What Is the Deal With that GIVE Basketball?!

Have you seen this ball?

Not just rolling down the street, but in pictures and posts on the BVU GIVE Facebook wall?  Maybe you’ve seen it getting dirty at our Power in Dirt event?

Maybe you’ve seen it hanging out at Mustang Alley’s with BVU’s GIVErs?

Or maybe you’ve even seen the ball with Raven’s mascot, Poe!

And you are probably wondering…  What’s the Deal With the Ball!?? 

Well, the ball is just one of the fun (and quirky) aspects of the GIVE program! The ball circulates throughout the class during the year to promote the program and to allow the classmates to connect with one another outside of events.The GIVE basketball is a symbol of the classmates’ commitment to the Program and civic leadership for the community.

It’s a great way to inspire others to get involved in the community by sharing our stories and our connection to GIVE!   So, if you do happen to see someone with that signature green and white ball, don’t be shy!  Go up to them and ask them about their GIVE experience!  See if you can take a creative picture with the ball and post it to Facebook, too!   And be sure to check out the GIVE Facebook page to see who has already posted a photo of the ball!

Power in Dirt! GIVE Class Volunteers to Celebrate Earth Day 2012!

 

*This blog post by guest blogger, Carrie L. Stockwell, a BVU GIVE Advisory Board Member.

To celebrate Earth Day 2012, on Saturday, April 21st, GIVE volunteers teamed up with Parks and People and Harlem Park Elementary School to help create the Harlem Park/Sandtown Community Garden.    The community garden is spearheaded by the Harlem Park Elementary school and involves several partners and the whole community.   Previously the site was several vacant abandoned city lots, and is now being transformed into a garden space for students and community members to enjoy.  

Each student in the school will have the opportunity to visit and work in the garden, which will be used as an outdoor classroom.  Beyond the school, the garden also will bring together both the Harlem Park and Sandtown neighborhoods.  

Approximately 50 GIVE and community volunteers joined together to dig in (literally digging in the garden beds!), meet new friends, work up a sweat, and have some fun!  

BVU’s GIVE program raises awareness among the next generation of civic leaders about the growing need for volunteerism in Greater Baltimore. GIVE is a ten month program that educates and engages classmates on key community issues, inspires them to make a meaningful difference in Baltimore, and develops the necessary skills for success.

Last Saturday’s effort was also part of the broader “Power in Dirt” movement happening across Baltimore City.  Started by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the goal of this “Power in Dirt” program is to revitalize vacant lots in some of the most blighted areas of Baltimore. This is done through volunteers who donate their time and energy to work on these lots, while “Power in Dirt” makes it easier to leverage additional resources and get through different levels of legal “red tape” that could hinder the revitalization process.

Several community members and their families joined with GIVE Volunteers to dig in and revitalize the space.  Volunteers built picnic tables and raised garden beds, prepared the site and installed garden beds, mulched trees and shrubs, and weeded and cleaned the site.

When asked what was most memorable about the day, the GIVE volunteers said meeting and working alongside the community members and their families.   One community volunteer remarked, “This is truly great.  I look out at this lot from my window every morning, and it is wonderful to have so many volunteers here helping to turn the space into something beautiful.”

Millenials & Volunteering! A BVU Lunch & Learn for the Ages!

“Millenials”   “Generation Y”  “Echo Boomers”

These are just a few of the terms used to describe the generational group that was born roughly between the years 1982 and 2000.  There are approximately 80 million Millenials!

On Thursday, April 12th, BVU (with the help of a GIVE Advisory Board member, Ricky Adams) hosted one of its Volunteer Management Lunch & Learn sessions to discuss “Demystifying the Millenial Volunteer.”  While not technically a GIVE class event, it is certainly a relevant topic for our mostly-Millenial GIVE class, and quite a few members of the GIVE Board and class were in attendance. The audience consisted largely of volunteer managers at various nonprofits, interested in recruiting and attracting this younger generation of volunteers.

