollo responded to a listing on their website for an administrative volunteer, and she began working in the office three days a week supporting their administrative staff. She made copies, compiled board reports, answered phones – unglamorous, often tedious jobs – but all done with amazing attention to detail and meticulousness. They soon discovered that in her time away from DC. Cares she operated her own company, RolloCom, a provider of PR services to the technology community. Despite her other commitments, she was always committed to and passionate about her work with DC Cares.
The winter of 2003 was a challenging one for Greater DC Cares. In the midst of a significant move across town, they were also serving as the primary sponsor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday of Service, an event that connects almost 1,000 volunteers to opportunities to serve over the MLK Holiday weekend. In addition, they were also sponsoring their first book drive – MLK "Knowledge is Power" Book Drive – to obtain children's books on African-American l-history to distribute to the DC Library system. Suffice to say, they were stretched to the limit – and that is when Rollo stepped in. She took over the book drive, forming partnerships with local bookstores and online book distributors to publicize the event, working directly with the DC Library system to facilitate donations, and patroling the MLK Holiday of Service kickoff event. When First Lady Laura Bush decided to attend the event, Rollo worked closely with the DC Cares staff and White House staff to make her visit as smooth as possible.
Rollo was in the DC Cares offices 5-6 days a week, carting around book donations in her car, erecting book drive displays at the local Borders, directing Secret Service to allow the photographer to get the best possible pictures. And she did it all with inimitable “Rollo” style; both fastidious and creative, her contributions have allowed them to maximize on time and resources while making the work as effective as it can be.
The "Knowledge is Power" Book Drive resulted in the collection of over 1,000 books to be distributed to the 27 branches of the DC Public Library. Rollo also helped DC Cares as an organization to develop new corporate partners through her bookstore outreach. And she did this all while balancing her work with her own company, as well as her role as part-time mom. When you ask Rollo why she volunteers, she says that she feels like it is the right time to give back.
AMBER HOMES, INC.
Amber Homes, Inc., the fastest-growing homebuilder in Colorado, is the leading provider of affordable, quality-built homes in the Denver area. Founded in 1998, Amber Homes caters exclusively to first-time homebuyers. The second-fastest growing private company in Colorado in 2002, according to the Denver Business Journal, Amber Homes realizes the importance of teamwork, community involvement and is truly devoted to the success of its community.
At a luncheon in February 2003, Amber Homes and the Home Builders Foundation (HBF) introduced a unique fundraising project coined Inspiration House. An innovative approach to raising money for victims in need of home repair due to violent crime or accidents, Amber Homes has united more than 50 local contractors and donors in a joint effort to build and furnish Inspiration House entirely with donated products and services by doing what they do best – build homes. Because the time, money and materials required to build Inspiration House are charitable contributions, all profits from the sale will be given to the HBF in support of their mission to help people in need of home renovations due to tragic circumstances. Past recipients of HBF aid include Columbine High School survivors, Sean Graves and Anne Marie Hochhalter.
The two-story, 1,910 square foot home will feature four bedrooms, two and one-half baths, a partial basement and a two-car garage. Valued at more than $250,000, other upgraded features include a gourmet kitchen, security system, five-piece master bath with whirlpool tub, sprinkler system, fireplace, rounded drywall comers, air conditioning and backyard patio. All of this was donated.
Amber Homes, the HBF and John Gibson, a past recipient of HBF support, broke ground on Inspiration House March 11,2003, and volunteers have been busy laying the foundation and framing the home. Inspiration House is now well on its way and on schedule for completion in July 2003. Amber Homes donated the site improvements to the lot for Inspiration House and have worked diligently to raise funds and increase the number of Denver businesses participating in this trailblazing effort.
Amber Homes' founders, Jim and Linda Harmon, are deeply committed to helping those in need. Over the years, the Harmon's have donated more than $50,000 and countless hours of time to various charitable organizations like the Denver Food Bank, Bonfils Blood Drive, the Lupus Foundation, the John Baely's Joint Effort Community Sports Program (for inner city youth), American Diabetes Association and Miracle on 19th Street (a holiday charity event).
Amber Homes also encourages its employees to support local charities and causes. The company will match every dollar donated by an Amber Home employee. Amber Homes understands the needs of its community and consistently responds to those needs with pioneering ideas and fundraisers like Inspiration House. Amber Homes' spirit of community service is both contagious and inspiring; they always manage to bring the community together to help those in need.
JUDY BABCOCK
Judy Babcock has been a literacy volunteer for the BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) Program for more than three years. BookPALS, one of the fastest growing literacy programs in the country, is an all-volunteer program administered by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, the charitable, educational and humanitarian arm of the Screen Actors Guild.
