AmeriCorps Week 2013 - March 9-17, 2013

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"Each year during AmeriCorps Week, we recognize the commitment of AmeriCorps members and alums by highlighting the extraordinary impact AmeriCorps makes across our nation every day. This year, AmeriCorps Week will take place March 9-17, 2013.

AmeriCorps Week is a time to salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their service, thank AmeriCorps community partners, and communicate AmeriCorps impact on communities and on the lives of those who serve.

This year's theme, AmeriCorps Works, reflects AmeriCorps triple bottom line return on investment -- for the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation.

Hundreds of events are taking place across the United States service projects, recruitment fairs, school presentations, alumni gatherings, awards ceremonies, and more."

For more information on AmeriCorps Week, please visit AmeriCorpsWeek.gov.

Serve Illinois Partner Service Projects

Across Illinois, AmeriCorps Members give a year of service to their community. In honor of AmeriCorps Week, each program will also be hosting a special service project(s). If you would like your project added to this list, please email us. Learn more about AmeriCorps programs in Illinois.

Special note: Before attending these service projects, please contact the person listed for that project to ensure times or locations have not changed.

Project	Project Description	Organization & Contact Person	Date, Time, & Location	Number & Types of Volunteers Needed
AmeriCorps Week Food Drive –“Hunger Doesn’t Take a Spring Break”	Rend Lake College AmeriCorps group will be hosting a food drive on campus on March 5-7 to benefit our site elementary schools. We will be asking for pantry items such as canned goods, as well as boxed items such as cereals, granola bars, pastas, and other boxed foods. We will then take the donations and make bags to deliver to our site schools on March 11-13 for them to disperse to their students in need to take home with them during their spring break week.	Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps Rend Lake College Leah Conner Phone:618-437-5321	March 5-7, 2013 March 5 – 11am-3pm March 6 – 11am-3pm March 7 – 11am-12pm Rend Lake College 468 North Ken Gray Parkway Ina, IL	N/A
A Backpack of Nutritious Snacks!	Our team received backpacks donated by New student Programs at SIU. We will fill the backpack with healthy snacks and kid friendly recipes to be given to a dozen children who participate in the Jackson-Perry County Big Brother Big Sister program. The AmeriCorps members will also include an encouraging note in each bag for the child about staying in school and fun activities to be healthy. The children do not have access to healthy snacks during the weekend and we hope this backpack will tide them over a weekend.	Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps – Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Mythili Rundblad Phone:618-453-5714	March 9, 2013 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL	N/A
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Conference	A weekend retreat for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Activities provided by ABC AmeriCorps for children age 4 and older on Saturday, March 9.	ABC AmeriCorps Lisa Peck Phone:815-835-6313	March 9, 2013 8am-4pm Reynoldswood Christian Camp 621 Reynoldswood Rd Dixon, IL	N/A
Bear Tie Ball Set Up	Set up for the Bear Tie Ball event taking place that evening. Volunteers will be given individual tasks to complete for set up.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 9, 2013 9am-12pm Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation UIC Forum 725 W. Roosevelt Rd Chicago, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Service Project	An AmeriCorps Member will conduct several projects on Millikin’s Campus. Saturday - Clean up the local Red Cross Monday and Tuesday – Information tables Wednesday - Domestic abuse event with for Women’s History Month. Thursday – Project with United Way Friday - Carnival with Big Brothers Big Sisters for the wait listed children.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 9-15, 2013 Milliken University Decatur, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Works	Our members serve in teams of 3 at each site. In their site teams, members will work together to create different events at their site that will promote AmeriCorps. Examples are: presenting on AmeriCorps in their classes, creating an informational bulletin board for students and staff, make a short power point or visual presentation to be shown on the monitors at the schools and invite former members to come in and talk to the students about what they are doing and how AmeriCorps helped them get there. Members will be encouraged to wear their AmeriCorps gear during the week.	Project YES! Yasmin Rodriguez Phone:773-969-5578	March 9-17, 2013 Chicago, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Presentation	Members of the Illinois Public Health Association AmeriCorps Program will be conducting presentations to community partners about how the program ‘works’ in their community. Members will also create displays to promote the IPHA AmeriCorps program and AmeriCorps in general. Members currently serving a second term with the IPHA AmeriCorps program will assist the Program Director with a 10 year program anniversary project.	Illinois Public Health Association Jennifer Hopper Phone:217-522-5687	March 9-17, 2013 Various	N/A
