Support Efforts to Make the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax-Free

Voices for National Service and AmeriCorps Alums are spearheading a joint letter in support of H.R. 1596, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act, which would exclude the award from consideration as gross income, ensuring recipients can use the its full value to support their educational pursuits. The joint letter – which [...]

As Poverty Rates Rise, Michigan Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTAs Work to Get Things Done

One could argue that there has never been a more important time to become an AmeriCorps *VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). VISTAs are individuals who dedicate a year of their life to eradicating poverty—these volunteers pledge to “get things done for America.” As poverty and unemployment rates have climbed sky-high nationwide, VISTAs have worked [...]

Member Perspective: Volunteer Centers Continue United We Serve Momentum

As a new AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader, serving at the Volunteer Centers of Michigan (VCM), I am just beginning to learn about the work done by the different volunteer centers and more specifically, the work of the other AmeriCorps*VISTA members placed within specific start up and expansion centers across Michigan. Volunteer Centers continually work to promote [...]

Service for a Year and for Life

At the end of December, we all take a moment to reflect on the year past and set goals for the year coming. We acknowledge goals accomplished, mourn for the ones lost and are hopeful for the year to come. Reflection is an important part of life, and if done with deep intentions, has the [...]

Will “All for Good” be Good for All?

Those seeking to share volunteer opportunities with others have a multitude of options when it comes to the use of technology. Over the past several years, I’ve seen service opportunities posted via VolunteerMatch, Volunteer Solutions, 1-800-Volunteer, Idealist, Network for Good and even Craig’s List. Nonprofit organizations have invested in software and web site development using [...]

United We Serve

Today the White House launches United We Serve, a new service initiative calling all Americans to join in a summer of service to culminate with a National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. United We Serve not only calls Americans to serve, but brings an opportunity for the nonprofits to create and [...]

AmeriCorps – Getting Things Done

It is an exciting time for AmeriCorps. Saturday, May 9 kicked off the third annual National AmeriCorps Week – a recruitment and recognition initiative to bring more Americans into service, salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their powerful impact, and thank the community partners who make AmeriCorps possible. It also provides an opportunity [...]

Voices for Service

National service and volunteering is now all the rage, but it certainly wasn’t always that way. When I was mentored into the nonprofit sector around national service in 1993, national service was also all the rage. However, in just nine short years, what was a national movement, almost became a note in history.

The [...]

Reflections on the MLK Day of Service 2009

Last weekend, staff members from Michigan Nonprofit Association answered the call to serve on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, joining an estimated over one million Americans who made it a day on and not a day off.
The Corporation for National and Community Service officially deemed MLK Day of Service 2009 as [...]

What’s Your Pledge?

The presidential inauguration represents a new beginning and certainly stirs up hopes and dreams of what is to come. It’s thrilling to see the number of excited people on the national mall, and apparent stopping of time today, people seeming to really take a moment of pause to think about how our country will be [...]