The event featured two speakers: Tiffany S. Franc, Esq., a Millenial attorney who is extremely active in the community, and me, Emily Alt, a Generation Xer who works at a private foundation.  Tiffany and I gave the audience several pieces of advice for attracting and retaining Millenial volunteers, including the following:

Use Their Skills.  Many Millenials are looking for a volunteer experience beyond manual labor or days of service.  They want to use their skills and knowledge in a meaningful way.  They are technologically savvy, which makes them perfect candidates for managing social media and marketing efforts for a nonprofit.

Teach Them New Skills.  Some volunteers would prefer to do something other than their current careers, and they want to use the opportunity to explore a different skill or get involved in new way.

Be Transparent.  Millenials appreciate knowing exactly what they are getting themselves into when they sign up for something.  They want to know who they are helping, where and why- and they would prefer to find that information on an organization’s website.  They want to have a personal connection and understand how they will be making a difference. 

Recruit Them in Groups.  Millenials are known for traveling in packs, and they often prefer working in a team or as a group.   They will be most comfortable attending an event at which they will know someone.

Emphasize Networking.  There’s nothing wrong with admitting that volunteers get a lot out of volunteering- and one of those things is networking!  Millenials are in the early stages of careers, or they are job-hunting- and there is nothing more valuable to them than networking.

Listen to Them.  Millenials are often described as the generation that needs to feel important and special, so it is important to listen and be actively engaged with these volunteers.  Find out what they are interested in and be responsive to their needs and questions.

After the speakers, we broke up into smaller groups to have discussions about more specific problems that some of the volunteer managers faced in their interactions with this demographic.  When we came back together to share insights, a few common threads emerged.

The difficulty that most groups reported was not in recruiting Millenial volunteers, but in retaining them.  This generation is all about self-exploration and trying new things, but is not necessarily looking to commit to one experience for a long-term engagement.   One group suggested that organizations accept that the Millenial volunteer might not be there for the long haul, and find ways to best use their resources with that expectation in mind.  This would allow the Millenial volunteer to try out different opportunities without feeling unwanted pressure to commit. 

I couldn’t help but think about BVU’s GIVE program- I would venture to guess that one reason the GIVE program has been so successful with Millenials, is because it provides so many of the things that Millenials really look for:  the activities are all in groups, there is variety and exposure to many different ways to volunteer, and networking is a huge advantage to the program.

Kicking Off National Volunteer Week By “Doing Something!” for Baltimore!

It’s National Volunteer Week, and BVU celebrated by hosting one of its signature “Do Something!” events in Baltimore on Monday.  BVU, or Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland, has been hosting “Do Something!” events since 2006.  The events are dedicated to celebrating service, connecting citizens who care about the community, and highlighting opportunities for volunteerism.  At this “Do Something!”, more than 20 local nonprofits were set up at tables to talk to participants about local volunteer opportunities available to them, in a format that has been compared to “volunteer speed dating.”  

Attendees were given time to walk around and talk with representatives from each of the nonprofits.  The participating organizations ranged from the Maryland SPCA, to the Baltimore Curriculum Project, to Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. 

Baltimore is already an actively engaged city, according to Kelly Hodge-Williams, BVU’s Executive Director.  In her introductory remarks, Hodge-Williams noted that out of 51 large U.S. cities, Baltimore ranks 14th in terms of volunteering, and that approximately 30% of Baltimore’s population volunteers each year! 

After the attendees heard from Hodge-Williams and from a representative from the event’s sponsor, OneMain Financial, it was time for the keynote speech from Paul Schmitz. 

Schmitz started off by commenting on the amazing space in which the event was held.  The American Visionary Arts Museum is one of Baltimore’s most unique treasures- known for celebrating non-traditional artistic expression, and is located right along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.  The Museum’s celebration of innovative perspective and accessibility made it a fitting backdrop for Schmitz’ message (and his book with the same title): Everyone Leads. 

Schmitz is the national CEO of Public Allies, an organization whose mission is to advance new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.  The theme of his keynote message was his conviction that everyone has the ability to lead- and that lasting social change must come from the acts of many, not just the inspiration of a few.     

Schmitz talked about 5 core values critical for people who want to create social change.  The one that resonated most for me was “Continuous Learning.”  Part of his concept of continuous learning is having an understanding of your own strengths as well as weaknesses.  He used the analogy that each person is like a glass that is both half-full and half-empty, and that it is important to have the humility to recognize your own emptiness.  He also stressed the value of learning from failures- having the strength to own your failures and to create the space in which to discuss them. 

