AmeriCorps Mayor’s Day of Recognition for National Service

On April 1, 2014 Mayors in Connecticut, along with other mayors around the United States came together to recognize the impact that National Service Programs have had on their communities. Every year more than 5 million diverse individuals come together to help meet the needs of local communities by participating in various service opportunities through the Coporation for National and Community Service's programs. These programs consist of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps which work to serve six crucial project areas within communities;  disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families.

Local Mayor of Windham Ernie Eldridge kicked off the Mayor's Day gardening service project at Natchaug Elementary School with the reading of an official town proclamation. This event was sponsored by GROW Windham and united participants from Eastern Connecticut State University, The Windham Area Hour Exchange, Eastern Area Health Education Center, Windham Public Schools and several other organizations in town with service corps members. Participation was also open to the public free of charge. Mayors around Connecticut from Bridgeport to Windham participated in this day of recognition to thank those who have brightened their communities and to encourage others to join and do the same.

On a more national scale, this years Mayor's Day turned out to be a major success. Participation from more than 1,760 mayors in all 50 states, District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico came together and represented 1/3 of all Americans. The success of the second annual Mayor's Day of Recognition for National Service more than doubled from the previous years Mayors volunteer list. You can view the full list of the 2014 Mayor's Day participants here. 

“We are thrilled by the extraordinary turnout of mayors from across the country for this bipartisan nationwide recognition of the impact of national service. It is a testament to the dedication and effectiveness of all those who serve in AmeriCorps and Senior Corps that mayors representing more than one-third of Americans are joining in this effort.  I commend Mayor Coleman, Mayor Smith, and other mayors across the country for participating in this recognition effort and for working with us to improve lives and strengthen communities through national service."

- Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service 

Impact...

Ever wonder if you are actually making an impact? Or if what you're doing is really making a difference?

 

Dillon Melady, a CCE student leader, shares a story about the Recess Program that started last week.

 

Dillon and a group of student volunteers met 3rd grade students outside during their Recess time. Instead of being shy and avoiding these older, bigger college students, these 3rd graders let their curiousity get the best of them as they introduced themselves and got right to the point that they wanted to play. It ended up being a great time of playing kickball and jumping rope!

The second time that they went, all the kids remembered the volunteers and were so excited to see that they had come back! The 3rd graders were not the only ones happy to see the Eastern volunteers; the teachers also told Dillon "how grateful they were for the volunteers to be there as positive role models." One student told Dillon about his plans about going to Eastern one day.

 

Student volunteers...what you are doing DOES matter! It is making a difference! No matter how small and even if you do not see it right away, you are making an impact.



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Make a Difference Day

What are you up to this weekend? Well, if you don't have any plans yet, you should know that on Saturday, October 26th, it is Make a Difference Day.

What is Make a Difference Day?

"The stories told around Make a Difference Day show that anyone - regardless of age, location or resources - can accomplish amazing things when they take on the problems they see in their community" (http://makeadifferenceday.com/about-make-difference-day)

As a stressed, always busy, stay-up-all-night-sleep-all-day college student, it can be really hard to find time to volunteer! However, it is ten times easier when volunteering becomes a time to work with friends, make new connections in the community and about finding those opportunities that provide the skills needed for your career.

That is why this weekend, on Make a Difference Day, the largest national community service day in the U.S., I am encouraging you to get a group of your friends together and do something positive for the community. If you cannot find a community project for this weekend, don't let that stop you or discourage you. Do some research with your friends on possible ideas of service projects you could do. Talk to your R.As, your club e-board members, the staff at the Center for Community Engagement. There is an unlimited number of resources you can use to get connected with the community.

Sometimes making a difference is as simple as inviting someone on your floor who has been feeling homesick out with you and your friends, taking a trip to the grocery store and buying groceries to donate to the soup kitchen, or even taking the time to check out some of the local businesses and supporting them by purchasing something.

Whatever it is that you decide to do, send your photos and stories to the CCE, we want to know about what you are doing to make a positive difference and share what you are doing with the Eastern Community!

Join the CCE Movement!

 

 

Eastern Students are making a difference! If you have ever wondered exactly what kind of impact the CCE is making on Willimantic and surrounding communities, this blog post is for you!

 

It is estimated that Eastern students provide essential tutoring and mentoring services to local schools worth $147,000.

 

During the 2012-2013 academic year alone:

•  1,066 Eastern students did a total of 13,137 hours of service
• 609 students who worked with children enrolled in Windham Public Schools completed 5,199 hours of service
• 417 Eastern student who worked with local youth did 2,108 hours of service
• 211 students served as tutors or mentors in the local schools completing 2,603 volunteer hours

This was all done by EASTERN students.

 

We want to see that number of hours increase this academic year! If you want to be part of the movement, come visit the CCE at 333 Prospect Street or send an e-mail to cce@easternct.edu.

Say What?

"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others"

 

What's the difference between a community program and a special event?

A community program is a long term program that usually meets once a week throughout the semster. Volunteers have a greater opportunity to develop and utilize professional skills, make sustainable impact in our society, and create long-lasting relationships.

A special event are larger volunteer opportunities dealing with larger populations or community issues at one-time. These events require a higher presence of Eastern volunteers on the day of the event.