Book Drive	Members will collect books at service sites to donate to Open Books or Public Libraries.	Illinois JusticeCorps Stacey Jonas Phone:312-914-9521	March 10-15, 2013 Chicago, IL	N/A
7th Annual Volunteer & Recruitment Information Fair at James R. Thompson Center	Literacy Volunteers of Illinois will promote National Service; highlight the work of our VOCAL AmeriCorps members to the general public with the hope of recruiting new members and volunteers. Members will also provide information and materials on the programs and services offered at their host agency.	Literacy Volunteers of Illinois -- VOCAL AmeriCorps Chamala Travis Phone:312-857-1582	March 11, 2013 9am – 4pm James R. thompson Center 100 W Randolph St Chicago, IL	N/A
Open House	The Springfield Urban League, Inc. will use AmeriCorps Week to host several open houses and showcase the work of the AmeriCorps Members and how they are addressing the needs of the community. The program will also use this opportunity for the After School programs to nominate a community partner to serve as a “Honorary Member” for a day in each of the host sites. This will give our community partners a chance to get a deeper appreciation for the AmeriCorps program.	Springfield Urban League, Inc. Candace Silas Phone:217-544-0873 ext. 1801	March 11-15, 2013 Springfield, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Takes on McHenry County	Monday- we will collect food donations from drop off centers and go door to door to canvas for donations followed by an open house at the Mental Health Board Tuesday- we will partner with the youth and staff at Garden Quarter to clean up their neighborhood park Wednesday – we will collect books from the drop off centers and go door to door to canvas for donations followed by an open house at the Mental Health Board Thursday – we will collect necessities to send to the troops from drop off centers and go door to door to canvas for donations Friday- the members and staff with pack up the donations from the previous days to send to the designated centers	AmeriCorps of McHenry County Ashley Stanek Phone:815-788-4385	March 11-15, 2013 McHenry County Mental Health Board 620 Dakota St Crystal Lake, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Works: Schuler Impact	At each of our partner high schools, members will post AmeriCorps posters, quotes, facts, and personal reflections about their service and its impact. Members are encouraged to make daily loud speaker announcements about AmeriCorps and will host an info/ Q and A session (open to the entire school and staff)on one of the days. Members will also have tables set up with brochures, fact sheets, and AmeriCorps promotional items.	Schuler Scholar Program Amanda Marshall Phone:847-942-6056	March 11-15, 2013 Lake Forest, IL	N/A
Project Hope	This project will target the renovation of a home that was donated to our agency. With the help of retired carpenters, skilled laborers, future program participants, volunteers, and AmeriCorps members, we will come together for those in need. Upon completion of the facility, it will be named, “Project Hope." The facility will provide a safe and caring environment that serves the homeless population by offering temporary housing to displaced men, striving to obtain permanent supportive housing and social services that will empower the individual to achieve their greatest level of becoming self-sufficient.	Lessie Bates AmeriCorps East St. Louis Tenille Traylor or Denise Beard Phone:618-271-2522	March 11-15, 2013 East St. Louis, IL	8 skilled volunteers
AmeriCorps for a Day / Access the Experience	We will be doing a weeklong volunteer awareness and recruitment drive with the help of a local radio station, as well as recruiting a local radio DJ to help us with the Access the Experience event on Tuesday. On Tuesday, March 12th we will participate in the annual Access the Experience Event. There we will provide accommodations to people with special needs so everyone can have a chance to participate in the basketball themed activities held as part of the annual IHSA March Madness events at the Peoria Civic Center. The DJ will share his experiences of being an AmeriCorps Member for a day with listeners on-air and via the station’s social media (i.e. Facebook, website). On Wednesday, March 13th we will kick off our spring/summer recruitment at a local youth job fair at the Peoria Public Library.	Children’s Home Association of Illinois - Fostering Transitions Natalie Salawage Phone:309-687-7428	March 11-15, 2013 8am –1pm Peoria, IL	N/A
Annual Week of Service	Public Allies Chicago will participate in 6 unique service opportunities during AmeriCorps week. Participants will be implementing beautification projects, packing/providing food to those in need, leading recreational activities for seniors, and sprucing up a high school for a brighter learning environment for students & teachers.	Public Allies Chicago Phone:312-229-1302	March 11-16, 2013 MGR Foundation, CleanSlate, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Irving Park YMCA, South Chicago YMCA, and Global Citizenship Experience High School Chicago, IL	25
I CAN help. Food drive	Metropolis Elementary School will has a food drive to support the community.	Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps – Rend Lake College Natalie Souders Phone:618-645-3136	March 11-22, 2013 Metropolis Elementary School 1015 Filmore St Metropolis, IL	N/A
