Planning Reflections on Jersey Cares Day 2011

Prior to working at Jersey Cares I could never imagine the incredible amount of planning and foresight that goes into Jersey Cares Day. Having worked at Jersey Cares for a little over a month now, I was thrown into the final planning and preparation stages for the day.  From organizing t-shirts for the volunteers to sorting paint colors at Sherwin Williams, I never thought that so much effort could go into the making of one day of service.

It’s an incredible thing these volunteers are doing for communities throughout New Jersey and the staff at Jersey Cares is double checking every supply to make sure that the day goes as smoothly as possible. The past three weeks have been focused on grabbing last minute registrations, procuring and organizing supplies, and then finally delivering the supplies to the Jersey Cares day sites.

 My favorite part of these past weeks has been the supply drop-offs. When going to the sites I get to see how excited the staff there is. The supplies make it real, the paint cans and rollers mean that something new and exiting is coming soon. For one site in Newark, we needed to prime the basement walls before Jersey Cares Day volunteers could cover up the thirteen year-old paint job. The children who spend their time at the Center after school had made a beautiful thank you banner to welcome the volunteers who would be priming the basement. Just the anticipation of change made the children so thankful.

As Jersey Cares Day approaches I’m excited to see the end products of all of the volunteers’ hard work. Thank you to all of those who have registered to volunteer. It means so much to the communities and the staff who work at the facilities where you’re volunteering. And to those who have missed this year’s Jersey Cares Day, there are plenty of more events to come! 

Paulette Leonard

Behind the Scenes...Planning an MLK Day of Service

"Life's most persistent and urgent question: What are you doing for others?" Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. posed this question to a generation long before mine.  In commemoration of his commitment to service and equality, first observed in 1986, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is a nationally recognized day of service. In 1994, Congress also designated it a national day of service, changing popular belief that MLK Day is “a day on- not a day off.”

To fully understand my MLK Day experience, I must start at the beginning. November 1^st marked the beginning of my AmeriCorps journey of 1,700 hours of service at Jersey Cares as the Service Events Coordinator. I was reveling in the thrill and delight of my new job but it was time to hit the ground running. My task at hand was to lead the planning for the 3^rd Annual Jersey Cares MLK Day of Service. Jersey Cares set out to mobilize 2,000 volunteers and expand to 15 counties in New Jersey, essentially doubling the size of the event from the previous year. All of this was to be accomplished in just two and half months, an ambitious and aggressive task for even a seasoned veteran. As a rookie, listening to the goals and challenges of the event made me quiver but I knew there was no time to waste.

With the firing of a start gun for a race, my team and I embarked on a two and half month marathon towards the finish line. Armed with the determination to succeed and teamwork, our 4 person team made countless phone calls, emails, Tweets, Facebook posts, visits to volunteer fairs, everything short of enlisting the services of a skywriter to spread our message to service minded individuals. When faced with adversity, our team rallied on. Not even back-to-back winter blizzards or ice storms could take our eyes off the prize.

The two and half month long hustle was in the home stretch and all the preparations were completed. Early morning of January 17^th my supportive mother, who has been eager to organize a coat drive at her office and sketch a mural, joined me at the largest volunteer site, Dr. Michael Conti School P.S. 5 in Jersey City. Final preparations were made and 500 volunteers began to arrive. While working at the registration table, it was wonderful finally putting faces to people I have been in contact with for months and meeting new faces.  Students, corporate volunteers, members of Greek organizations, families, fellow AmeriCorps members, faculty and parents of students at P.S. 5, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and other service minded individuals were eager to begin. After the opening ceremony concluded, I took to my post on the ground floor. For three hours, I was amazed at the spirit, can-do attitude, teamwork, and camaraderie of the volunteers at Dr. Michael Conti School P.S. 5. Volunteers of all backgrounds and ages came from all over with the same altruistic intentions. Every volunteer personified what MLK Day is all about.

1 rental van, 15 counties, 25 hours spent in our storage facility, 38 partner agencies, 167 rolls of tape, 475 gallons of paint, 2,000 volunteers, 2,034 paint brushes, 5,778.5 hours of volunteer service, guidance and the support from my colleagues as well as friends and family made MLK Day a giant success. It was a day that was larger than any of us could imagine. Expectations were far exceeded and a month after the event, I have basked in the glow and glory of the accomplishment for Jersey Cares, our volunteers, our agencies, and myself. 

