Friday, September 25, 2009

Michigan’s AmeriCorps – Kicking Off a New Year of Service!

By: Guest Blogger Megan Sargent, Training & Inclusion Coordinator at the Michigan Community Service Commission

A_Michigan_150 The 2008-2009 program year for Michigan’s AmeriCorps has drawn to a close – although we won’t soon forget the successes of this past year. More than 1,000 individuals served Michigan’s communities as AmeriCorps members last year assisting with human needs, education, environment, disaster preparedness, and much more! Now we look forward to the 2009-2010 program year and the countless ways national service will impact communities across the state.

During this next year the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), through funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service, is granting money to 19 Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs. These grantees will place more than 1,100 Michigan’s AmeriCorps members in communities across the state to “Get Things Done for America!”

In the immediate future there will be a variety of professional development opportunities for our new and returning Michigan’s AmeriCorps members. Each fall the MCSC hosts the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Celebration. This event provides a chance for all members to come together for a day of training, motivation, teambuilding, and festivities. Every year a keynote speaker is also welcomed – for 2009 the MCSC has invited Tony Campbell, Vice President of Focused Impact at the Heart of West Michigan United Way, MCSC Commissioner, and chair of the Mentor Michigan Task Force. This year’s Celebration will occur on Thursday, November 19 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. Click here for a complete agenda of this year’s Celebration. If you are a current Michigan’s AmeriCorps member, mark that date on your calendar!

November will also bring the kickoff of the 2009-2010 Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council. The Member Council aims to strengthen the national service movement and the awareness of AmeriCorps in Michigan through effective outreach, community-wide service projects, and civic engagement. Annually, the Member Council consists of AmeriCorps members from each of the MCSC’s Michigan’s AmeriCorps grantees, as well as representatives from AmeriCorps*VISTA and AmeriCorps*National Direct programs in Michigan.

One of the roles of the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council is the maintaining and authoring of this blog. For the time being you will find guest posters contributing their thoughts here with new member postings coming later this fall!

The Michigan Community Service Commission is looking forward to a productive year with Michigan’s AmeriCorps members. We believe in changing lives by engaging people in service.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council – Guest Blogger Ben Gulker

Ben Gulker2 Hello everyone, this is Ben Gulker and I’m happy to be this week’s guest blogger. It has been my privilege to spend the last 10 months serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member with Mentor Michigan at the Michigan Community Service Commission. At Mentor Michigan, we strive to support and expand mentoring around the state, because we believe mentoring relationships can unleash the potential of our state’s youth.

Earlier this month, Christine reflected on The Road Not Taken, and observed that Robert Frost’s classic poem describes her two years of service perfectly. The same could be said for me. I, too, am in reflective mode as my term of service reaches its final months, and I’ve given a lot of thought to the road I chose to take, how that choice has affected me, and the implications of that choice for the future.

When I chose to join AmeriCorps as a VISTA member, I knew very little about National Service, and frankly, I was a bit unsure what to expect even after joining – but it didn’t take long for AmeriCorps to make a believer out of me. Service has allowed me to give something back to the people and communities that have invested in me. Service has allowed me to contribute to solutions for our state’s challenges. Service has connected me to a wonderful network of people and programs throughout the state who are striving to do the same.

The road we have all chosen to travel is not without its challenges, to be sure, and at times, the alternatives may appear more attractive. But I, for one, am glad to have walked this road – because it is my firm conviction the challenges we face are greatly outweighed by the contributions service allows and empowers us to make.

As my term of services nears its end, there are many unknowns – but there is one thing I know for certain: my journey on this road is not over. My term will end in December, but my service will not. The journey that allows and empowers me to serve others is the journey I choose to take for a lifetime, and as Frost says so eloquently, that has made all the difference.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council – Posting #38

BethLeonard Hello everyone! This is Beth again with the Michigan Primary Care Association Community Health Corps serving as an AmeriCorps health advocate for SIREN/Eaton Shelter in Charlotte. Sometimes in my position at the shelter, it is difficult to help people when circumstances prevent them from qualifying for Medicaid and/or Medicare. Other than the health department, two local hospitals, and an urgent care facility – all places that will treat people regardless of their ability to pay – Eaton County lacks a FQHC, or federally-qualified health center. Currently there are over 10,000 county residents that do not have any health insurance. Being able to refer adults and children for primary medical care at a local clinic would greatly increase the availability of health care for many residents in Eaton County; therefore I always try to keep up on any opportunities I have to learn about additional services in the county that will in turn benefit those whom I advocate for at the shelter.

