Monday, February 22, 2010

Let's Read, Westside - OLYMPICS session


At the first Let's Read, Westside session... We had 12 kids and about 16 volunteers, including Beth and me. The theme of the session was the Winter Olympics.  To start off the session I read aloud Curious George in the Snow to the kids.  From there the kids picked out a book and a volunteer to read with one-on-one.  After about 45 minutes, the kids returned to the room for snack (apple slices and cheese and crackers).  We then had the kids make gold medals by painting cardboard circles with yellow paint (pictured, above).  While those were drying the kids made Olympic torches out of paper and red/yellow/orange tissue paper and Olympic flags. Jared and Rashidi are pictured here (below) and there are more photos posted on our facebook page!
 
~ Aaron Perez, Co-Project Leader, Let's Read - Westside

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Let's Read - Aaron Perez shares why he's involved and encourages you to join him!

Let's Read - Westside is a multi-week program designed to provide the youth of Nora Sterry Elementary School and the surrounding community with the tools to help them achieve their dreams. Working individually and as a group, volunteers work with youth to strengthen their reading and comprehension skills and to show them that reading can be fun.

I found Let's Read back in September 2008 as I was browsing through the L.A. Works' postings for a program that worked with children, specifically in education. After my first session, where I read and played board games with some really cool kids, I knew the program was perfect for me. After I heard that Mike and Beth, the former project leaders, would not be able to continue running this program full-time, I was eager to help out.

The most inspiring thing about the program is after you've worked with the same child for a few weeks and start to notice improvements. You'll realize he or she is a lot more confident sounding out big words and is enjoying reading a little bit more. Most of the parents of these kids don't have the English language skills to read with their kids, so the hour we spend reading with them is really invaluable.

If you're enthusiasm for kids is as great as your love of learning, then this program is for you. I know how busy we all are and taking a part of a Saturday morning may seem daunting. With that said, I promise if you can make it to one session you will be surprised how much of a positive impact you can make in a child's life with just two hours of your time!

~ Aaron Perez, Let's Read Westside Co-Project Leader

Click HERE to learn more about the WESTSIDE Let's Read project OR HERE to learn about the PUEBLO DEL RIO Let's Read project.

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Announcing the Get L.A. Short Film Contest

As we work to fulfill our mission of increasing volunteerism in L.A., we understand that building better communities starts with learning what people care about in Los Angeles. And we believe that as people begin to connect more with the ideas/issues/places that make our city great, they will further embrace why L.A. Works organizes volunteer projects focused on positively impacting the community. So, we have partnered with L.A. Magazine to offer our volunteers and supporters an opportunity to share their videos about what is loved/hated/thought about L.A. We get your thoughts on what is important in our city and you get a chance to win an exclusive VIP meeting with Hollywood executives and more!! More information about L.A. Work's Get L.A. Short Film Contest available at www.lamag.com/citythink/getla.

Monday, January 25, 2010

2010 MLK Jr. Day of Service

I can't believe a week has gone by. My name is Rob and on last Monday I volunteered on my first LA Works project. I have to start by commenting on how organized and well put together this event was. Groups were assigned to specific tasks, projects for young people were designed to teach them of Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to serving people and everything got done in the time alloted. Not even the rain could damper the spirit of the hundreds of people who showed up to help give Van Nuys Middle School a bit of a facelift.
Work had been a bit slow and I was spending too much time having one sided conversations with politicians on the TV, so I started looking for opportunities to use my skills to help others. I'm no stranger to service work but I haven't had a fire lit under me like this for quite a while. I started calling around to my friends tossing out ideas and planning my take over of the nonprofit world. I was going to have the idea that revolutionized service work. K. Where do I start. I'm not going to bore you with all the kookie ideas that I came up with and jump to the last. I was going to create a place online that brought attention to small non profits who needed help finding volunteers and put up a calendar of all kinds of events across Los Angeles taking place all year long so a busy person could check in when they have a day off and find a group that could use their help on that day! Yes! So, I checked in with the almighty google and found once again I'm not that original. I found LA Works. Not only had they stolen my idea, they did it in 1991 when I was in my senior year of high school in Boston. All lame jokes aside, I was a bit deflated. I had a sincere desire to serve and my ideas were running out.
It was Christmas and I was visiting the in-laws when I had a realization. My ego was getting in the way of me serving others. Why not help the organization in existence that's doing what I thought was such a good idea. I shot an email to LA Works asking if they could use a photographer at an upcoming event and the rest is history. Now you're thinking 'Where are the photographs?' As usual, when I need to get something done my life gets busy. Don't worry though. I'm almost done editing some stories and photos together and hope to have them up tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

We're Back!!!

After a brief hiatus, we've returned to the blogger-sphere to help build an even stronger volunteer Los Angeles community! In addition to sharing news and updates, highlighting volunteers, and offering interesting insights on volunteerism and civic engagement, we hope that you, our volunteers, will share your thoughts and experiences volunteering at the L.A. Works programming!


If you have one or two stories to share, please email them to Debbie at debbie@laworks.com and she will post on this blog. If you'd like to be a regular contributor, sharing your volunteer thoughts/experiences once or twice a month, please let Debbie know and she'd be happy to add you as a contributor to the site.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Pathway TeamWorks!