To me, MLK Day was not about the fastest and most challenging two and half months of my professional life. It wasn’t just another task at work or another school revitalized. Hundreds of thousands of other Americans, including the Obama family, answered the call to service on January 17^th, 2011 and knowing that I played a small part in it is what I will bring away with me. Making MLK Day a day on- not a day off is something that will stick with me long after my year of AmeriCorps is completed.  In retrospect, MLK Day 2011 will remain one of my finest accomplishments in both my professional and personal life. 

- Stephanie Asymkos

Service Events Coordintor

Americorps Member

Reflections on Global Village Experience

In early November 2010, AmeriCorps members from HandsOn Network affiliates across the country participated in what may go down as one of the most memorable membership conferences EVER!  I personally will never forget this conference.  Although the idea of being in the wilderness in the middle of November had me a bit on edge, I didn’t allow it to deter me from having an open mind for new experiences.

As one of the brave members who decided to participate in the Calvin Center’s Global Village experience, my time in Georgia was more than just the conference. The Calvin Center’s Global Village allows different groups to experience what it would be like to live in underdeveloped countries in unfamiliar and sometime uncomfortable conditions. Upon our arrival at Global Village, we were split into groups and assigned jobs throughout the assimilated villages. Some of our jobs included learning how to make bricks using cement and clay. Together we built make shift houses in the town using any resources we could find. We also built huts using dried bricks that were made earlier from the previous group. At the end of the day were paid for our hard work in small wages which were used to buy food in the global village market place.

Although Global Village was an assimilated version of what it would be like to live in these conditions, it made me realize that there are people in the world who are less fortunate who live in unsafe and unsanitary environments. One important factor that struck me was the notion of happiness.  Being in those conditions for one night was completely out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed talking and meeting everyone in the AmeriCorps family. I had the opportunity to learn about all the great things that have been accomplished and plans for the future. In the midst of these great conversations, it dawned on me that happiness can come from anywhere. People who have less aren’t necessarily unhappy. Being around family, friends and neighbors can be enough to put a smile on a person’s face.  Even though people are born into poverty and sometime don’t have the resources to get themselves out, I know that there are still some things that make them happy.  Everyone has a story no matter what stretch of the earth we are from.  Just because a person has less doesn’t make them less of a person.

This experience helped me realize that as an AmeriCorps Member, I am a part of such a great network of people who are doing great things for the world. For this year of service and beyond I will strive to make a difference and an influential impact on not only my community but the world!

Ameerah Abdur-Rahman

Jersey Cares

Teamwork!

How long do you think it takes to revitalize a school? Three months? Two weeks? Three days?

I’ve seen it done in six hours.

In six hours I have seen volunteers, who are in no way experts or specially trained, transform buildings with no life and give these places a breath of fresh air. I have seen schools, shelters, transitional housing facilities, and community shelters all revived before my eyes. Colorful murals, breathtaking gardens, freshly painted line games and planter murals created all in the short time span of six hours.

How is this possible? My answer is simple, teamwork.

Yes, there is a great amount of planning that goes into these projects, as there is with any other event. However, what really drives a project are the people and how well they work together.

Over the last two months as the Corporate Service Coordinator at Jersey Cares I have been fortunate enough to always work with groups who naturally follow their basic human instincts and seek the help of their peers. As soon as the introductions are done, the directions are explained, and the groups are separated into their projects and grab their supplies; the first sentence I almost always hear is, “how are we going to do this?” From the moment the project gets into motion, everyone is thinking as a group and knows that the project cannot be done alone nor can it be done without communication.

Teamwork is the key in these projects and it ultimately is what drives these projects towards success. What many people may not realize is that volunteering does a lot more than just helping the community. It also brings people together and strengthens the bonds in the community as well. Whether it’s people in your work place, your friends, your family, or even strangers; civic service naturally brings people together and helps everyone recognize the importance of teamwork.

