Roadposts Archives - Page 3 of 8

Governor’s Volunteer Service Certificate Launched!

Liasion to Governor's Office with Inaugural Awardees

Tyler Klimas, Liaison to Governor's Office, helped present the Governor's Volunteer Service Certificate to John and Dawn Fidaleo.

Nevada Volunteers is excited to announce the Governor’s Volunteer Service Certificate. This ongoing certificate process will be an avenue for nonprofits, governmental agencies, and faith-based agencies to apply for recognition from the Governor’s Office on behalf of exemplary volunteers that meet the criteria.

During National Volunteer Week 2012, the Governor’s Office and Nevada Volunteers presented the inaugural awards to John and Dawn Fidaleo, on April 17th, Tax Day. These two outstanding volunteers have served over 2,000 hours within the last five years with the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) project that provides free income-tax preparation for low-income individuals.

Nevada Volunteers and the Governor’s Office is looking forward to recognizing volunteers throughout Nevada that continue to make an impact in our communities. Read below for more information regarding how you can nominate a volunteer for the Governor’s Volunteer Service Certificate. (more…)

Nevada Grows Service-Learning in Higher Education

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“Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities,” according to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. Service-learning meets real community needs by incorporating components like integrated learning, collaboration, reflection, high quality service, student voice, civic responsibility, and evaluation of partnerships and projects.

Nevada has made great strides in incorporating service-learning in our University of Nevada system, both north and south. With Nevada Volunteers support, UNR joined Campus Compact, an organization made of almost 1,200 college and university presidents committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education. This membership inspired a group of dedicated UNR faculty to set up regular meetings to share best practices in service-learning and civic engagement.

In the south, UNLV was recognized for its outstanding service in 2012 by gaining a spot on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll from the Corporation for National and Community Service. UNLV also holds regular faculty gatherings to strengthen and support service-learning. The Office of Civic Engagement and Diversity facilitates community partnerships and coordinates campus-wide service projects like Make a Difference Day. (more…)

National Volunteer Week 2012

National Volunteer Week is finally here! Nevada Volunteers is so excited to celebrate the volunteers in Nevada that continue to make our state a better place to live!

This year, Nevada Volunteers will be sharing the great works of volunteers in Nevada, as well as volunteer coordinators/managers that continuously support those volunteers. Each day, we will be posting inspiring stories and pictures – keep checking our blog, Facebook, and Twitter for amazing stories!

Thank you to those that continue to give their time, money, and energy to organizations throughout Nevada! If you are not yet volunteering and want to get involved, visit blue.nevadavolunteers.org to find volunteer opportunities near you!

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Gayle Farley with Boys & Girls Club volunteers

Gayle Farley, Volunteer Coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, poses with some of her fabulous volunteers!

I have over 120 volunteers and they are mostly teens and young adults. Many of them come into the Boys & Girls Club to volunteer for school credits and really don’t want to be here in the beginning until they see what is here for them, and that this Club is for them. I see them working with younger kids and loving what they do. They just want to help out as much as they can. Some of these young volunteers go to school, work, and still volunteer because they love it so much. When I call them to see how they are doing, the calls and emails I get back are often, “it is so nice to have someone who cares about what is going on in my life” –makes me feel that I am doing something really worthwhile. I can honestly say, for the first time in my life, and I have worked for many years, that I feel that I am really where I am supposed to be. I watch these young volunteers grow into great leaders with goals and a purpose in their lives because of what volunteering and the sense of what “giving back” has taught them. And you know, they make me feel pretty special too…..everyday. (more…)

Great Basin Institute’s NCC knows the lay of the land!

Nevada Conservation Corps AmeriCorps Program at Great Basin Institute

Nevada Conservation Corps harnesses the energy and idealism of youth to meet the needs of Nevada public lands and communities. As a federally-funded AmeriCorps program, the NCC promotes ecological literacy through field research and direct conservation service. Our statewide program transcends racial, ethnic and economic barriers by creating a cadre of corps members comprised of diverse backgrounds, drawing a broad-based national recruitment process. By uniting environmental resources from federal, state and county agencies, the NCC provides students and young professionals opportunities to make meaningful contributions toward protecting and conserving Nevada’s natural heritage, while also gaining valuable work experience in the natural resource management field.

In the first quarter of GBI’s 2011-12 grant, AmeriCorps members have already accomplished a lot!

Recruited 90 volunteers who have already volunteered 3,117 hours
Placed 8 environmental internships
Restored or Improved 440 acres of public land or waterways
Built or Maintained 41 miles of trails

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Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation continues to impact Tahoe!

AmeriCorps Program at Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation

Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps Program, now in its eleventh year, has become essential in helping agencies enhance services and meet the needs of the Tahoe community. AmeriCorps members increase local non-profit capacity by improving existing programs and creating new ones, developing relationships through effective outreach and recruiting new community volunteers.