L.A. Works in partnership with the Tarjan Center as a part of the Alliance for Inclusion Advancement’s Service Inclusion Project is conducting the Pathway TeamWorks project. This 8 week program will integrate 11 L.A. Works volunteers with the 17 Pathway students for a unique customized service learning experience.

What is Pathway TeamWorks?



See more photos from Session 1 January 13, 2008!




Friday, September 28, 2007

Find It! Do It! Share It! Los Angeles Area Finalist


L.A. Works' very own Keris Myrick is one of 27 finalists in the statewide “Find It. Do It. Share It.” Contest! Click here to read her story!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Hands On Network's Corporate Month of Service




Corporate Month of Service 2007

An initiative of the Corporate Service Council, Corporate Month of Service is an action oriented approach to corporate citizenship that leverages the corporate workforce to bring about positive change in communities across the country and around the world. Click Here to see photos from the Corporate Month of Service Los Angeles WaMu project managed by L.A. Works.


The Corporate Service Council

The Corporate Service Council is leading the efforts of Corporate Month of Service by issuing a "Corporate Challenge" to businesses everywhere, urging them to join this action oriented approach to community engagement.

UPS Chairman and CEO, Mike Eskew, chairs the Corporate Service Council, a unique alliance of 65 Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit partners, dedicated to increasing volunteerism and celebrating the impact of Corporate Service Council member's year-round efforts.

The Corporate Challenge is being issued to urge businesses of all sizes to sign up, encouraging responsible citizenship and increasing the impact of corporate contributions.

Guided by the goals of the Hands On Campaign, the Corporate Service Council is seeking to increase volunteerism by equipping 100,000 new Volunteer Leaders leading to a 10% increase in volunteerism

This year, Corporate Service Council members will expand their efforts like never before, taking Corporate Month of Service global through activities like the UPS Global Day of Service.

Third Annual of Corporate Month of Service

Corporate Month of Service was established in partnership with The Home Depot, in 2005 as a way to leverage the power of corporate America in order to bring about positive change in communities across the country.

In 2004, Hands On Network partnered with The Home Depot to commemorate their 25th anniversary, planning and executing more than 1,600 community service projects over an entire week. Building on this tremendous success, the campaign was expanded to a month-long event in 2005.

Last year, 60,000 volunteers participated in Corporate Month of Service, taking part in more than 1,000 community service projects in communities across the country. It is estimated that this contribution amounted to approximately $6.4 million.

This year, national sponsors include WaMu, The Home Depot, Philip Morris, UBS, UPS, Philip Morris, 3M, UnitedHealth Group, and VSP.

Community Impact - "Be the Change. Build Community"

From Miami to New York and Chicago to Los Angeles, Corporate Month of Service will unleash the power of corporate volunteers by combining sweat equity with financial resources to impact communities.

Teams of volunteers from companies large and small will collaborate to revitalize schools, refurbish community centers, restore parks, and reenergize communities

The responsible citizenship demonstrated by all of our partners multiplies the power of community and corporate investment, and subsequently, will bring about real change nationwide.

Corporate Month of Service 2007 aims to engage more than 40,000, 100 companies, impacting the lives of more than 3 million people. We believe that corporate collaboration multiplies community investments and leverages corporate influence to raise visibility about community issues and create solutions.

Points of Light & Hands On Network

Points of Light & Hands On Network leads an international movement of people who roll up their sleeves, get hands on, and solve community problems everyday. Through their Volunteer Center National Network and Hands On Action Centers, the organization supports a network of 370 organizations covering 88% of the US market and eight countries.

Points of Light & Hands On Network encourages people from all walks of life - businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, low-income communities, families, youth, and older adults - to volunteer and be the change in their communities.

Points of Light & Hands On Network is uniquely positioned to lead this effort on behalf of the Corporate Service council, with 73 affiliate organizations and almost 20 years volunteer project management experience.

In 2006, Hands On Network received the coveted "A" rating from Fast Company and the distinguished Fast Company Social Capitalist Award hailing Hands On Network's distinction in partnering with corporations for greater community impact.

In July 2007, Points of Light & Hands On Network announced mutual board agreement to merge into a single organization. Creating the world's largest global volunteer network, the new organization will encompass 370 affiliates serving 83% of the American public.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

End Youth Homelessness



The other day I received a notice from YouthNoise, an online youth community and nonprofit, nonpartisan youth networking site for social change. They are launching an important initiative to bring awareness to the problem of youth homelessness. YouthNoise has taken on this task because of its growing importance for the future of the one and a half million homeless youth struggling to survive on the streets today. If all the homeless youth were placed in a city, populated only by them, it would be the seventh largest city in the United States

The effort, “Out of the Shadows,” is a contest that calls youth all across the country to submit their visions on how to end youth homelessness through video, text, or photo submissions on the YouthNoise website. The winners (by popular vote and a judging process) and a friend will be invited to a star-studded gala in New York City where they can spread awareness about youth homelessness and describe their vision. They will challenge their peers throughout America to develop projects demonstrating ways youth can start a movement towards change. YouthNoise and its partners will provide the resources and support to make the visions a reality, working together towards the end of youth homelessness.

The contest will be running August 1 through September 30.

If you are interested in promoting this cause please follow this link to download and post a banner. Use this banner wherever you might like to raise awareness about teen homelessness or think that your constituents would be interested in participating. Hopefully the banner will become an identifiable marker of this campaign and our collective movement for change. Take the first step.