In April, I read in the local paper about a health summit to be held to increase health care access to the residents of Eaton County. I called our local health department and left a message, requesting an invitation to attend the summit. I waited a week and didn’t hear anything, so I proceeded to call back and leave another message. The day before the summit I received a call that said I could attend. I didn’t think much about who would be attending, and found it quite intimidating the next morning when arriving to find my assigned table. I suddenly found myself sitting with the director of the Department of Human Services for Eaton County, the director of our local health department, the CEO of our local hospital, an Eaton County Commissioner, and a probate judge. Others around the room included U.S. Congressman Mark Schauer and representatives from U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s office.

It was, to say the least, very overwhelming on that first day and I can say I felt somewhat out of place to be among all the community leaders; however, representing the county’s only homeless and domestic violence shelter and Michigan’s AmeriCorps, I did feel a sense of pride, but I certainly did quite a lot of listening, and not much talking!

After hearing perspectives of community leaders on what values they held related to community health and access to care, the room broke into small work groups to identify strategies with the most potential to improve and expand access to healthcare in Eaton County. Toward the end of the morning, it was realized that everyone in the room wanted to work on creating a culture of health and wellness in the county, as well as continue to identify solutions to increase access for our most vulnerable citizens.

The goal of the day was to create two workgroups to focus on the two initiatives set forth from the summit. I now am a part of the workgroup that is focusing on increasing access and we meet monthly. Currently we are working on developing the grant to apply for an FQHC status from the federal government for a new health center. Already in existence is the Barry Eaton Health Plan, which has two health plans covering approximately 1,400 members of the community. These plans are not medical insurance, but assistance programs to provide access to basic medical care for low-income, uninsured adults at the Health Connections Clinic inside of the Eaton County Health Department. The goal of our workgroup is to turn the clinic into an FQHC, which will be able to provide care for many others who currently do not receive any primary medical care.

I am very happy to have made those first two phone calls, as being involved in the process has opened many doors for me. On July 1, I participated in a health care forum with healthcare professionals from the area hosted by Congressman Mark Schauer. Sitting on the panel, I was able to share my perspective on the needs and solutions to our country’s health care crisis. It was amazing to realize how far I had come from that first meeting in April. Because of other outreach events I attended, speaking in front of others became much easier for me, and I owe this all to my experience with AmeriCorps! I am also learning invaluable professional skills I know will contribute to my success in future endeavors.

It is at times very difficult to put yourself out there and take risks, such as I did attending that first health care summit; however, I have realized no matter how uncomfortable it may be, the benefits of the experience will come back to you tenfold!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council Posting #37

Christine Sisung Hello and welcome back to the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council blog. This is Christine Sisung with the 4-H Mentor Michigan Initiative. It is hard to believe I am wrapping up my second year of service which has really brought me into reflection mode of my time spent in AmeriCorps service.

Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, summed up from beginning to end the path I chose to travel during my two years of service. The road you take may not always be the one most traveled – or the easiest – but it is your choice. When all of my college friends where expecting full-time jobs offers with decent salaries, benefit packages, and 401ks; I took the road less traveled and became a Michigan’s AmeriCorps member.

Instead of taking a teaching job in another state I signed up to make a difference in my community. This road wasn’t traveled by my friends. But now I have friends considering giving part of their time to service! They have seen the impact it has made in my life and the excitement I have from AmeriCorps.

While this less traveled road may feel challenging at times it also can be extremely rewarding and successful. The time on the less traveled road can bring you to a new destination that has a more rewarding future. My time has brought direction to my future career choice, opportunities to grow personally and professional, and a dedication to find the time to continue to give back.

Choosing the traveled road would have been the easy choice, but not the best. Instead of feeling fulfilled I would have been in a job I didn’t love and not completely knowing what I wanted to be. At times I wanted to turn around and take the easier road. If I had, I wouldn’t be where I am toady. Service brings you down the less traveled road but it will leave a lasting impact on your life.

Through my two years of service on the less traveled road I have had an experience I will never forget. I am nearing the end of my service with AmeriCorps. That won’t change the fact that the less traveled road has increased my commitment to continue to find ways to improve the lives of others within my community.


The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost