Service Challenge & Survey Reminder

Hi Boston Alums,

After looking at the preliminary results of the Boston Alums survey, we are on a mission to bring you more opportunities to serve and the chance to socialize with fellow Alums!

As you’ve probably heard by now, Americorps Week is coming up on May 9^th- 16^th. So here in Boston we are challenging all of the Alums to take the Americorps Week Challenge, and volunteer at least 1 hour between now and May 16^th.

Listed below are volunteer opportunities to help you find a place to complete your hour! Boston Shines is THIS Saturday and we are looking for alums to volunteer with the Americorps Alums group.

We’ll conclude Americorps Week by having a social at An Tain in the Financial District. That will be May 16^th at 7pm. The address is 31 India St (between Commercial St and Custom House Street) Boston, MA 02110.

Finally, if you have not yet filled out the Boston Alums survey, please take 10 minutes to give us your opinions and thoughts on the Chapter. You can take the survey here at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228X447Q2G5

We hope to see you there!

Scheduled Volunteer Opportunities:

Boston Shines

April 25^th from 10am to 2pm. Boston Shines is the Mayor’s annual neighborhood cleanup. A group of alums will all be assigned to the same project and will be meeting at the visitor center at Boston Common at 9:45am. To sign up email mohms2389@yahoo.com or call 816-203-9716. Afterwards, drinks at The Beantown Pub.

Charles River Cleanup

April 25^th from 9am-12pm. They have both drop-in sites, and sites where you need to sign up in advance. Go to http://www.crwa.org/cleanup.html for more information.

Walk for Hunger

May 3^rd –There will be a group of Alums volunteering at this event in the afternoon. If you are interested in joining us, please email us at americorpsalumsboston@gmail.com

Union Square Cleanup (through Single Volunteers Boston)

May 9^th from 10am to 2pm. Revitalize Union Square in Somerville by planting flowers and picking up trash. To signup email svbcleanup@yahoo.com. Note: You must be single to attend this event.

Walk in Volunteer Opportunities:

Bikes Not Bombs

Bikes Not Bombs works to recycle bikes and promote bicycle transportation as an alternative to environmental destruction. Every Wednesday drop in between 7pm and 10pm to help out. No experience required. For more info contact Jeremy Hanson at jeremy@bikesnotbombs.org or 617-522-0222.

Cradles to Crayons

Located in Quincy, this organization provides kids with the necessities to be safe and ready to learn. Sign up online and then show up and volunteer. Volunteers will help sort donations, and put together specific kits for individual children. Available times are Tuesday- Friday 10am to 1 pm and 1 pm to 3 pm, 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday Nights 5:30-8:30pm

http://cradlestocrayons.org/2/component/option,com_performs/Itemid,113/

Greater Boston Food Bank

Help sort food for the hungry. Fill out the volunteer application form online (http://www.gbfb.org/volunteer/INDapply.cfm and then you can volunteer as an individual on any of their Saturday shifts. Sat Mornings: 9:30-12 and Sat Afternoons 1-3:30.

Community Servings

Community Servings puts together hot, healthy meals for people suffering from AIDS. Volunteers will help prepare meals. Volunteer Orientation every Wednesday night at 6pm. For more information contact Rebecca Ober, Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator, at rober@servings.org or (617) 522-7777.

TAKE OUR SURVEY

Calling All AmeriCorps Alums in the Greater Boston Area,

We want to know what YOU want from our chapter. Please take our zoomerang survey to give us your ideas and opinions! It will only take 10 minutes of your time!

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228X447Q2G5

We look forward to hearing from you!

SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

In honor of its 10 year anniversary, the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship is coordinating its first annual statewide day of service- Opportunity to Serve. Taking place on Saturday, April 25th, in conjunction with Global Youth Service Day, Opportunity to Serve will bring together current Fellows, community partners, alumni and youth to serve at 6 designated service projects across the state. This project is supported by Youth Service America and the Massachusetts Service Alliance. The projects will take place in Adams, Lowell, Brockton, as well as three located in Boston. You can register for any of the projects here: http://www.formspring.com/forms/?574022-HupjlbEHHU

The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship believes that all young people in the Commonwealth have a right to the resources that they need to be successful in life, including a caring adult, a safe place, a healthy start, an effective education, and an opportunity to serve. We deliver these 5 promises to youth by training emerging leaders who commit one year of service to support and provide these needed resources to youth throughout the Commonwealth. For more information about the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, please visit www.masspromisefellows.org, or contact Kori Redepenning at k.redepenning@neu.edu.

Community Meeting and Paid Volunteer Opportunity

UPCOMING BOSTON ALUMS EVENTS

Calling all Boston AmeriCorps Alums:

We will be having an all Alums community meeting on April 15, 2009 from 6:30-8:00 pm at Northeastern’s Curry Student Center, Room 322. Whether you're an active member or a newcomer, this gathering is a great opportunity to connect with other area alums and get involved with social events, service projects, professional development, and however you want to make the most of your lifetime of service.

Email us at americorpsalumsboston@gmail.com for more information!

Paid ($$) Volunteer Opportunity:

A fellow Alum is managing volunteers for a great event called the Green Apple Music Festival, taking place between April 17 and 19^th. The Festival runs environmental service projects in 10 cities that weekend and each city hosts a free celebration concert at the end of the weekend!

Our fellow Alum, Jody Wilhelm, needs to recruit 25 Volunteer Coordinators, and AmeriCorps alums are perfect because of our service project experience. VC's serve as the service project hosts, greeting people, speaking about the music festival, etc. In exchange, VC's receive $50 and free admission into the celebration concert at the Paradise Rock Club on April 19. And, you can volunteer to coordinate more than one project, receiving an additional $50! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. For more information, contact Jody at jody.wilhelm@gmail.com. You can also check out more about the festival at www.greenapplemusicfestival.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2231449160

AMERICORPS ALUMS: www.americorpsalums.org