What type of community programs are available this semester? Is it too late to sign up?

It is not too late to sign up for a community program but you should contact the CCE at cce@easternct.edu as soon as possible if this is something that interests you!

Here are the community programs available:

Tutoring and Mentoring with: Natchaug, North Windham, Sweeney and Windham Center Elementary Schools, Windham Middle School, Windham High School, Natchaug Elementray School Recess Program, Sister to Sister, Brother to Brother, Puentes al Futuro/Bridges to the Future, Journey House, Junior Achievement, Project K.B.A. (Kids, Books and Athletics), Project Academic Advancement, Collegiate Health Service Corps

Elderly and Special Populations: St. Joseph's Living Center, Windham No Freeze Hospitatlity Center, Food Justice Committee/Eastern Community Education Garden

Be on the look out for the special events that are happening throughout the semester!

I also heard about this thing called an Alternative Break, what's that?

An Alternative Break trip provides Eastern students the opportunity to serve communities outside of our own while learning about other social groups and community systems.

If you are interested in leading or participating in an Alternative Break trip, contact the CCE!

Hi Everyone!

My name is Nicolle and I am interning at the Center for Community Engagement this semester!

The photo/quote above was something that I saw when I was scrolling through Pinterest. I love Pinterest. It always amazes me how many great ideas people have. Not only that, but I have gotten some great recipies off of Pinterest! There are also days when I go on Pinterest and I feel so encouraged by quotes, such as the one above, and the stories that people are able to share just by "pinning" something on their "board."

Yesterday, I felt so inspired, and it was not because of something I saw on Pinterest or another social media site. I felt inspired because of what I saw at the Service Fair that took place alongside Eastern's Activity Fair. There was table after table exhibiting all the amazing community programs, alternative break opportunities and special events taking place this academic year. Student leaders sat next to community members conversing about their projects and why they were important to them. Posters, flyers, stickers, sunglasses and candy made the tables look so interesting and engaging.

As I watched Eastern students, from freshmen to seniors, walk up to these tables, I saw faces light up with passion as genuine conversations took place on what issues interested them. Pages and pages were filled on student interest sheets with names, phone numbers and e-mails of those interested in reaching out to the community through volunteering.

There were tables featuring the CCE, the Food Justice Committee, the Alternative Break Program, The Access Agency, WAIM, Relay for Life, afterschool programs, The Journey House, tutoring programs and so many more!

I just wanted to thank everyone who came to run a table and everyone who supported the Service Fair. I love that I do not have to just read the quotes  on Pinterest, or  just hear about great things happening around the world on the news to be inspired. By seeing how many people were interested in signing up and wanted to find out more information about all the community service opportunities happening this year, I know that there is going to be some amazing, encouraging and inspiring things happening right here in Willimantic, Connecticut!

The Service Fair was only the beginning; Let's get started Eastern Connecticut State University Student Volunteers!

 

What is "Meaningful Service"?

We all know that volunteering is a lot of fun. But when you start getting into the deeper meaning of why you volunteer, and what it means to you to be a volunteer, the awareness of your impact on the life of someone else can be astounding.

Everyone wants to feel good about themselves. When you go to a soup kitchen to dish out lunch for an afternoon or tutor a kid for an evening you can expect to walk away feeling pretty happy about how you just spent your time.

Yet, if you continued to do go back to the soup kitchen or tutor on a regular basis, would your level of happiness change from what it would have been if you only went once? Would you see a more profound change for the better if you invested more time?

These are questions we grapple with as volunteer coordinators and volunteer project planners. How can we help you connect with an organization, issue, or project that you find meaningful and worth your time?

We can't answer that question without defining what meaningful service is. Now, there really is no wrong answer. In the end it boils down to you feeling the work you do is significant and has a positive and important impact on the person, populations, or cause you are working with. It is sharing a part of yourself, either through a skill or passion, with another person for a mutual good.

As a volunteer coordinator, I strive to connect people who want to volunteer with opportunities that will have a lasting impression; opportunities that may not have been possible without the volunteer's help.

The beautiful thing about meaningful volunteering, is that it benefits both the volunteer and the person/cause/organization that the volunteer is supporting. Both parties learn and grow from the experience. A bond is formed and a sense of camaraderie or trust is established that develops into caring. It is the fact that we care for one another that gives us our support system. As humans, we are social creatures who generally thrive with support structures helping to motivate and look out for us. When someone volunteers, and continues to volunteer, they unlock a the potential for strengthening their support system and being invited into that of another person.

Loosely, that is how I define meaningful service. It is where I see the true power of volunteering lies.

-Jacqui De Cormier, AmeriCorps*VISTA

Semester Wrap Up!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Congratulations to Eastern volunteers and the Center for Community Engagement staff! The CCE hosted a total of 69 (both weekly and one-time) programs this semester, with 353 volunteers who served a total 2,437 hours in our community.

Last Fall, we had a total of 1689 volunteer hours served. That means we served 748 more hours this Fall. WOW! Keep it up!

As William James once said, "Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does." At the CCE, we hope that our volunteers recognize the positive impact they are having on our community. Your hard work and dedication to service has made an impact on the lives of many!

                                from the CCE!