Serving at Signature Service Project

Hello! I’m Andrea Villaneuva and I serve with the Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps.

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do and, by the grace of God, I shall do.” These powerful words were once said by Edward Everett Hale and were repeated again to 350 AmeriCorps members gathered in Grand Rapids to celebrate Michigan’s AmeriCorps Week and kick off the 2011 Russ Mawby Signature Service Project.

Many times as AmeriCorps members we can feel as if our efforts are hard to see, but the weekend of May 20 my efforts; our efforts, were seen instantaneously. That’s one of the things I love about Signature Service Project. Members from all different programs across the state gather together with one cause; to make a community better. More than 350 Michigan’s AmeriCorps members, AmeriCorps alums, community partners, and local residents served together to clean up and renovate local parks and help revamp a neighborhood with the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. My team, “2A”, was at Hillcrest Park.

The first day we had the task of re-mulching the one and only Dog Park in the city of Grand Rapids! The mulch pile was seven parking spaces long by the width of the spots when we started. And it was equally tall! It was amazing to see members grab a tool and give themselves a task; whether it was hulling mulch via wheel barrel or tarp, or loading up said wheel barrels/tarps with a pitch fork, shovel, or by hand! In less than three hours we had re-mulched the entire park!

The second day we returned to Hillcrest Park, but to tackle other areas. There was a group of people pulling and cutting down invasive species, leveling the baseball diamond, painting fences and two play sets, picking up trash, repainting the lines on the basketball court, and edging the sidewalk. Everyone picked a task that interested them and got straight to work! Being the geek I am about painting, I opted to give one of the play sets a new coat of paint. I got the privilege to work alongside three amazing members. One member, Cody, told me about his service and how he uses poetry to reach out and teach youth. It was amazing to hear how he uses something that so many people overlook, and inspires youth to reach their potential. I also learned that Cody studied poetry and literature in college. His passion for youth and poetry not only impressed me but inspired me. If I had not gone to the 2011 Signature Service Project I would not have had the chance to meet Cody, among the many other remarkable people.

The experiences I had and the people I met at the Russ Mawby 2011 Signature Service Project are something I will cherish for a long time to come.

2011 Russ Mawby Signature Service Project Headed to Grand Rapids

Written by: Michigan’s AmeriCorps Team

In just two days more than 350 Michigan’s AmeriCorps members will gather in Grand Rapids for the annual Russ Mawby Signature Service Project! On Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21 members will assist with various community projects and work with several organizations to make a significant impact on the Grand Rapids community.

Each year, the Russ Mawby Signature Service Project brings hundreds of AmeriCorps members to one Michigan community for two days of training, teambuilding, and service. By the end of the second day, several projects are completed, visibly demonstrating the power of Michigan's AmeriCorps members in action. The 2011 project is a partnership with the Michigan Community Service Commission, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids, and Elemental Media.

This year’s project has been designated as Michigan’s 2011 AmeriCorps Week closing event. AmeriCorps Week provides an opportunity for AmeriCorps members, alums, grantees, program partners, and friends to shine a spotlight on the work done by members in communities across the country and to motivate more Americans to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities.

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
We know parks are essential to a community's quality of life. AmeriCorps members will serve with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and the City of Grand Rapids to enhance their annual "I LOVE GR PARKS" event. Members will help communities get a jump on the upcoming summer by sprucing up local parks; including Wilcox, Richmond, and MLK, among others. Teams of AmeriCorps members will work with neighborhood volunteers to conduct playground repair, court resurfacing, trash cleanup, equipment installation, and general repair.

Habitat for Humanity of Kent County
As part of the Wealthy Heights Partnership Project, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County has been focused on revitalizing the Wealthy Heights neighborhood of East Hills. In addition to being one of Grand Rapids’ most eclectic and diverse neighborhoods, Wealthy Heights is home to Habitat Kent’s first net-zero energy home, which offers a hard working family a nearly $0 energy bill at the end of the month. AmeriCorps members will assist with revitalization efforts by scraping and painting homes, doing a variety of landscaping projects, and repairing or replacing porches, fences, windows, and doors. For more information on the Wealthy Heights Partnership Project, visit: http://www.habitatkent.org/BuildingGreen/WealthyHeightsPartnershipProject.aspx.

On-Site Book Drive
As part of the 2011 Russ Mawby Signature Service project, an on-site book drive will occur at various service project sites on May 20 and 21. All collected books will be donated to the Heart of West Michigan United Way Schools of Hope program. Donations will be distributed to public schools throughout Grand Rapids. Drop-off sites for the book drive include Sparrows on Wealthy Street, Wilcox Park, Richmond Park, MLK Park, and Hillcrest Park.

Cinema & Service Night
Residents and families of Grand Rapids are invited to attend the first ever “Cinema & Service Night” held at Wilcox Park on Friday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m. The event is being held in conjunction with the 2011 Russ Mawby Signature Service Project, a large scale service project occurring in Grand Rapids May 20 and 21 as part of the 2011 AmeriCorps Week.