Food Drive	All elementary schools in Marion Unit 2 School District, in addition to Marion Junior High will conduct a school wide food drive. Each classroom will be collecting food and competing for a pizza party. All food will be donated to the Marion Ministerial Alliance.	Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps – John A. Logan College Lauralyn Cima Phone:618-985-3741 ext. 8303	March 11-25, 2013 Marion Schools Marion, IL	N/A
GRO Grow Day	We are planning to prepare the GRO garden at Hurricane Baptist Church in Herrin, IL for a year of success. We are planning to till the garden site, build raised beds with recycled lumber, fill the beds with donated compost, create paths between the beds with donated wood chips and plant seeds and seedling food crops.	Lutheran Social Services of IL Prisoner and Family Ministry Glen Rizzie Phone:270-845-1167	March 12, 2013 9am – 1pm Hurricane Baptist Church 505 S 22nd St Herrin, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Presentation	Hannah Adeponu will present to the Clark County Development Organization about AmeriCorps and her service as an AmeriCorps member in Martinsville, Illinois.	Western Illinois University Peace Corps Fellows Program Hannah Adeponu Phone:217-382-4202	March 12, 2013 Clark County Developmental Organization 15493 N. Highway 1 Marshall, IL	N/A
Franklin Neighborhood Community Association/ Franklin School’s ISAT Walk and Talk	During ISAT week, the FNCA asks community members to walk with students before the school day starts. Every year, one morning is designated for AmeriCorps.	Belleville AmeriCorps Ashley Nail Phone:618-233-1710	March 13, 2013 7:45am-8:30am Franklin School 301 North 2nd Street Belleville, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Presentation - Lyons Township High School	AmeriCorps Member will do a small informal presentation in the college/career center for those that are interested in AmeriCorps. The Member will be showing a PowerPoint and discussing AmeriCorps. This will also give students a chance to talk one on one with me. Afterwards an information table will be set up by the lunchroom.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 13, 2013 10am-1pm Lyons Township High School 100 South Brainard Ave La Grange, IL	N/A
Food Repack Session	The majority of the food that the Food Depository receives needs something to be done with it: repacking bulk product to individual/family size, assembling boxes with assorted food, checking expiration dates, labeling product, gleaning products, etc. While projects are determined based on warehouse needs, all repack sessions are spent in the warehouse.	Greater Chicago Food Depository, PCC, Public Allies, American Red Cross, and South Suburban Training and Rehabilitation Services (SouthSTAR Services) Adam McGriffin Phone:773-843-7281	March 13, 2013 1pm-4pm The Greater Chicago Food Depository 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place Chicago, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Presentation - Super 7	Super 7 is an organization that works with at risk girls to help improve their study skills and life skills in general. An AmeriCorps Member will give them a presentation on what AmeriCorps is and what it can do for their future and present emergency preparedness or safety information as well.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 13, 2013 3pm-4pm Super 7 2908 W. Washington Chicago, IL	N/A
Compassion Wagon Outreach	Members will participate in a clothing give away.	Lutheran Social Services of Illinois – Prisoner and Family Ministry Michele Graham Phone:618-535-4063	March 14, 2013 1pm-5pm East St. Louis, IL	N/A
Lucky Charm Cocktail Reception	Lawrence Hall Youth Services provides housing, education, treatment, and care for children in situations that have removed them from their biological families and/or foster care. Their Lucky Charm Cocktail Hour supports fundraising for their programming. Volunteers will assist in the event: registering attendees, facilitating the raffle, serving food.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 14, 2013 4pm-8pm Lawrence Hall Youth Services 4833 N. Francisco Chicago, IL	N/A
Money Bonanza	This AmeriCorps Week, UIC AmeriCorps Project MORE is proud to present....Money Bonanza! Families will participate in financial literacy centered arts & crafts, and activities. Activities will range from child friendly Jeopardy questions with a focus on finances to making your own piggy bank . The event will enhance children and family members' knowledge on spending money effectively, saving and budgeting. The focus of the event is to provide financial literacy for economically disadvantaged children and adults. This event will serve as the precursor to Project MORE's Financial Literacy Initiative for Parents (FLIP) Money Week Workshops taking place in April. Thank you to our community partners who collaborated on this event!	Project MORE Jennifer Jones Phone:312-355-4227	March 15, 2013 Chicago, IL	N/A
