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Serve Michigan Update
Issue #2
June 27, 2005
- New Website Highlights National and Community Service in Michigan
- Urgent - Contact Legislators Today to Protect Michigan National Service Programs!
- 243 Signatures in Support of Full Funding for National Service in Michigan
- Join Service-Learning Strategy Conference Calls
- Governor’s Service Awards Commend Volunteers
- Cox: Community Service Not Required for Michigan Merit Recipients
- Grand Rapids AmeriCorps Event Encourages Youth to Be Active This Summer
- Ionia County AmeriCorps Reward Kids for Reading
- National Service Appropriations Bill Moves to Senate
- Corporation Submits Final Rulemaking on AmeriCorps
- CNCS Announces Grants For 25 Senior Corps Organizations
- CNCS Board Approves AmeriCorps Resolution
New Website Highlights National and Community Service in Michigan
Welcome to the Serve Michigan website. Serve Michigan is a program of the ConnectMichigan Alliance designed to highlight public policy issues and promote national and community service in Michigan. From time to time we will share the latest updates on activities at the local, state and national levels that can impact volunteers and the communities they serve.
If you have questions or information that could be important to the volunteer sector in Michigan, please feel free to email us at servemichigan@connectmichiganalliance.org
Urgent - Contact Legislators Today to Protect Michigan National Service Programs!
Last week the Michigan House of Representatives passed an omnibus spending bill that made cuts to many programs, including all state appropriations for the Michigan Community Service Commission – $990,000 –which supports volunteerism statewide and is a match for $6 million in federal funds. Without the appropriation, the state will not receive the federal dollars and nearly one million service or community volunteer hours will be lost. Although the House eliminated funding for the MCSC, the Senate appropriated full funding for the Commission. This difference is one of many to be discussed in the House/Senate Conference Committees over the summer.
It is critical that you contact your legislators to let them know that you support National Service in Michigan! For more information or to find out what you can do – visit the Serve Michigan website at www.servemichigan.org
243 Signatures in Support of Full Funding for National Service in Michigan
The Michigan Congressional Delegation recently received a letter (see attachment) from 210 individuals representing nonprofits, businesses, foundations, and concerned citizens all in support of full funding of national service in Michigan. Since that time, 34 more concerned Michiganders have signed on! If you would like to add your name and organization to this list, please email Tiffany Aurora at taurora@connectmichiganalliance.org. Please include your full name, title, and the organization you represent.
CMA Michigan Delegation Letter
Join Service-Learning Strategy Conference Calls
Service-Learning United is organizing opportunities for service-learning stakeholders and supporters to learn more about how they can participate in upcoming rulemaking activities and advocacy efforts to restore and increase funding for Learn and Serve America in fiscal year 2006. Your active participation in these efforts is critical to our success. To learn how you can get involved in upcoming stakeholder meetings, email info@servicelearningunited.org.
Governor’s Service Awards Commend Volunteers
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm presented the annual Governor’s Service Awards to individuals and organizations for their outstanding volunteer service at the Governor’s Service Awards / Carter Partnership Award dinner on June 18 th at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. The awards included:
Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteerism
Recipient: Rosemarie Herbert of Jackson for her lifelong commitment to community involvement and volunteer service in support of democracy, fairness for persons in poverty, advocacy for victims of assault and violence, women’s and minority rights, and restorative justice. She began volunteering in 1950 and has volunteered countless hours with numerous organizations in the Jackson community.
Exemplary Community Service Program Award
Recipient: Eaton Community Hospice of Charlotte for effectively using volunteers to meet its mission, providing (at no cost) physical, emotional, and spiritual care for the terminally ill, their families, and significant others, enabling the terminally ill to die with dignity in their home environment. The Eaton Community Hospice has 147 round the clock volunteers who serve ten hours a day, one to three days a week.
Exemplary Volunteer Service Award
Recipient: Colleen Brothers of Pinckney for striving to improve the lives of others as a Livingston County American Red Cross volunteer for 12 years. She has personally responded to hundreds of disasters in the Livingston County area as well as national disasters.
Innovative Mentoring Program Award
Recipient: Esquire Mentoring and Leadership Program of Flint, a program of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, for its unique and effective approach to mentoring children in which the fraternity members manage the program and serve as role models and mentors. Participants are expected to excel academically, set and achieve goals, be responsible for their actions, and perform monthly community service projects.
Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award
Recipients: General Motors Corporation of Detroit and the Kalamazoo Kings Professional Baseball Club for demonstrating excellent corporate citizenship by giving back to their community through corporate volunteer programs, monetary contributions, in-kind gifts, and employee-driven volunteer service. General Motors was selected because it recognizes the importance of supporting the many communities in Michigan and around the world where they do business. The Kalamazoo Kings were honored because their organization is built upon the foundation of giving back to the community.
Outstanding Mentor Award
Recipient: Ron French of Michigamme for making a significant difference in a child’s life through mentoring. Ron has mentored three young men during his 14 years as a mentor and by example has taught all three boys what it really means to be a man; Ron’s first Little Brother wrote, “You let me know what it was to have a dad. Because of the time you spent with me, I am a better father to my kids.”
Senior Volunteer Award of Excellence
Recipient: Mary Walker of Mancelona for taking action to make her community better through volunteering at Hospice, the American Camping Association, the Kalkaska Chamber of Commerce, and the Village of Kalkaska.
Youth Volunteer Award of Excellence
Recipient: Hamilton Harris of Southfield for taking action to make his community better by volunteering as a Cub Scout, New Mount Prospect Baptist Church, Gleaners Food Bank, Operation Can Do, and Providence Hospital.
Cox: Community Service Not Required for Michigan Merit Recipients
In a recent opinion Attorney General Mike Cox stated, "It is my opinion, therefore, that the Michigan Merit Award Scholarship Act, MCL 390.1451 et seq, does not authorize the Michigan Merit Award Board to add a requirement that a student complete 40 hours of voluntary community service in order to qualify for a Michigan Merit Award Scholarship." As a result, the community service requirement for the Class of 2006 is no longer required.
Grand Rapids AmeriCorps Event Encourages Youth to Be Active This Summer
On June 16 th AmeriCorps workers at Cherry Street Health Services in Grand Rapids hosted Kickoff To Summer, an event aimed at getting out information about kids’ health and encouraging them to run, jump, toss, ride, and play rather than sit and click. About 1,000 children and their parents attended the event, which featured booths from nearly 40 health-related organizations with information and games aimed at revving up heart rates.
Source: The Grand Rapids Press
Ionia County AmeriCorps Reward Kids for Reading
The Ionia AmeriCorps is sponsoring its fifth annual county-wide Families Reading Every Evening ( FREE) movie program, which encourages kids in fifth grade and younger to read daily and rewards those who fulfill the daily reading program with a free pass to an age-appropriate movie at a participating theater.
The program was spear-headed by the AmeriCorps team with help from the Ionia County Intermediate School District, Ionia Theatre, and Ionia County elementary schools. FREE movies have attracted approximately 400 to 500 people.
Source: Ionia Sentinel-Standard
National Service Appropriations Bill Moves to Senate
On June 24 th the full House of Representatives passed the Labor- HHS-Education Appropriations bill, which contains $914 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs for fiscal year 2006. The recommended funding level is the same as approved by the Labor- HHS-Education Subcommittee and full Appropriations Committee earlier this month and is approximately $7 million below the amount requested by President Bush. Though an amendment to cut $70M from AmeriCorps was defeated (298-102), both AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve did sustain small cuts –$2.5M cut from each program for a total of $5M. The final funding level in the House bill was $413M. See the Corporation for National and Community Service website for a breakdown of the recommended funding levels in the House-passed bill ( http://www.cns.gov/news/davideisner/05_0609.html). To view the legislation and corresponding committee report, visit the Library of Congress website ( http://thomas.loc.gov/) and search for H.R. 3010.
The next step in the process is the Senate Labor- HHS-Education Appropriations markup, which is scheduled for July 12 th, followed by the full Senate Appropriations Committee mark-up July 14 th. Though none of the members of the Labor HHS Education appropriations subcommittee are from Michigan, your senators can share your opinions with their colleagues.
Corporation Submits Final Rulemaking on AmeriCorps
from Rosie K. Mauk, Director of AmeriCorps
The Corporation submitted a final rulemaking for the AmeriCorps program to the Office of Management and Budget for its review. This action comes after a careful review of hundreds of thoughtful comments from the field and the public about the proposed rule, and full consideration by staff and our Board of Directors. The next step in the process is that OMB and our Board of Directors will review and approve the final rule, which will then be published in the Federal Register.
We are committed to working closely with our grantees and other stakeholders so that everyone understands how these rules will affect them. This rollout process will include hosting conference calls and meetings with grantees and other interested parties, providing answers to frequently asked questions, and delivering appropriate training and technical assistance. We are grateful for the extremely high level of participation in the rulemaking process. Your input has helped us craft more informed, fair and equitable rules. By engaging in a wide-ranging and thorough process, we believe we have achieved a conclusive resolution of longstanding issues and that the AmeriCorps program will become stronger, more effective, and better positioned for a successful future.