Babcock is an active BooKPAL who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to stimulate children’s interest in reading and to encourage them to read on their own. Not only does Babcock read to and mentor more than 500 “at-risk” children every week of the school year, she also facilitates Accelerated Reader Programs, Reading is Fundamental Projects and Family Reading Programs. She does all of this voluntarily, without benefit of salary or stipend.
As a retired drama teacher and performer, Babcock knows intuitively how to communicate her love of books to children. She often dresses in character, sings and “performs” the stories, and uses props and interactive books to engage the children. Teachers say she nurtures language skills and increases literacy. The children say she offers them something that is FUN – being read to by a performer who can really make stories come alive! It is clear that Babcock firmly believes that every child should get the same chance for success. Babcock may not always realize it, but the fact that she continues to go to schools and reliably “deliver” drama and excitement through reading adds to the children’s inner motivation to learn how to read.
Sadly, the children in Florida have scored at the bottom of the list of states across the nation in literacy. More than half of Florida’s fourth graders read below their grade level. Children who cannot read independently by the end of third grade have greatly diminished chances of ever catching up; they face higher risks of delinquency and dropping out. This problem adversely affects the community. Low literacy skills weaken the economy, contribute significantly to the crime rate, and increase the need for higher taxes to sustain social services for the chronically unemployed.
As a BookPAL volunteer, Babcock is working the front lines to combat illiteracy and the problems it creates, particularly in at-risk, underprivileged communities. Children at the early elementary school levels are just beginning to develop reading skills. Reading is often very hard work for the children in the program. Babcock’s role as reader and storyteller sometimes contrasts sharply with some of the children’s own felt experiences of grappling to learn basic reading skills. Because Babcock reads aloud, she makes it easier for children to grasp the basic idea that sounds and written symbols correspond to each other. Babcock helps bridge the gap between words on the page and words that are spoken and make sense. She is showing and telling at the same time. Babcock is a resource for children who need encouragement to keep working on breaking the reading code.
DR. RALPH MONTGOMERY
Dr. Ralph Montgomery has shown commitment and accomplishment like few others in the state of Utah. He is the founder of Salt Lake Donated Dental Services (SLDDS), the largest volunteer dental clinic in the county. Borne of a Rotary mission to the Philippines, the Clinic has evolved and provided more than $6 million worth of care to 30,000 low-income individuals. In partnership with community members, Dr. Montgomery built a state of the art Free Indigent Dental Clinic paid for by private donations.
Dr. Montgomery no longer practices dentistry; however, he serves as Chairman of the Board for SLDDS and as a dental consultant. He rarely misses a meeting or any other opportunity to further the mission of the clinic. His approach to providing free full service dental care to the indigent returns $4 worth of valued care to the community for each $1 donated. Using this information at a capacity of 9,000 patients and approximately 27,000 procedures, SLDDS could fashion a 10 to 1 return on investment. The operation of this clinic is now being used as a pattern in other communities.
In addition to founding SLDDS and serving on the board for Salt Lake Donated Dental Services, Dr. Montgomery has also worked to mobilize others in the medical community. At the beginning of the free clinic in 1990 he called upon 60 successful dentist friends to serve and 56 of those colleagues responded favorably. Over the past 13 years, a total of 200 dental professionals have volunteered to serve at the clinic.
Dr. Montgomery has been successful in treating those in need in his community, and in the process has overcome many crises that have surfaced for the new agency. However, the greatest challenges may still lie ahead as there are 115,000 still uninsured or underserved in the community. He is committed to meet that challenge.
He has been acknowledged and honored because of his work in the community. Most recently the Murray Rotary Club honored him. He lives his life with the mottos, “Service Above Self” and “Things spoken by the heart can be heard by the heart.”
ARIANNE ELLERBE
Louisiana’s juvenile incarceration rate ranks the highest in the nation while the well being of its children ranks among the worst. Child development research concludes that positive adult involvement in children’s lives prevents delinquency and rehabilitates destructive behavior. Reversing negative trends among Louisiana’s youth requires ordinary citizens to make a difference in the lives of individual children and to work for reform in a failing juvenile justice system.
Motivated by this immense social need, Arianne Ellerbe began volunteering at age 14 within the Louisiana criminal justice system and founded, “Break the Chain. . . Build a Bridge.” Her organization fulfills a tri-fold purpose: stop delinquency before it starts through effective prevention programs for at-risk youth; implement rehabilitative efforts that restore incarcerated youth to their families and communities; and provide a voice of advocacy.