Shamrocks for Kids- Tag Days	Help support the boys and girls of Mercy Home through shamrocks for kids tag days campaign. AmeriCorps Members are volunteering to distribute mercy shamrocks in the south loop on different bridges. Each Shamrock that has been distributed represents a donation has been made to Mercy Home.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 15, 2013 7:30am-10:30am Mercy Home for Boys and Girls 1140 W. Jackson Blvd Chicago, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Presentation – Illini West	AmeriCorps Member will give a to high school seniors about the AmeriCorps program, the benefits of service and ways that they can be involved.	Safe Families IL AmeriCorps Program – American Red Cross Martin Makowski Phone:312-296-1608	March 15, 2013 9am-10am Illini West High School 600 Miller Street Carthage, IL	N/A
Phillips Teacher Selection Day	Current Members will speak with potential teachers about their experiences working with children in high needs areas.	Academy for Urban School Leadership Kara Intrieri Phone:312-301-6512	March 16, 2013 8am –1pm Phillips Academy High School 244 East Pershing Road Chicago, IL	N/A
17th Street Corridor Neighborhood Association – Recycling Project	17th Street Corridor Neighborhood Association will have a recycling project at 1417 N 17th Street Belleville, 62226. Project includes packing recyclables and preparing them for shipment.	Belleville AmeriCorps Rachel Jackson-Bramwell Phone:618-698-7122	March 16, 2013 9am 1417 N 17th Street Belleville, IL	N/A
AmeriCorps Service Week	Volunteers are the backbone of Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry, participating in every aspect of their operations. In order to serve the approximately 140-210 hungry families each week, the Food Pantry schedules volunteer for tasks ranging from stocking shelves, to rescuing food at local grocery stores, to serving clients at weekly food distributions.	West Suburban PADS Theresa Curran Phone:708-338-1724 ext. 222	March 16, 2013 9am – 1:30pm Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry First United Church of Oak Park, Lower Level 848 Lake Street Oak Park, IL	N/A
Adopt a Highway Clean-up	Clean-up of the Belleville AmeriCorps Adopt a Highway Trail in Belleville. Our section starts at the Shop n' Save (4201 North Belt West Belleville, IL) and ends at Belleville Honda (2100 North Belt West, Belleville, IL 62226). Belleville AmeriCorps will provide: gloves, safety vests and trash bags. Meet at 11am in the parking lot of Shop n' Save.	Belleville AmeriCorps Abdul Ursani Phone:618-641-5711	March 16, 2013 11am-1pm Franklin School 4201 North Belt West Belleville, IL	N/A
Imagine Englewood If	Painting and cleaning the facility - some youth from the organization may also be present, so there may be some time to coach and work side by side with them during the day!	Teach for America Elizabeth Terry Phone:312-254-1000 ext. 19316	March 16, 2013 1pm – 4pm Imagine Englewood If 730 W. 69th Street Chicago, IL	25
Beautify Chicago Vocational Career Academy	On Saturday, March 16, 2013, volunteers will join City Year Chicago in a day of service to salute AmeriCorps members around the nation. We will honor AmeriCorps’ longstanding mission of giving back through physical service projects such as painting murals and building benches, bookshelves, and/or cubbies. For this event we are proud to partner with one of our first-year partnership schools, Chicago Vocational Career Academy (CVCA), located in the Avalon Park Community. CVCA is a CPS high school recently turned around by the CPS Office of School Improvement and works with 880 students grades 9-12. As a vocational career academy, the school offers a Education-to-Career (ETC) curriculum, allowing students to select a specific area of study from a particular school. For example, a student might select their primary work to stem from the School of Construction and Manufacturing or the School of Transportation. In addition to ETC, the school houses a competitive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program for students exploring careers in these particular fields. Demographically, CVCA has a 97% African-American population, with 86.8% of its students classified as low-income. Serving at CVCA will not only help strengthen the AmeriCorps network but create a more engaging learning community for its students, staff, and faculty.	City Year & Asian Human Services Andrea Serrano Phone:312-423-7170	March 17, 2013 9am – 3pm Chicago Vocational Career Academy 2100 E 87th St Chicago, IL	100
Book Buddies	Book Buddies at the Northlake Public Library in Northlake, IL is hosting Jumpstart’s Book Buddies event on March 17 from 2:00-3:00pm for children PreK-3rd grade. Volunteers from the community will be reading with children in small groups and then participating in craft activities that support and strengthen literacy skills in children.	Jumpstart for Young Children Jennifer Swezey Phone:312-867-7287	March 17, 2013 2pm – 3pm Northlake Public Library 231 N Wolf Rd Northlake, IL	5
AmeriCorps Can-tastic Southern Illinois Food Drive	We will be holding a food drive at the Shawnee Community College in Ullin, IL during the month of March. All food collected will be donated to the Karnak food pantry which, in turn, will be distributed as part of the Southern 7 food co-operative. This food co-operative distributes food to all food pantries in the southern 7 counties of Illinois.	Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps Jodie Delaney Phone:618-634-2231	March, 2013 Shawnee Community College 8364 Shawnee College Rd Ullin, IL	N/A

To have your project added to this list, please call 800-592-9896 or email us.

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AmeriCorps Week 2013 - March 9-17, 2013

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