Don’t Waste Another Summer on Facebook — Get Out There and Volunteer!

With summer almost over, what would you say you accomplished? Did you go on a family vacation? Did you spend time with friends? Or did you spend your summer on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.?

While social media continues to become a larger part of our lives on a daily basis, it is our last ditch effort to encourage students to become truly “social” and get out in your community to give back. Here are some ideas we came up with to get you started…

Love to read? Want to become a teacher? History guru?

1. School Supply/Book Drive: As school quickly approaches, help those that might not be able to purchase new school supplies or schools needing some extra supplies. Host a school supply drive and distribute your donations to an elementary school in your city in need.

2. Library: Volunteer at your local library putting away books or reading to kids in the children area. Spend your time helping and completing that summer reading list. Contact your local library today to see what ideas they have to put your service to use. (more…)

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Volunteering for VITA!

April 15th has always been just a normal calendar day for me. My family hires a CPA to take care of our taxes every year, so they have never been much more than a passing thought in my daily life. But as I have grown up and taken on more “adult” responsibilities, I have looked at my own taxes and realized that they are incredibly difficult! It is confusing language, difficult math, and lines leading to more lines. It’s nearly impossible to make heads or tails out of any of it. But as I have branched away from relying on my family and done more of my own taxes each year, I have come to learn how to file basic taxes. I have had the chance to learn because I am surrounded by people who know how to help me, but I also know that I am lucky in that and not everyone has those same people around them. I found myself wondering how others learn how to correctly file their own taxes. (more…)

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MLK Day 2011: A Day On, Not A Day Off

“Service above self will be the cornerstone of my administration as Governor,” Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval proclaimed. He joined approximately 70 AmeriCorps members bright and early in Las Vegas, Nevada on Martin Luther King Jr. Day morning to celebrate the Day of Service.

Partnering with Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas, Nevada Volunteers’ AmeriCorps members gathered together to build three special homes in honor of the 25th anniversary of the holiday recognizing one of America’s great heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. More than 40 years after his death, Dr. King’s example continues to guide Nevadans in addressing the state’s most critical issues.

The event in southern Nevada brought together AmeriCorps State members from Great Basin Institute’s Nevada Conservation Corps, Luz Community Development Coalition, and the United Way of Southern Nevada, along with AmeriCorps VISTA members serving southern Nevada nonprofit agencies. The Governor jumped in to lend a hand with the AmeriCorps members, at one point even aiding them on the roof by nailing on shingles. (more…)

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Last Chance to Give!

Nevada Volunteers knows you care about continuing Nevada’s service and volunteer efforts. That’s why we are reminding you that this is your final chance to make a tax-deductible donation for 2010. Remember, all gifts to Nevada Volunteers are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Thanks to your generous contributions, Nevada Volunteers has raised $1,300 for the Nevada AmeriCorps programs this holiday season and has had the ability to share our AmeriCorps members inspirational stories with you. But we need your help if we want our communities to continually receive the chance to grow and prosper. We hope you’ll join us as we work to continue Nevada AmeriCorps programs, helping Nevadans to enrich their lives through service and our communities to benefit from their incredible efforts.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to give back to our communities through admirable programs. For more information about Nevada’s AmeriCorps programs, visit blue.nevadavolunteers.org. (more…)

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Thank you for the “E” in AMERICORPS!

A huge thank you goes out to the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation for their generous donation of $100! This gave us the “E” in AMERICORPS! For every $100 in donations, we are able to add one more letter. To date, the “Amass for AmeriCorps” program has raised $1,300 for Nevada’s AmeriCorps programs!

Words cannot express how grateful we are to each of you for your contributions.

Our next fundraising goal is “R.” “R” is for receive – without our Nevada AmeriCorps programs, our Nevada communities would not receive help in core areas such as education, human needs, environment or public safety.

The end of the year is quickly approaching. The last day to give to the “Amass for AmeriCorps” is December 31st at 11:59pm. We know that we can spell AMERICORPS one more time and $10 from 10 friends will get us closer to that goal. Plus your end-of-the-year donation will earn you a tax deduction! (more…)

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Roadpost #1: Getting Directions

Sometimes, when on a journey, it’s a good idea to ask for directions. And who better to ask than someone who has been on the road for a while and understands where it might lead?

Margaret is such a person. She is very well-traveled on the ‘volunteer road,’ and her desire to help came early. Even as a small child of 4 or 5, she remembers an old man across the street who was limping along in obvious pain. She can still feel the strong impulse to run across the street, hug him, and make him feel better. That natural empathy led her to become a nurse and a volunteer in public health and prison ministry.

It’s the sparkle in her eyes that lets you know what she’s gained from the journey. After all those years of serving others, Margaret can sum up the power of volunteering in a concise yet profound way—“To be really happy, you have to give.” Margaret feels that any satisfaction found from acquiring things, especially possessions, is only temporary, and she attributes her excellent health and energy to her good fortune in learning how to give. (more…)

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