But his message was about more than just knowing your own emptiness and failure- it was about seeing the fullness of others and developing those around you to lead with you.  He used many examples of unlikely leaders with humble beginnings and of architects of great social change whose names we may have never heard.  It may have been his telling of his own story that did the most to get his message across to the audience.   Schmitz talked openly about his own struggles growing up with addiction and depression, and how some might have seen him as an unlikely candidate to become a leader.  You can learn more about Schmitz and his organization, Public Allies, by clicking here. 

It was an amazing way to kick off National Volunteer Week!  This event introduced civic-minded individuals to specific ways they could volunteer and have an impact on their community, and ideally also inspired them to see their own potential to lead and to build other leaders around them.

BVU’s GIVE Program is Getting Dirty To Make a Difference!

 

Young Professionals Get Dirty to Make a Difference

BVU’s GIVE Program Partners with Parks & People to Build Outdoor Classroom

 

Baltimore, MD – (April 12, 2012) – On Saturday, April 21^st, nearly forty young professionals in BVU’s GIVE Program will lead a volunteer project to build an outdoor classroom for Harlem Park Elementary/Middle School. With shovels in hand ready to clean, dig, and build, volunteers will renovate a trash-ridden lot on W. Lafayette Avenue constructing picnic tables, building raised beds for a community garden, and planting trees and flowers to beautify the space.  Through the combined efforts of GIVE, the Parks & People Foundation, the Mayor’s stepUP! Baltimore initiative and Harlem Park Elementary, the empty lot will become a community space of sustainability and healthy living.

 

This collaborative effort to create a life-breathing space for Harlem Park Elementary and the surrounding community was made possible by a neighborhood greening grant from Baltimore City which will be used to purchase construction materials for the project. Resources to level the lot will be provided by Power in Dirt, one of the Mayor’s stepUP! Baltimore initiatives to revitalize vacant lots in some of the most blighted areas of the city. Tools and oversight for the project will be supplied by Parks & People, which is committed to providing environmental education opportunities to children and building parks in Baltimore communities.

 

The project is more than a day of service or an opportunity to play in the dirt. It is an opportunity to build relationships within the community and create a more dynamic neighborhood for students, parents and residents of Harlem Park. 

 

Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU) Maryland’s GIVE program is designed to raise awareness among the next generation of civic leaders about the growing need for volunteerism in Greater Baltimore. GIVE (Getting Involved in Volunteer Experience)is a ten month program that cultivates civic leaders to build better communities. To learn more about BVU or BVU’s GIVE Program, please visit www.bvumaryland.org or call 410-366-6030.

# # #

 

If you would like more information about this project or BVU’s GIVE Program, please contact Nicole Bowens at 410-366-6030 or nbowens@bvumaryland.org.

 

 

 

Meet a GIVE Advisory Board Member: Seth Franz

Meet Seth Franz, a member of the GIVE class of 2011, and a current Advisory Board member!

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I am from Baltimore and have spent my entire life here besides the years I spent at The University of Wisconsin for college. I do commercial real estate brokerage for Thornhill Properties. I love playing and watching sports and I love the local teams. The Ravens and Orioles have enough of an impact on my mental state and overall well-being that it can sometimes be a little embarrassing. I love to travel and I enjoy spending time with my friends and family.

How did you initially get involved in GIVE?

I am good friends with Rachel Shuster, who worked for BVU and ran the GIVE program up until this year. She told me all about the program and it was something that appealed to me. I had been looking to volunteer in Baltimore and this was the perfect opportunity. GIVE also allowed me to connect to other professionals in the area and allowed me to learn more about many of the nonprofits in Baltimore.

What are some of your most memorable experiences from your year as a classmate in the GIVE program?

My most memorable moment was definitely seeing our class project come together so well. When you have 40 people working to put together an event as ambitious as ours with a budget as limited as ours, it was really rewarding to see how everything went. We were all a little uncertain about how it would go and I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations. It was so fulfilling to know that we all worked together to create this event that ultimately raised over $25,000 for BVU.

