• OCSC - National Governor's Association
• AmeriCorps Funding
• National Preparedness Month
• Senior Corps Volunteer Spotlight
• Make A Difference Day Ohio
• Medical Reserve Corps
• CNCS Releases Report about Volunteering
• Ohio Profile
• Forging New Links- Save the Date
• License Plate Update

OCSC & Corporation State Office

National Governor’s Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices Policy Academy on
Civic Engagement of Older Adults

In May 2007, Ohio was one of eight states selected through a competitive application process to participate in the NGA’s Center for Best Practices Policy Academy on Civic Engagement of Older Adults. The focus of the Policy Academy is improving the health and lives of older adults by substantially increasing the number of seniors who engage in employment and meaningful volunteer opportunities.

The NGA Policy Academy engages a state-team in the yearlong process of developing and implementing state-specific plans and measuring progress toward achieving designated outcomes. Ohio’s team, led by the Director of the Department of Aging, is composed of representatives from the Governor’s Office, Job and Family Services, Department of Development, the Board of Regents, AARP, Corporation State Office (Paul Schrader), and the Ohio Community Service Council (Kitty Burcsu).

AmeriCorps

OCSC GRANTS $6 MILLION TO
OHIO AMERICORPS PROGRAMS

The Ohio Community Service Council recently announced federal funding of over $6 million to support AmeriCorps programs for 2007-2008. Funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service will support 27 AmeriCorps programs allowing over 700 AmeriCorps members to provide direct service and get things done in communities statewide!

Organizations receiving funds include:
American Red Cross of Greater Columbus; City Year; Jumpstart for Young Children; Mercy Health Partners; Ohio University; Public Allies; Urban Appalachian Council; Advocates for Basic Legal Equality; Caritas Connection; Children’s Hunger Alliance; College Access Cincinnati Youth Collaborative; Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board; Columbus Housing Partnership; Family and Community Services; Habitat for Humanity Mid-American Region; Licking County Coalition for Housing; Ohio Department of Youth Services; Ohio State University Research Foundation; Sojourner’s Care Network; Unified Health Solutions; United Way of Greater Toledo; and YWCA Columbus.

Senior Corps

TV Station Honors Senior Corps Volunteer as a Hometown Hero

Linda McKibben is an RSVP Volunteer who has been a 4-H Advisor for the Zaleski SuperKids 4-H club for two decades. Linda was the founder of the Healthy & Safe KidsFest, a Make A Difference Day Top 10 Project in 2003 and was instrumental in helping lead the Gallia-Jackson-Vinton RSVP for which she volunteers to an Encore Award from Ohio Make A Difference Day in 2006.

WSAZ Television Anchor Surprises Linda McKibben

Another of Linda's hats is that she has been a leader in Arbor Day and Beautification projects around her community of Zaleski, in Vinton County, Ohio. Barbara Martin, Coordinator for Vinton County RSVP, decided to nominate Linda as a Hometown Hero sponsored by WSAZ. The Hometown Hero program honors local citizens who have made great contributions to their communities.

As part of the Zaleski Beautification project, Linda and her 4-H members had bought and planted many flowering pear trees each year around the town square. Plans were made to purchase a flowering pear tree to be sited in the middle of a planned tree park near the elementary school, and have Linda plant the tree and name it in her honor for the many trees she has planted which now line the Zaleski village streets. Linda was surprised by a plaque set by the new pear tree in her honor and was stunned when camera crews from WSAZ arrived to award her the Hometown Hero award.

Susan Rogers, Director of the Gallia-Jackson-Vinton RSVP & Volunteer Network Center and OCSC Member, commented on the many achievements of Mrs. McKibben. In addition to 4-H and Beautification projects, Linda is a Grandpal (tutor and mentor) to three children in the Vinton County School District and helps with other RSVP projects whenever asked. "Linda has made a life out of helping others", noted Ms. Rogers. "She exemplifies everything we would want a volunteer to be!"

Make A Difference Day Ohio Honorary Co-Chair Greetings!

Honorary Co-Chairs
Jim Tressel, Head Football Coach,
The Ohio State University,
Frances Strickland, First Lady of Ohio

Dear Fellow Ohioans:
As Honorary Co-chairs, we are proud of our many accomplishments and the continued growth of this important initiative. We urge you to make a difference in your community on MDDO 2007 – Saturday, October 27. Now is the time to begin thinking about a need in your community, start recruiting your friends, neighbors and co-workers, and organize a project. Volunteering is contagious, and we hope that even more Ohio citizens catch the spirit and take the opportunity to “pay it forward.” Please join us in making our communities, and our state, a better place to live!

