A new year of Michigan’s AmeriCorps!

Welcome back to the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council Blog – my name is Cathy and I represent the Cherry Street Health Services Community HealthCorps team. Cherry Street Health Services (CSHS) is a group of 13 federally qualified community heath centers. The HealthCorps team is a national AmeriCorps program that is health focused and where each member has direct patient contact. There are members of my team at each of the 13 CSHS sites and some members serve with partnering programs. My host site is Project Access, a partnering program which recruits physicians (general practice and specialists) to donate services to qualifying low-income and uninsured people in need.

During the inaugural meeting of the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council in late November, new people and fresh ideas were met with a warm reception. What a fabulous year this will be. There was amazing energy throughout the rather gray day we spent in Lansing, MI. It was a fun experience for me. I always enjoy meeting new people who are from different backgrounds.

This is what I discovered from the first member council meeting for the 2009-2010 Michigan’s AmeriCorps year: There’s a certain kind of power that can only be derived when you connect with others who share your ambitions. With all of us working in different programs across Michigan, we came together with different ideas of what impacting our community means. However, we all see that it takes leadership and planning to make a successful and long lasting impact. United by a common cause, we unfold a power to accomplish great things. What great things do you hope to accomplish during your term of service?

2010 AmeriCorps Week Announced!

Guest posted by the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

The dates for the fourth annual AmeriCorps Week have been announced – and it’s scheduled for May 8 – 15, 2010!  AmeriCorps Week is a recruitment and recognition initiative to bring more Americans into service, salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their powerful impact, and thank the community partners who make AmeriCorps possible.

Regardless if you’re an AmeriCorps member, program, alumni, sponsor, or friend, you can help shine a spotlight on the great work being done by AmeriCorps members across the country.  There are a variety of ways you can get involved during AmeriCorps Week, including the following:

• Planning an open house, service project, or special event.
• Making a presentation to a school or community group.
• Entering the national AmeriCorps Video and/or Photo Contests.
• Blogging about your AmeriCorps experience (we’d love to hear your story – submit to verberkmoese@michigan.gov).
• Thanking your AmeriCorps members and community supporters.
• Reconnecting with AmeriCorps Alums.

We know what you might be thinking…. Isn’t it a little early to be thinking about the 2010 AmeriCorps Week?  No!  Now is the time to start planning your efforts for next year and there are many resources that can help you get started today.

Michigan State University Extension will be conducting a webinar on AmeriCorps Week and the art of planning a service project this coming April.  The webinar will highlight tools and resources to help you plan a successful project and will include information on choosing, publicizing, and executing your efforts.  You can register for this free opportunity by clicking here.

The Corporation for National and Community Service already has tips, tools, and inspiration for the 2010 AmeriCorps Week available at www.AmeriCorpsWeek.gov.

The Michigan Community Service Commission and Michigan’s AmeriCorps is excited about next year’s AmeriCorps Week – stay tuned for more information in the future about this opportunity to support national service.

AmeriCorps News You Can Use!

Guest posted by the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

Much has been going on in recent weeks that will impact the greater AmeriCorps community. The Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council blog would like to share that news with you as we embark on the 2009-2010 year of service.

CNCS CEO nominated by President Obama
Earlier this month President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Patrick Corvington to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

Patrick Corvington currently serves at the Annie E. Casey Foundation as a Senior Associate responsible for guiding the foundation’s grantees on issues related to leadership development, next generation leadership, and capacity building. In addition to that, he also serves as Senior Advisor to the Foundation’s Executive Vice President, Ralph Smith. Prior to his current position, Corvington was the Executive Director of Innovation Network from 2003 to 2005. Innovation Network is a nonprofit agency whose mission is to build the evaluation capacity of the nonprofit sector.

He has a strong connection to service, volunteerism, and advocacy and has devoted his life to serving and empowering communities.

Would you like to be a peer grant reviewer? CNCS could use your help!
Are you looking for an opportunity for professional development and service? The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is seeking peer reviewers to assist in the review of its competitive grant applications.

A diverse group of people with expertise in a variety of areas who can assess the quality of grant applications are needed. Reviewers should be comfortable reading a large volume of material in a short period of time and be capable of providing in-depth individual analysis and participating in small group discussions. Reviewers could include members of the national service community, educators, researchers, volunteers, and others.

Reviewers are needed on an on-going basis; feel free to visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/peer_review.asp for more information and to submit your name.

- Information courtesy of the Corporation for National and Community Service

What an exciting year for Michigan’s AmeriCorps!

Guest posting by the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

The 2009-2010 program year looks to be an exciting time for Michigan’s AmeriCorps! We are welcoming back 17 veteran programs that are “Getting Things Done” in our communities and two brand-new programs that are looking to kick things off.

During this coming year there will be more than 1,100 Michigan’s AmeriCorps members across the state to address our communities toughest challenges, including education, environment, public safety, and disaster preparedness. Twenty of those members will be serving with Michigan’s AmeriCorps’ newest grantees: the Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps Project and the Schools of Hope AmeriCorps Program.

The Ingham County Health Department’s Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps Project will enroll 10 full-time members to focus on two key project goals: creating, expanding, and/or maintaining trails, greenways, parks, and non-motorized transportation options; and creating, expanding, and/or maintaining community gardens, sustainable food systems, and access to healthy foods. Members will provide direct service to their host sites and the community in three focus areas: recruitment and mobilization of community volunteers; community education; and training, supporting, and modeling direct service work for community volunteers.

The Literacy Center of West Michigan’s Schools of Hope AmeriCorps Program will enroll 10 full-time members in service at Grand Rapids-area elementary schools to improve the reading ability of children, increase the capacity of parents to support their children, and increase the capacity of parents to compete more effectively in the workplace. Students will be paired with an adult to receive weekly tutoring in reading skills in order to increase their grades and MEAP scores. Michigan’s AmeriCorps members will also provide weekly literacy enrichment activities for parents in order to help them better assist their children and reach their own educational and/or employment goals.

These program’s service sites will be confirmed soon with members beginning service in early November. The Michigan Community Service Commission’s AmeriCorps team is also looking forward to the next year.

“We’re always excited to welcome new initiatives into the Michigan’s AmeriCorps network of programs,” said Michigan’s AmeriCorps Program Officer Marcy Bishop Kates. “Each of these new programs will address critical needs in their respective communities.”

For more information on AmeriCorps in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/mcsc.