Join the more than 350 Michigan’s AmeriCorps members who will be visiting Grand Rapids from across the state for an evening of fun! The night will kick off with a volunteer fair that will allow residents to discover the various ways they can serve in the Grand Rapids community. Several nonprofits will be on hand to provide resources and information about their volunteer programs.

Beginning at 9:30 p.m. the hit movie “Megamind” will be shown on the lawn at Wilcox Park. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, and refreshments to enjoy the film. Additional refreshments will be available for purchase on site. Live music will also be provided throughout the evening, courtesy of local musician Matt Foresman.

Financial support for the 2011 Russ Mawby Signature Service Project is provided by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, Consumers Energy, Meijer, and Heart of West Michigan United Way, with assistance from the City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation.

For more information, visit http://mi-ssp.com.

Habitat for Humanity – Providing a hand UP, not just a hand OUT!

My name is Jason Gapa, and I serve as the Partner Family Liaison at Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County, located in Pontiac, Michigan. Habitat for Humanity is an international organization that seeks to end poverty housing around the world by providing simple, decent, and affordable housing for people in need. In 2009, Habitat for Humanity was named the nation’s 8^th largest builder, and has built more than 400,000 homes around the world. Since 1994, Habitat has built or rehabilitated more than 100 homes in Oakland County alone, and has plans to complete 15 more this year.

Despite the misconceptions of being a “give-away program”, Habitat homeowners (Partner Families) work very hard to earn their homes by saving for their down payment, paying their monthly mortgages, and completing 300 hours of Sweat Equity. Partner Families earn their sweat equity by volunteering to work on their homes, their neighbors’ homes, and generally offering their talents to further the success of Habitat’s mission.

Habitat for Humanity relies heavily on volunteer support to complete the projects. In 2010, nearly 2,000 individuals came out to volunteer and support Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County. Volunteers assist with more than just construction by providing and serving food to other volunteers, assisting in the office, serving in our ReStore, and participating in various committees and boards. As always, we continue to encourage more people to become involved by donating their time, talent, and resources.

Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County is also actively engaged in supporting and revitalizing the community. In the city of Pontiac, where much of the building occurs, there is a very low home ownership rate. We attempt to address this by allowing people to purchase affordable homes in Pontiac and educate them to become responsible homeowners. We also try to transform blighted neighborhoods by deconstructing and demolishing dilapidated structures and building new, energy efficient homes. In neighborhoods where the housing stock is more suitable, Habitat makes all efforts to restore homes to their previous state of beauty and utility.

This past winter, as a pilot project, we partnered with the City of Auburn Hills to design and construct a wheelchair ramp for a resident that suffered from a paralyzing illness. Mr. Wiley was unable to return home to the care of his family during his rehabilitation because he was wheelchair bound. Thanks to the support and dedication of city officials, Habitat staff, and AmeriCorps members the Wiley family is now able to provide care and support for their loved one at home. This is just one of the many great stories Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps has helped to create.

Making Midtown Detroit a Better Place to Live!

My name is Nicole Stagg and I serve with the AmeriCorps Midtown Urban Safety (AMUS) Project in Midtown Detroit. Alongside community organizations and local law enforcement, we are working to reduce crime in the area and create a more livable environment for everyone. Despite Detroit's reputation as a dangerous and blighted city, there is a vibrant community here that is working to make the city a safer place!

The main focus of our initiative so far has been forming block clubs – much like neighborhood watch groups – throughout our target area. It has been great to see people getting to know their neighbors better. Many times people introduce themselves at our block club meetings, and then learn they live right next door to each other!

Research shows that in more tight-knit communities, crime is lower, a result of residents looking out for each other and watching over the neighborhood. In bringing people together with their neighbors, we are able to strengthen connections between residents, making them better prepared for adverse events.

Additionally, through our collaboration with the Wayne State Police Department, we're able to disseminate relevant crime data and security information, which residents can then use to protect themselves and form action plans. Through this communication, the neighborhood is more able to respond to crime threats.

The meetings also serve as a forum for residents to come up with neighborhood improvement strategies. Linked together by common concerns, people are able to clearly identify the most pressing neighborhood issues and come up with collaborative solutions. From block to block, neighbors have banded together to do everything from starting to plan a security patrol to organizing a neighborhood cleanup!

Our project has also been able to collaborate with a number of community organizations to help beautify the area. So far, we've helped rehabilitate a local park, spruced up neighborhood streets, and tomorrow we will be boarding up an abandoned house! This project has been especially rewarding for me, given that I live in one of our project’s target neighborhoods, and I can see the changes occurring firsthand.

The community support and gratitude we've seen as a result of our project is truly inspiring. It is incredibly satisfying to know that through our service, community members are able to see their dreams for Midtown start to happen. Moreover, we’re starting to see the effects of our actions in more concrete ways: due in part to our efforts, crime is down in the Midtown area!