As the volunteer coordinator of the Louisiana Attorney General’s “Know the Law” prevention program for youth, she is responsible for developing a teacher’s curriculum and marshaling efforts of attorneys and law students to implement the program in Louisiana middle schools. “Know the Law” instructs students on legal rights, responsibilities, and the harsh consequences of delinquency. Presenting motivational talks through her unique motivational presentation “StoryPics,” she encourages students to set and reach goals while giving back to others. This year, “StoryPics” has been used to impact the lives of hundreds of individuals all over Louisiana, from CEOs to students, soccer moms to prison inmates.
As director of a weekly faith-based life skills program for girls at Jetson Correctional Center in Baton Rouge (initiated April, 2000), Ellerbe serves as spiritual advisor/mentor to 75 girls and as aftercare/activities coordinator for Jetson’s short-term program. Her efforts there are focused on helping these talented and intelligent young women formulate goals for their return home and to reach their full potential as successful, contributing citizens. Graduates of the programs have become high school graduates, college students, and sought-after public speakers.
As a volunteer through the YouWho Coalition, legislation for which she lobbied passed during last year’s session, mandating a citizens’ task force aimed at reforming Louisiana’s juvenile justice system. The Juvenile Justice Commission has begun its work as Ellerbe continues to lobby and advocate for additional reforms, having been a featured speaker several times in commission meetings and legislative committee hearings regarding her work within the system. She assisted in the Commission’s lobbying efforts to pass a comprehensive resolution during this year’s legislative session that will reform the system.
Ellerbe has been a recipient of numerous local, state, and national recognitions for her efforts within the juvenile justice system: joint legislative resolution, gubernatorial proclamation, Blue Cross Angel Award, Louisiana Jaycees Outstanding Young Woman of the Year, LSU Volunteer Activist of the Year, YWCA Woman of Achievement, and most recently was named by the U.S. Jaycees as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans for 2003.
RSVP READING BUDDIES PROGRAM
In 1998 the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Monmouth County, New Jersey designed and initiated a shared-reading program involving eight caring volunteers working with 40 first-grade students. Since that time the Reading Buddies Program has evolved into a dynamic program involving 225+ adults interacting with 1400 preschool, kindergarten, first and second-graders in 15 area elementary schools. Three of the original readers are still participating in the program after 5 years.
It has been proven that reading aloud to children on a daily basis increases listening skills, builds language comprehension and improves attitudes toward reading. This increased level of listening and comprehension skills is the basis for mastering speaking and writing skills. Schools with low reading scores are targeted for participation in the program.
On a weekly basis, trained volunteer readers maintain a ratio of one reader per four students providing shared-reading sessions from October to May. Mirroring a mentoring program, the Reading Buddy continues with the same group of children for the entire school year. At all times the volunteer readers/ students remain under the supervision of the classroom teachers ensuring the integrity of the program. The program is considered an integral part of the school language arts program. This substantive program has resulted in an increased level of enthusiasm and interest in reading, often resulting in improved reading scores.
From President and Mrs. George W. Bush to Governor and Mrs. James F. McGreevey, increased emphasis has been placed on the importance of building literacy skills. Reading levels in New Jersey schools lag behind other areas, necessitating increased community involvement to provide positive role models who emphasize the importance and joy of reading. By providing trained, caring volunteers in the classrooms on a consistent basis, the students begin to feel empowered and practice newly-learned reading skills in a safe, caring setting. The Reading Buddies, representing a variety of careers and ages, are able to model for the children the pleasure to be derived from mastering reading skills and at the same time, present a variety of career paths available to students who master the art of reading.
In order to maintain and strengthen their reading skills over the summer months, the students are invited to choose free books to establish home libraries. The program volunteers and local businesses donate monies to fund the free book distribution. The full impact of the program is dynamically illustrated when the children eagerly choose their free books and rush to share them with their “reading buddies.” The RSVP Reading Buddies Program is helping to encourage reading with the students in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
CITIZENS ON PROACTIVE PATROL – MOUNT VERNON POLICE DEPT.
The Mount Vernon Police Department understands that in order to effectively police a community, the citizens must be empowered to take ownership of their community. Citizens on Proactive Patrol (COPP) is a group of volunteers who work with the Police Department to make the city a better place. They are an extension of the Department’s community policing efforts, and act as additional eyes, ears, and problem solvers, with their main focus on quality of life issues.
To become a member of COPP, individuals must attend a 12-week Citizen’s Academy sponsored by the Mount Vernon Police Department. Upon completion, they continue on with another five-week advanced training course, as well as a field-training period with selected, specially trained, veteran members of COPP.
Patrolling the city is one of the various duties of COPP. Members commit to two four-hour patrol shifts per month, and work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon and evenings. They patrol in pairs in one of the two former police cars that have had the light bar and siren removed. The cars are equipped with police radios, bicycle racks, and a directional light bar in the back window, and are marked “Citizen’s Patrol.” Members carry portable police radios and cellular telephones while patrolling neighborhoods, parks, schools, and business areas. When they notice anything out of the ordinary, they radio a police officer to respond and check out the situation.