CNCS Announces Grants For 25 Senior Corps Organizations
On June 24 th the Corporation for National and Community Service announced grants totaling more than $600,000 to help 25 Senior Corps programs expand their volunteer forces. The grants will support more at least 400 new volunteers in 20 states serving in the RSVP and Foster Grandparent programs. More than 150 organizations applied for the “Programs of National Significance” grants, which were evaluated by Corporation staff and outside reviewers.
CNCS Board Approves AmeriCorps Resolution
On June 28 th the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the following resolution at a meeting held in Washington D.C.:
Resolution on AmeriCorps Rulemaking
Whereas, the Board of Directors has directed the Corporation to undertake rulemaking to establish regulations on significant issues concerning the AmeriCorps grants program, including sustainability and the limitation on the Federal share of program costs, consistent with any applicable directives from Congress; and
Whereas, the Corporation has undertaken an extensive rulemaking process, including public outreach prior to issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking in August 2004; and
Whereas, the Corporation has fully and fairly considered the public comments submitted in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking; and
Whereas, the Office of Management and Budget has cleared the final rule submitted by the Corporation;
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors approves the AmeriCorps grants final rule as cleared by the Office of Management and Budget and directs the Chief Executive Officer to publish the final rule in the Federal Register.
The Board has been involved in AmeriCorps rulemaking since September 2003, when it directed the CNCS to engage in rulemaking to address significant issues including sustainability and the limitation on the Federal share of program costs. To support this endeavor, the Board formed a three-member committee including: Alan Solomont, initial chair; Dottie Johnson, current chair; and Mark Gearan. The committee has worked closely with the entire board throughout the rulemaking process. In her comments, Dottie stated: "The final rule will go a long way towards achieving a fair and equitable – and conclusive – resolution of the issues in the AmeriCorps program that Congress has raised in recent years. In passing the final rule, I think we will have taken a significant step in making the AmeriCorps program stronger, more effective, and well-positioned for continued growth."
The final rule will be published in the Federal Registrar the first week of July. CNCS will provide a set of documents clarify the final rule and will follow that up with conference calls, meetings, and training opportunities, including several sessions at the AmeriCorps Grantee conference in August in Washington D.C. Visit the Corporation for National and Community Service’s website for future updates.
Kyle Caldwell, President and CEO, ConnectMichigan Alliance
Friends of Michigan Service,
I want to take this opportunity to point toward what we must do today to support service and volunteerism in Michigan.
In 1991, Michigan led the nation in creating the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) to serve as a lead state agency to promote service in our state. Today, 49 states and many of the nation’s territories have followed Michigan’s lead by forming state commissions that garner millions in state and federal support and thousands of volunteers to improve our communities. We have built a strong and innovative model for community problem solving for Michigan through the investment of leadership, resources and passion. The case for continuing that legacy should be simple, but it isn’t.
It cannot be stressed enough how tough the financial situation is in Michigan, especially for the Governor and the Michigan Legislature. The State’s $40 billion budget must support all government responsibilities in the face of rising costs, including rapidly rising healthcare costs, higher education costs, more Medicare and Medicaid patients, and the list goes on. We are reminded of this as we look at the cuts the MCSC is facing—complete elimination of all state support. Yet we all know that the work the MCSC supports is helping to alleviate the burden of government and local communities. The volunteers who serve a year in their community are doing the work that conservatives want government to do less and progressives want government to do more. This should be a simple solution: utilize limited resources to leverage as much outside funding (federal and private) and “people power” as possible to meet local needs.
In Michigan alone, the state’s investment of $990,000 last year leveraged more than $6 million in federal funds for grants to local communities that in turn garnered 900,000 hours of volunteer service. These are volunteers working to get mentors for children, utilizing service-learning to engage students in meaningful experiential education opportunities, building affordable housing for families, building safe neighborhoods, and educating communities to keep watersheds clean and safe - as just a handful of examples.
Now that work is all at stake. The Michigan House of Representatives eliminated all state funding for the MCSC for the 2006 fiscal year. The Michigan Senate provided full funding for the MCSC. Now those two positions will be reconciled in a series of conference committee meetings over the course of the summer. These meetings are private and limited in the number of legislators who can be involved. This will require that legislators understand the stakes for the elimination of the $990,000 state funding for the MCSC.