Team effort is what beautified all those schools, shelters, and community centers. Team effort is what assembled all those kits, served all those meals, and what ultimately brought smiles to hundreds of peoples’ faces. Teamwork is what drives our community and I hope, it inspires YOU to help make a difference.

 - Sarah Lansey

Generation Me on Service...

We are all aware of the terms “baby boomers”, “Generation X”, and “Generation Y” but are you aware that a new generation has been coined?  Well, there has been.  Many psychologists have coined the term “Generation Me,” or “GenMe” for short.  According to psychologist Jean Twenge, GenMe folks are more confident, assertive, entitled, and more miserable than ever before[i].  You are probably thinking, what in the world does this have to do with service??  In fact, Generation Me’s have a lot to do with service!  Last year alone there was dramatic increase in the number of recent graduates devoting a year or more to serve others in one of the nations many service organizations, such as AmeriCorps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, or the Peace Corps.  This causes one to think, what is it that has made a generation so entitled and self-absorbed (that they feel the need to “tweet” or Facebook their every move) serve others?  To be honest, there is no one answer to this question, but as a GenMe, I am going to do my best to answer it. 

It has been forty-four days since my fellow AmeriCorps and I began to eat, sleep and breathe service.  Throughout the last month and a half, I have planned and staffed nearly twenty service projects, all of which were being vastly different from the next. However, one content remained the same, the number of students, young professionals, and yes, even kids, willing to take time out of their busy lives to give back to their community at large.  This got me thinking of the increase in individuals dedicating time after college to service.  Are young people getting more involved in service due to social influences around them such as the First Lady’s, because it makes them look good, or in fact because they have the drive and passion to make a difference, no matter how small.  Even in an office full of individuals devoted to making a difference, the reasoning behind doing what we do is unique to the individual.  For me, it’s a combination of beliefs bestowed upon me during my years of education as well as personal experiences and aspirations that have drawn me to a world full of service and giving to the community.  With the goal of becoming an International Human Rights attorney, there is no better way for me to spend the transitional year between my undergraduate career and law school then to work for a non-profit such as Jersey Cares, which is devoted to engaging individuals in service by making it as accessible and easy as possible.

It has been my privilege to serve as a young volunteer through Jersey Cares.  I look forward to seeing my fellow recent graduates engage in acts of service as well.

---

[i]  (Twenge, 2006)

-Paul Renaud

Jersey Cares AmeriCorps Member

First Month of Americorps at Jersey Cares...

About three weeks ago, I started my year of service as an AmeriCorps member working at Jersey Cares.  There was no time to waste, and everyday and every second of my daily work routine was involved in servicing the communities in NJ.  As the Economic Coordinator/ Community Outreach Coordinator; these past three weeks; I have staffed volunteer projects at soup kitchens, visited non-profit organizations throughout the state of NJ, observed volunteers during their service, and drawn and painted murals on school walls.  This is not to say; Jersey Cares has taken care of  all the social issues in NJ; but little by little the organization is trying to improve our communities with the power of volunteering. And with that, there is still so much more to be done. If each one of us, takes the time out of our busy lives to spend just a couple of hours a month to help out a non-profit organization we can all make a big difference in our communities.

The first service project that I staffed was at a non-profit organization that distributes clothing and organizes a daily soup kitchen.  To be honest, this was the first time in my life that I have ever entered a soup kitchen. It was hard at first, for me to realize that there are people in our community that can’t find employment and need these services to live. Towards the end of the day, I was humbled, and I realized that this could be anyone of us using these services. Especially, after the economic recession, there are many highly educated people that were once living it “big”, but today cannot help provide for themselves or their families.

Since my service began, I have met so many dedicated volunteers that just wanted “to help their communities”.  There are so many people out there that do not have any underlying interest (money, networking, etc.) in becoming a volunteer, other than to lend a hand, and help their communities. On one of my recent site visits, I visited a non-profit organization that uses horses to assist people with either their physical or mental disability. My meeting was with 15 year old George.  George has been volunteering with the organization since he was 11yrs old and is now volunteering as the Volunteer Coordinator.  During our meeting, I saw the passion and dedication he had representing his organization. He introduced us to an 11yr old boy that was born paralyzed and is today beginning to walk.  With the assistance of regular everyday volunteers, this non-profit organization was able to make one boys disability something of the past.

