Michigan’s AmeriCorps LeaderCorps Blog…On Vacation until December!

Written by: Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

Happy Fall to all readers of the Michigan’s AmeriCorps LeaderCorps Blog! This week’s posting is to alert you of this blog’s upcoming hiatus. From now until December we will not be featuring any new postings as we prepare for the arrival of the 2010-2011 LeaderCorps representatives.

Starting in December, they will write brand-new postings every week! Please don’t forget about us and mark your calendars to rejoin our efforts towards the end of the year – we look forward to reconnecting with you then!

Join Us for Michigan's First-Ever Disability/Inclusion Week

Written by: Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) is committed to encouraging all Michigan residents to engage in service. Our vision is a state where all residents meet community needs and find personal fulfillment through service and volunteerism.

The first-ever Disability/Inclusion Week will be celebrated by the MCSC to help empower national service programs, volunteer organizations, mentoring programs, and others to make service a part of the lives of individuals with disabilities. Mark your calendars to participate October 4 through October 8!

This week-long effort will raise awareness about disability and inclusion while engaging programs and organizations in the various efforts of the MCSC and connecting them with valuable tools and resources to help serve and connect with those with disabilities.

Of Michigan's 10 million residents, about 1.9 million have a disability. That's one in every five residents - and an immense population to tap. We encourage members of the volunteer, national service, and mentoring communities to join us the week of October 4 in the following ways:

• Emails
  Watch your email inbox for emails from Michigan's AmeriCorps to see how you can get involved in the 2010 Disability/Inclusion Week. 
• Facebook
  Join us online, during the week of October 4, as we connect you with various disability/inclusion resources, links, and great stories.
  • Michigan Community Service Commission
  • Michigan's AmeriCorps
• Twitter
  Follow us on Twitter as we share with you various disability/inclusion resources, links, and thoughts. Check out our hashtag: #Inclusion 
  • @MCSConline
  • @miamericorps
• YouTube
  Check out the MCSC YouTube channel to view disability/inclusion-related videos.
• Webinars
  Join us during our webinar scheduled during the week of October 4 as we provide resources and information related to disability/inclusion efforts in general volunteer organizations and national service programs. Information and resources will hopefully help participants achieve the following goals:
  • Promote volunteerism and/or national service as an opportunity and a bridge to skill building, career development, and community inclusion.
  • Support full participation of people with disabilities in volunteer and national service program activities.
  • Develop ongoing state and local level partnerships between stakeholders in the disability and service communities that promote the involvement of people with disabilities in volunteer and national service programs.

Registration information for each webinar is provided below:

Michigan Community Service Commission Disability/Inclusion Week Webinar
Monday, October 4 at 10:00 a.m.
Register: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/490740410

National Service Disability/Inclusion Week Webinar
Tuesday, October 5 at 10:00 a.m.
Register: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/989677690

Want to help us promote the 2010 Disability/Inclusion Week? Download our promotional flyer and post in your office!

We look forward to engaging you during our first-ever Disability/Inclusion Week!

It’s an exciting year for Michigan’s AmeriCorps!

Written by: Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

The year of 2010-2011 is sure to be a whirlwind of activities for Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs located all across the state. What an exciting time to be “Getting Things Done” in communities throughout Michigan!

Please allow us to share some of the most immediate activities, slated for this fall:

First up is the 2010 Team Up Michigan! Charting the Course for National Service cross-stream conference. This conference provides two full days of networking, training, and collaboration and is structured for national service program supervisors. It will be held in Detroit on October 12 and 13 and features Patrick Corvington (CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service) as one of the keynote speakers!
Do you know a Michigan national service program supervisor who should attend? Have them register online (http://www.michigan.gov/mcsc/0,1607,7-137--242245--,00.html) by Thursday, September 16.

Following the unique cross-stream conference will be the 2010 Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Celebration – held November 18 in East Lansing. This annual event unites more than 500 Michigan's AmeriCorps*State, VISTA, and National Direct members for a day of training, teambuilding, networking, and festivities. 

The Celebration highlights the various streams of service within the national service family, including AmeriCorps*State and National, VISTA, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve. It offers several workshops focused on leadership, professional development, service project planning, and other topics relevant to members' year of service. The day's events not only help members see the impact their AmeriCorps service has on communities throughout Michigan, but it also helps members understand they are part of a significant national movement.
The swearing-in ceremony concludes the Member Celebration by reaffirming members' commitment to AmeriCorps and national service. It is an exciting day that serves as a springboard for a successful program year. More information will be available about this exciting information for members soon.

November will also bring the kickoff of the 2010-2011 Michigan’s AmeriCorps LeaderCorps (formerly called Member Council). LeaderCorps 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, it consists of AmeriCorps members from each of the Michigan Community Service Commission’s Michigan’s AmeriCorps grantees, as well as representatives from AmeriCorps*VISTA and AmeriCorps*National Direct programs in the state.

One of the roles of the Michigan’s AmeriCorps LeaderCorps will be maintaining and authoring this blog. Until November, please enjoy postings by various guest authors and the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team.

Help Us “Tackle Hunger” in honor of September 11

Written by: Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

The Michigan Community Service Commission encourages AmeriCorps programs across the state to "Tackle Hunger" this fall in an effort to support the second-annual September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Programs can get involved by collecting food or monetary donations at a local event this fall or gathering a group of individuals to volunteer at a local Food Bank. September also happens to be Hunger Action Month.

How can programs get involved? Complete the following steps:

(1) Find the relevant instructions for your AmeriCorps program on our website. You may need to reference the Food Bank Council of Michigan's “Food Drive Guide”.

(2) Find your local Food Bank by searching through our contact sheet linked on our website.

(3) Download the relevant flyer available online, fill in the necessary details, and post in public locations.   

(4) Reach out to local media outlets by completing and sharing the linked press release highlighting your efforts.

To participate, please complete the Michigan Community Service Commission's Registration Form and return via fax or email to the Michigan Community Service Commission at (517) 241-3869 or harveyj1@michigan.gov .

According to Feeding America's national study, more than 1.1 million Michigan residents rely on assistance from food banks each year. In Michigan, nearly 200,000 different individuals receive emergency food assistance each week.

The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is the culmination of an effort originally launched in 2002 by 9/11 family members and support groups. It became officially recognized following the passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of April 2009.

Please help recognize and remember the victims and heroes of 9/11 by serving your community and those in need. We hope you will "Tackle Hunger" with us this fall!

Note: Can't coordinate a food drive as part of September 11? Consider planning an opportunity at a later date or preparing a general service project to honor the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Are you in the Lansing area? The Michigan Community Service Commission is hosting a food drive at our office, located at 1048 Pierpont, Suite 4. We’re requesting donations from Tuesday, September 7 to Friday, September 10. Perhaps you’d like to help us support the Mid-Michigan Food Bank?