Activistas

Summer of Service for the 13-21 YO's Among Us

After a recent conversation about volunteering with our babes, I was glad to hear about a local program for teens to get involved in community service this summer.  Totally different concept, huh?  Thanks to ever-creative Hands on Portland for setting up the Summer of Service Program, which they 'sell' like this:

Are you 13 to 21 years old and...

   ...fulfilling community service graduation requirements?

   ...enhancing your resume or college application?

   ...looking to meet new people?

   ...interested in building a stronger community?

Volunteering is the answer!

The program kick-off is Saturday, 6.21.08 at Zenger Farm.  Sign up here.

Share Books with Children in Foster Care

My kids love books.  My one-year-old likes to hold them, turn the pages, look at the pictures and point at the things she recognizes.  My 3-YO is really starting to get into the stories.  He often references something from the stories in his day-to-day life.  He also enjoys the language and has developed an ear for new words or rhyming patterns.  Our nightly ritual is to cuddle up with a good book or two, and I think it is safe to say that their childhoods would not be nearly so rich without books.   

That's why I love the Books from the Heart program.  If you are like me and believe books should be a part of every child's life, you can donate some to children in foster care who may not have any of their own.    The donated books should be new and can be dropped at any Barnes & Noble store in town before the end of the day on May 31st (Saturday).   Pick out a few titles your kids loved and share them with a little one who is likely to love them, too.  Why not?

Can't do it before Saturday?  Post something in the comments and we'll contact you about picking them up and dropping them at the state Department of Human Services, which runs the Oregon foster care program.

Know of any other children's book donation programs? We'd love to know so we can help in the future, especially if we're too late with this one! 

Volunteer at PPS & Sign-up Online

Have a talent to share?  Want to help out one of the Portland Public Schools, even if your child doesn't go there?  Want to volunteer on an ongoing basis?  Maybe you want to help out in a one-time shot?

Portland Public Schools and Hands On Portland have joined forces to create Project Community Care: "to engage community members, parents and students in meaningful volunteer opportunities in schools."

Community volunteers make a world of difference to the more than 46,000 students in Portland Public Schools. Their work is wide-ranging: from tutoring in the classroom to pulling weeds at one of the district’s 85-plus schools.

So far, the site is just in pilot mode, accessible only to Cleveland- and Franklin- area schools.  Check it out HERE.  And, be on the lookout for the district-wide expansion in mid-May.

Volunteering & The Family: Kids Not Required

How to volunteer with your kids is a topic we've covered before here in Activista-land.  We've discussed Mercy Kits that kids pick out with you, where to distribute food on Thanksgiving, and how to locate that kid-friendly volunteer opportunity.  And while I like to think I'm the volunteering type (who doesn't?), what am I realistically going to do with two kids under 5 that's actually helpful?  My almost five-year-old son would do well at many volunteer activities, but adding a 21-month old into the mix sure reduces our options.  Which brings me to the recent events in our house.

Get Your Gloves On: SOLV Beach Cleanup is 09.15.07

If you can't swing the Hands On Portland Cares Day on October 6th, you might want to head to the coast next Saturday, September 15th for SOLV's Annual Fall Beach CleanUp.  A great, family-friendly way to beautify the coast and make it safer for people and sea life.  Here's what SOLV has to say about the big event:

The Details: Join us from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 15, 2007 for the annual Fall Beach Cleanup. Find a Registration Site on the Zone Map and show up there at 10 a.m. Bring gloves and dress for the weather. Groups of 20 or more should contact the Zone Captain ahead of time. There are no age restrictions (yeah!) for this event. Responsible and authorized adults can register volunteers under the age of 18 on their Adult Volunteer Registration and Waiver Form.  In a hurry?  Try Express Check-In.

Why Help?  Volunteers, lots of volunteers, are needed to make the Beach Cleanup a success. Trashy beaches put a damper on tourism and the economy it supports. Plastic litter and debris harm marine wildlife. By volunteering for a Beach Cleanup, you can make a difference!

Event History: The first Beach Cleanup in the nation was held here in Oregon in 1984. Since then, annual beach cleanups have spread to every state in the Union, all US territories and more than 100 countries around the world. In 2006, 358,617 volunteers picked up over 7 million pounds of trash from 34,560 miles of coastline nationwide.

Any urban Mamas or Papas done this before?  Planning to go this year?  SOLV organizes this event every Spring and Fall all the way up and down the Oregon coast.  If you want to share a ride to the coast, check out Carpool Match NW, they might be able to make it happen!  Or, partner up with some other uMs via the Activistas site - according to some uMs, there's some good food to be had while camping...