Every day, I am amazed at the different services I lead and the work that many of the non-profits do to better our communities. Most if not all of these services, cannot be provided without the help of volunteers. We are all living together in this society, and if we want to improve it, it starts with each one of us to spend some time to help an organization so that it could continue to provide its services.  Whether or not you have a particular skill, there is definitely an opportunity for each one of us to effect change in our society by volunteering.

Somayah Elsamra

AmeriCorps Member

Jersey Cares

Reflections on Being a Service Leader

Anyone who has ever run a long-distance race knows that its completion is much determined on the proper planning: a structured training regimen, the proper running shoes, a good warm-up, pacing yourself, etc.  Going into a race with no preparation is like walking into the rain with no coat or umbrella.  Not only do you risk physical harm to yourself, but you will most likely end up turning around and walking right back inside.  That being said, anyone who has ever attempted to run long-distance knows that good preparation is only one piece of the puzzle.  Regardless of how well you train and plan, there will inevitably come a time during a run where the ability to continue is entirely dependent on mental motivation.  All too often runners who may plan brilliantly will not succeed at reaching their goal because they have neglected to connect psychologically to what they are accomplishing physically.

Being a service leader is in many ways similar to completing a long-distance race.  Preparation and proper planning are key, of course.  One can’t usually be an effective volunteer without a project or task in front of them, and as Hands On members our role is to provide this to those who have a desire to serve.  We identify a civic need, coordinate with an agency, arrange for needed tasks to be completed, and facilitate the execution of the project.  It is, in the ideal situation, a streamlined process with a positive outcome.  Everyone is warmed-up, the track is clear and dry, and all of the shoelaces are tied.  However, anyone who has ever been a volunteer leader knows all too well that the “perfect projects” are few and far between.  Try as we may, no one can save the world in a day, and inevitable challenges will always arise.  It then becomes the role of the service leader to help volunteers find their own mental motivation to continue doing the work in front of them.  One can plan for the perfect execution of a mural painting project at an elementary school, but if a volunteer doesn’t understand why they are putting this picture on the wall, and how they are helping to improve their community, chances are they won’t be too thrilled to continue after three hours in a humid school hallway when they can’t seem to mix the perfect shade of turquoise.  Nor are the chances great that they will want to come back and serve again in the future.  If the physical execution of a service project is perfect, but the mental motivation behind it fails to materialize, have we as service leaders really done our job? 

This week marks the end of my fourth month at Jersey Cares.  I don’t mean to compare my time here thus far to a marathon, as it has actually flown by quite quickly, but I’ve found my experiences and challenges as a service leader here have in many ways paralleled my own challenges as a runner.  My skills in the physical planning and execution of events and projects have developed at a very rapid rate.  Before working at Jersey Cares, the idea of giving paint brushes to 80 TD Bank interns to take to the walls of a shelter would have made me hyperventilate.  Figuring out how to organize the collection and distribution of over 40,000 donated coats sounded daunting.  However, thanks to some very quick hands-on experience, and a developed, deep appreciation for the perfect spread-sheet, I can see these things as manageable.  Much like in running, a structured plan to accomplish a goal is indispensable, and it is something I am learning more about each day.  On the other hand, challenges still remain, and I think always will, in how one can take a role as a service leader one step beyond just the planning of volunteer projects.  How do we help volunteers connect psychologically to their physical work, so that they will understand their contribution and continue to do meaningful work in their communities, even when they pull a muscle, get a shin splint, or even just get bored.  Just as a coach can’t force a runner to be motivated, service leaders can’t force volunteers to connect to their work, but it is our job to try as best we know how.  

Tomorrow, my colleagues at Jersey Cares will be working with a large group of volunteers to complete a service project at the Boys and Girls Club of Jersey City.  They will, in essence, be running a marathon.  While I will be unable to join them, I hope that as they are turning the corner at the end of the day they will be highly successful at helping each volunteer at the project find that voice of motivation to tell them to continue engaging in the important work they are doing, rain or shine, so that we can all successfully cross the finish line.

L. Mallory Lane

Service Events Manager, Jersey Cares