Sincerely,
Frances Strickland and Jim Tressel

Promotional Materials Have Arrived!

FREE Posters, Volunteer Certificates and Project Resource Guides are now available. Download your order form at: http://www.serveohio.org/MDDO/mddo_resources.htm or e-mail connie.kramer@ocsc.state.oh.us.

Ohio Citizen Corps

September is
National Preparedness Month!
ReadyOhio Web Site Launched

The Ohio Department of Public Safety recently launched their state-focused preparedness Web site, ReadyOhio.

ReadyOhio is a one-stop Internet resource that contains information Ohioans need to prepare for all types of emergencies.

Go to www.ready.ohio.gov for links to Ready America for families, older individuals, people with
special needs, and schools; Ready Business; and weather events (FloodSmart Web site).

ReadyOhio was created in part to help promote National Preparedness Month, a nationwide
coordinated effort observed during the month of September, that encourages Americans to take
simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools.

During National Preparedness Month, Ohio Citizen Corps will join the Department of Public Safety
along with a diverse group of state and local partners in highlighting the importance of emergency preparedness and promoting community involvement through a wide variety of events and activities.

The following lists Ohio’s activities for National Preparedness Month:

Week One: Back to School and READY Kids - Kickoff events in Cuyahoga and Scioto counties

Week Two: Business Preparedness and READY Business - Kick-off event in Franklin County

September 11 - Ohio Statehouse - 11 AM to 2 PM Event honoring victims of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Governor Strickland will be speaking.

2,999 U.S. Flags, in the shape of the Twin Towers, Pentagon and the open field in PA, will cover the Ohio Statehouse lawn in honor of lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Week Three: Multi-Cultural Awareness - Kickoff event in Lucas County

Week Four: Home and Family Preparedness and READY America - Kickoff event in Butler County

The goal of ReadyOhio is to have all Ohioans be prepared for any critical incident or natural
disaster, have an emergency preparedness plan and kit, and stay informed.

Ohio Medical Reserve Corps

Touring County Fairs

MRC Display at the Miami County Fair

MRC Coordinators have been busy this summer recruiting new members at county fairs. Four MRC Display Boards are working their way around the state visiting different counties. So far this summer, the displays have visited more than 20 counties with a packed schedule continuing into September. Local units are very pleased with the look and the response from the public about the display. Pamela Walker-Bauer, MRC Coordinator for Butler County said, “The display was wonderful and we were able to recruit many volunteers.”

The National Learn & Serve Challenge
September 17-23, 2007

The National Learn & Serve Challenge is a weeklong series of local, state, and national events designed to raise awareness and public support for service-learning. It's an opportunity to:

Celebrate service-learning in schools and communities across the country. Build public support to achieve the federal benchmark to engage 5 million college students and 50 percent of America's K-12 schools in service-learning, spotlight past service-learning successes to inspire others to launch their own project, and get involved! For more information, visit:http://www.learnandserveohio.org.

A new federal report on volunteering in America's largest metropolitan areas has found that the cities with the highest levels of volunteering are focused in middle America and that home ownership rates and educational levels equate to higher volunteer rates, while long commuting times and high volunteer dropout rates have the opposite effect.

Volunteering In America: 2007 City Trends and Rankings is the first report by the Corporation for National and Community Service to take a detailed look at volunteering habits and trends at the city level. The report, based on data obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, is available at http://www.nationalservice.gov
/about/volunteering/cities.asp.

SAVE THE DATE!
Statewide Conference on Volunteerism
Forging New Links

Date: April 21-22, 2008
Location: Hyatt on Capitol Square, Columbus

Since 1981, statewide entities have joined together each spring to strengthen ideologies of volunteerism, service, learning and giving throughout Ohio. Each year, leaders in the volunteer field gather to celebrate the accomplishments of the past, strategize on the challenges of the future, and learn from one another. E-mail John at: john.poole@ocsc.state.oh.us to be added to the Forging New Links mailing list!

Nearly 50,000 people are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through 138 national service projects across Ohio.

Take Me to Ohio's Profile

The serveohio.org Web site provides a calendar of events, best practices on screening volunteers, tips on finding the right volunteer opportunity, homeland security updates, Ohio's National Service Programs, Ohio Citizen Corps, updates on legislation of interest to the field of volunteer service- and much more!

A NEW LOOK...coming soon!
Here is a preview

Click Here for a Larger Version

The Ohio Community Service Council
is an equal opportunity employer and funds programs that provide opportunities for individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to serve their communities.

Learn More About Who We Are!

Ohio Community Service Council
CNCS, Ohio Office
51 N. High Street - Suite 800
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614.728.2916
888.767.OHIO (Toll Free)