COPP has many duties beyond patrolling the city. They post abandoned vehicles to be towed; pick up found bicycles; assist officers with traffic control; enforce handicapped parking and graffiti abatement. COPP volunteers also work selected special events throughout the year. They help with traffic control for Halloween Downtown, the Mount Vernon High School Homecoming Parade, and the Christmas Parade. They have also assisted with Youth Appreciation Day and several Child Safety Seat Clinics.
COPP recently expanded their services and added an emergency team that could respond to incidents before or after their normal patrol hours. Eight members volunteered to be on a list to be called out any time a need arose. An initial meeting was held and the group decided that when called, in order to be effective they would need to be able to respond to the Mount Vernon Police Department within 30 minutes. At that point, they dubbed themselves the “No-Wait 8.” Members of this group have been called into service for fires, power lines down, and fatality traffic accidents. Members were even called out to search for evidence from a homicide scene, which they found.
The Police Department credits two of their COPP volunteers with helping to send a burglar to prison. They were on patrol when they spotted the front glass doorframe forced off. They called the 911 Center, which dispatched police officers. When officers arrived, they found the burglar inside the building with $3,500 worth of merchandise. The Mount Vernon community has truly benefited from COPP’s activities. During the 2001-2003 calendar years, members provided nearly 7,000 hours of volunteered service.
MARIETTA GOINES
Marietta Goines has been feeding the needy of Preston County for nearly 20 years. Goines did this alone for several years initially; however, recently her sister also became involved. Goines’ sister has reached out to the Preston County Inn, and they, too became a part of the solution in Preston County. The Inn provided the food and a facility to have dinner. Goines then moved the cooking and feeding to the Preston County Country Club. They now have space at the church “Love Chapel” to continue to feed those in need.
Goines enjoys cooking for her community. After working for the Headstart program at Howesville, she saw how many families were in need in the community. This resulted in her decision to serve meals during the holiday season. Goines began her annual meal for the community during the early 1980’s, and she is continuing today. Unfortunately each year there are still so many in need that the event has grown.
In addition to the annual Thanksgiving Dinner, Goines has also brought another program to the community to meet the need of struggling families. In August of 2002, the BLO Food Share dissolved; but Goines quickly organized a community effort to keep the program running. She and other volunteers organized monthly sign-ups and distributions of food. Participants give two hours of community service and $17 in cash or food stamps and they get $30 – $35 worth of wholesome food.
Goines also established The Love Way Food Pantry. Camp Galilee work group started working on a building and made a project out of the food pantry. Other people in the community have given support and now Goines’ vision of The Love Way Food Pantry is a reality. She now also works at The Love Way Food Pantry and enlists the help of anyone else who will share their time to serve others.
BOSSIER PARISH SHERIFF’S POSSE
Sheriff Larry Deen formed the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Posse in 1995 and the visibility of its members has helped make Bossier Parish one of the safest places to live in Louisiana. The Posse is a group of 270 retired men who volunteer their time to patrol the parish. They are in uniform, purchased at their own cost, and drive marked cars.
Wike-Strange VFW Post 5099 of Plain Dealing, Louisiana has 13 members who volunteer with the Posse. This is one of their most important contributions to the Community Activities programs. These dedicated Posse members, many of them former military men, are trained to perform CPR, report accidents, preserve crime scenes, assist with funeral escorts, and check the homes of vacationing citizens. The following is a list of Wike-Strange VFW Post 5099 members who are members of the Posse and the number of volunteer hours they have completed to date:
- Harry Stevens – 2,200 hours
- William Robinson – 900 hours
- Del Rester – 1,434 hours
- John Mood – 892 hours
- Davis McCall – 1,072 hours
- Joe Van, Jr. – 1,075 hours
- Lewis Whipple – 1,122 hours
- Glenn White – 708 hours
- Early Lunsford – 1,566 hours
- Jerry Larsen – 761 hours
- George Finck, 1,122 hours
- Bill Budwam – 956 hours
- Bill Breeland – 1,397 hours
Posse members and Bossier Sheriff’s Posse Auxiliary members contact elderly parish residents as part of Sheriff Deen’s Telephone Reassurance Program at least one day per week. The volunteers keep in touch with senior citizens in the parish, following up on any problems they might have, or simply lifting their spirits by being friendly and offering encouragement. Their presence, with regular patrol deputies, is primarily responsible for the 14 percent decrease in burglaries during 2002. It is also recognized that with the forming of the Posse in 1995, that daytime burglaries are down 25 percent.