Are you on any boards now as a result of the GIVE program?

Not any currently, but I have been approached about increasing my involvement with certain nonprofits and sitting on their board or on one of their committees. It has to be the right situation and I need to make sure I am committing to something about which I am passionate before I really pour myself into it, but I am looking forward to sitting on a board in the near future.

How do you think the GIVE program shaped/framed your future volunteering experiences and involvement?

The GIVE program provides access to and opportunities with so many important nonprofits in and around Baltimore. Through volunteering with many of these organizations, I have gotten a look at what they do, who they serve and many other operational considerations relating to the nonprofit. Every time I volunteer with BVU, I find that I am more driven to seek out other volunteer opportunities on my own.

Tell me why you think more young professionals should volunteer?

Volunteering is a civic responsibility for all people no matter their age. The real reason to volunteer is that there are people who rely on the work of volunteers. They need us. It is important to feel a connection to your community and it is important to make a difference in the lives of other people.

What drives you to give back to the community?

Baltimore is where I live, work, and play. I take a lot of pride in being from Baltimore and I know that I have to give back to my community if I want to make Baltimore a better place for myself and everyone else who lives or passes through here.

What are one or two of your favorite things about Baltimore?

Tailgating for Ravens games and going to Ravens games. I am so happy when I’m in that stadium.

BVU’s GIVE Volunteers with Meals on Wheels!

Today I had the pleasure of volunteering with the BVU GIVE class for  Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland- what an awesome experience!

Everyone probably has some idea about Meals on Wheels and what they do, but I learned more today about the scope and impact that they have on so many peoples’ lives!

When we arrived, we were greeted warmly by Ellen Falk, the Director of Services, who introduced us to the organization and how it works.  She explained that we would be prepping food to be cooked that week by the full-time kitchen staff before delivery- the meals are freshly made every single weekday for delivery of over 800,000 meals a year!

After we were issued our hair nets and plastic aprons, we were put into smaller groups in the kitchen to do various prep tasks. Some of the things we did included:

• Putting 8 different types of side dishes into styrofoam cups to be included with meals- this team prepped over 1,600 cups!

• Preparing condiment packs- we prepped over 20 racks full!

• Prepping frozen lasagna roll-ups to be cooked- we prepped 3,050 roll-ups!

• Prepping frozen drumsticks for cooking- we prepped 5,000 drumsticks!

• Our team also prepped 750 rolls, and over 300 portions of sliced chicken!

Ellen estimated that what we did today was probably equivalent to a day and a half of work by their full-time staff!

Meals on Wheels is an incredible organization- not only do they provide meals to homebound individuals, but they also sometimes provide company- for more than 1/4 of the people served, the meal delivery is the only human contact they may have that day.  The average age of the people they serve is 77 years old- and get this- the average age of their delivery drivers is also 77 years old!

There are so many ways to get involved with Meals on Wheels and volunteer- you can grocery shop for homebound individuals, pack meals, deliver dog or cat food for pet owners, or become a volunteer delivery driver.  One of BVU’s GIVE Advisory Board members, Dan Gugliuzza, already donates his time and makes deliveries one day a month for Meals on Wheels.

At the end of the day, I reflected on how much I gain from each BVU GIVE Volunteer experience.  Not only did I get to spend some of my free time doing something for people who really need the help, but I got to meet and talk with my fellow GIVE classmates and Board Members- who are such an extraordinary and diverse group of people.  I got to meet Ellen Falk, who is an absolute delight- she is chock-full of hilarious, interesting and heart-warming stories about the people she serves.  I got to see an amazing kitchen and meet some of the dedicated staff who somehow coordinate delivery of one hot and one cold fresh, nutritious and delicious meal to 1,500 homebound individuals every day.

But perhaps most importantly, I was inspired to volunteer myself!  I have already reached out to Meals on Wheels to figure out the best way for me to get involved.  Maybe after reading this, you will, too!!  You can click here to find out how to volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

If you are looking for other ways to volunteer, please consider BVU’s Do Something! event on April 16th at the American Visionary Arts Museum.  You can read more about it and register here.