Sam Singh always reminds me that every challenge presents an opportunity. This case is a perfect illustration. The challenge, of course, is to reinstitute the highly valuable $990,000 investment in the MCSC and its programs. The opportunity is to remind lawmakers why volunteering and service are so important.
The case for this opportunity became crystal clear for me when I was sitting in the office of a State Senator this week pleading the case for the MCSC funding. As I was explaining that volunteerism is “cheap but not free” and that Michigan’s investment of $990,000 was a way of getting millions in impact, he was asking me to move things along because he had to leave for his deployment in the National Guard. He and his staff reminded me that while they thought volunteerism was great, it should just happen. I subtlety reminded him that I appreciated his willingness to serve in our volunteer military and that his service was important and government sponsored. He agreed, but said that he did get paid for his volunteering. There, in that brief exchange, was the entire case for national and community service.
No one should try to trivialize the sacrifice and commitment of our brave men and women in the military by saying that all volunteerism is the same. At the same time it is equally unfair to not recognize the full spectrum of voluntary service. AmeriCorps and Peace Corps members sacrifice a year of their lives to serve communities. They will go places that few will visit, let alone live and serve. We are shipping our military across the globe to spread freedom and democracy through all our volunteer armed services. They all require resources to work effectively. No one would presume to deploy our armed men and women without support, coordination, supervision, and compensation. Again, without raising the perils that our national and community service volunteers face to the life and death struggles of our military soldiers, we shouldn’t assume that volunteers should serve without similar types of support. That’s the case that needs to be made. Volunteers are important to all aspects of our lives and we have to support them because the alternative—a world without the “Citizen Patriots” that Governor Granholm calls us to be—is not what Michigan has driven itself to be.
Thank you for your leadership in this challenge and your passion to drive forward this opportunity!
Looking for Columnists!
If you are interested in sharing your thoughts on topics related to National Service programs in Michigan, this is the opportunity for you. We are looking for Service program leaders to write a short opinion piece for an upcoming Update. If you’re interested, please contact Tiffany Aurora at taurora@connectmichiganalliance.org.
July 11 th Michigan’s AmeriCorps Planning Phase Training
The training will be from 9:00am-4:00pm at the Michigan Community Service Commission in Lansing. For further information contact Michelle Metzmaker at (517) 241-3606 or at metzmakerm1@michigan.gov.
July 20 th – 22 nd Advanced Supervisory Skills for National Service Program Staff
This is primarily intended for National Service supervisors who have already completed the Core Supervisory Skills Training and/or have had prior experience supervising a National Service program. Topics will include: helping members and volunteers stay motivated; goal setting with members and volunteers; coaching; facilitation skills; dealing with difficult volunteer situations; and more. The training will be at Treetops Resort in Gaylord. For further information contact Michelle Metzmaker at (517) 241-3606 or at metzmakerm1@michigan.gov.
July 26 th Mentor Michigan Regional Meeting
The meeting will be in Detroit. For further information, contact Kathie Vasilion at (517) 373-4200 or at vasilionk@michigan.gov.
July 27 th Mentor Michigan Regional Meeting
The meeting be in Saginaw. For further information contact Kathie Vasilion at (517) 373-4200 or at vasilionk@michigan.gov.
August 2 nd – 3 rd Service-Learning Summer Camp
The camp will meet from 9:00am – 3:00pm in Belding. For further information contact Deb Wagner at (616) 522-1405.
August 4 th – 6 th National Conference on Volunteering and Service
The 2005 National Conference on Volunteering and Service will be held in Washington, D.C. on August 4 th, 5 th, and 6 th. The following are invited to attend: Volunteer Center leaders; National Service program grantees; business professionals responsible for workplace volunteer programs; nonprofit volunteer practitioners; government volunteer program managers; volunteer leaders; experts and resource providers for volunteer professionals. For information and registration, visit www.volunteeringandservice.org.
August 16 th – 19 th Pre Service Orientation and New VISTA Supervisor Training
The orientation and training will be in Chicago. Paperwork is due to the CNCS Office on June 27 th. For more information, contact Kevin Murphy from CNCS at (313) 226-4630 or at kmurphy@cns.gov.
August 18 th Michigan’s AmeriCorps Program Director Meeting
The meeting be at MCSC from 10:00am-4:00pm. For further information contact Michelle Metzmaker at (517) 241-3606 or at metzmakerm1@michigan.gov.
August 18 th Mentor Michigan Regional Meeting
The meeting will be in Marquette. For further information contact Kathie Vasilion at (517) 373-4200 or at vasilionk@michigan.gov.