In the first quarter of PTCF’s 2011-12 grant, AmeriCorps members have already accomplished a lot!

Recruited 446 volunteers who have served 4,579 hours
Trained and certified 101 individuals in the Red Cross babysitting class
Provided environmental presentations to 4,259 citizens
Distributed 17,310 pounds of food to needy individuals
Touched the lives of 1,317 seniors in recreational programs
Provided early childhood development case management for 52 families
Provided 3 support groups supporting 21 youth who have been exposed to domestic violence

Amount of 2011-2012 funding received through Nevada Volunteers: $196,000

Number of AmeriCorps members serving in rural Nevada: 16 members

Agencies with increased capacity to meet community needs because of AmeriCorps members service (host sites): (more…)

Nevada Outdoor School teaches the way in Rural Nevada!

Nevada Outdoor School AmeriCorps Program

Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) inspires exploration of the natural world, responsible stewardship of our habitat and dedication to community. As one of two AmeriCorps programs in Rural Nevada, NOS partners with a variety of host agencies to place AmeriCorps members in direct service to the community meeting locally identified needs.

In the first quarter of NOS’s 2011-12 grant, AmeriCorps members have already accomplished a lot!

Engaged 203 volunteers who have served more than 705 hours in their communities

Taught 15 Red Cross programs

Served 1,267 individuals at a local soup kitchen

Delivers meals to 875 home bound seniors and served 1112 seniors lunch in a congregate setting

Began tutoring 37 youth in Lander County to improve math and reading skills.

Assisted 108 seniors in Humboldt county access services

Provided outreach at 2 community events concerning Domestic Violence touching then lives of 160 individuals.

Amount of 2011-2012 funding received through Nevada Volunteers: $154,720

Number of AmeriCorps members serving in rural Nevada: 17 members (more…)

The Main Course: Community Discussion

Youth from the Reno community came together to discuss issues and create solutions in honor of MLK Day of Service.

Children’s Cabinet AmeriCorps members hosted a Sunday Supper for twenty-seven youth in the Reno community in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his ability to bring the community together to discuss issues, and create solutions to those issues. They discussed civil rights and how Dr. King shared his mission of equality through peaceful means. Children’s Cabinet AmeriCorps Program Director, Laura Marineau, facilitated the discussion with AmeriCorps Alum, Jason Brown.

Hanin Abboud, a Children’s Cabinet AmeriCorps member serving at Washoe County School District’s preschool at the Community Assistance Center’s homeless shelter, shared her insights on discussing civil rights as a female immigrant from Israel. She loved that she was able to give her opinion and create ideas about how the children could make a difference in someone else’s life. (more…)

A Whole New Look in Southern Nevada!

AmeriCorps Members from United Way of Southern Nevada and Luz Community Development Coalition make MLK Day, "A Day On, Not A Day Off."

Over 200 community volunteers joined AmeriCorps members from United Way of Southern Nevada and Luz Community Development Coalition to revitalize the City Impact Center in Las Vegas. City Impact Center is a community outreach center in the heart of Las Vegas that encourages, empowers and equips community members to better themselves and their families. The City Impact Center integrates faith-based solutions and mobilizes people to act in their community.

Volunteers spent the day cleaning up trash and overgrown plants, painting, or giving the Center a head-to-toe scrubbing. City Impact Center shines from the hard work of the volunteers:

A clean and freshly painted recreation center for youth after-school programs
A clean and freshly painted preschool with three inspirational and diverse murals to brighten the facility
Freshly painted parking lines for safety

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Nevada Volunteers ♥ Nevada’s Volunteers!

Nevada Volunteers wanted to share the love and gratitude of nonprofit’s volunteers and volunteer programs. Each day from February 1st to February 14th, we selected one highlight and shared the love through Facebook and Twitter. Here’s the collection of all those that participated. We had such a great response and it truly inspired each of us in the Nevada Volunteers office reading about the great things that volunteers are doing for our communities!

Kelly Penfold with ACCEPT

Kelly Penfold has been volunteering for ACCEPT for about two years now. Her last few months of volunteerism hours has been 20 – 25 hours per week. She is courteous, efficient and a blessing to our organization. In fact, she was just hired on as a part-time employee effective February 1st because of her dedication over the last two years. Volunteer service can eventually lead into a position with a non-profit! Thanks Kelly for all your volunteer hours and welcome aboard as an employee. (more…)

Points of Light: The Video

On October 27, 2011, Nevada Volunteers and Governor Brian Sandoval honored outstanding volunteer efforts in Nevada. Click the text link to watch the video. Find out who was there and who were the recipients of the 2011 Governor's Points of…