Here at ServeNext we asked our Organizers to focus their time and energy on reaching out to their members of Congress to invite and urge them to participate in this year’s MLK Day of service events.  The goal was to get members of Congress and/or their staff to serve side by side with AmeriCorps members to better understand how the programs work and discuss how AmeriCorps members make a difference every day and not just on big service days.   While we didn’t get any members of Congress to participate locally since most of them were in Washington, we did succeed in getting their staff to attend and commit to sharing their experience with their boss.  Great job team!

Read below for a few highlights from the field.

ServeNext Montana

Heather Margolis, ServeNext Organizer for Montana, invited Congressman Denny Rehberg’s new Regional Director Jocelyn Galt to attend the MLK Day pancake breakfast and food drive in Helena organized by AmeriCorps VISTA’s. Heather unfortunately had to miss the event but Jocelyn still attended was able to talk with AmeriCorps members.  She reported back to Heather that she had a great time and is available to visit other Montana AmeriCorps program sites with Heather to learn more about the impact and value of AmeriCorps bring to Montana.

Also participating in the event were Montana Lt. Governor John Bohlinger and Montana National Guard Adj. Gen. John E. Walsh who both served pancakes.

ServeNext Rochester, NY

Stephanie Sacco, ServeNext Organizer in Rochester, NY, partnered with RochesterCares, Rochester AmeriCorps, and Rochester Youth Year VISTA for an MLK ”King for a Day” event. AmeriCorps members joined with community volunteers to serve a number of local agencies with sorting donations, organizing materials, and community gardening. Beth LeValley from Congresswoman Slaughter’s office came and spoke to the importance of this kind of service in our community. See the local news story here. 

Simultaneously, other ServeNext members attended a “Skate to Commemorate” event, organized by Rochester AmeriCorps member Tiffany Lopez. Local hockey team the “Amerks” skated at a local rink that was accepting donations instead of fees for community members to skate, too. Deb Essley, staff member at the office of Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle, attended the event and spoke with Tiffany about her service to the community as an AmeriCorps member.

ServeNext Columbus, OH

Rachel Diskin, ServeNext Organizer in Columbus, OH, found out via twitter that Congressman Steve Stivers was having “office hours” and decided to use that opportunity to invite him and his staff in person to participate in the MLK Day event put on by the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks, Capital University, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, and the Red Cross.   Going to the office hours paid off as not one but four staff members from Congressman Stivers’ office attended and participated in assembling disaster preparedness kits.

ServeNext Miami, FL

Catherine Houlihan, ServeNext Organizer in Miami, FL, reached out to her Senators and was successful in getting staff members from both offices to participate in local MLK Day of Service events.  Alyn Cruz-Higgins and Nury Valerie Soler from Senator Marco Rubio’s office attended the MLK Day of Service Project at Goulds Park, Miami. As luck would have it, these where the same Rubio staff members who Catherine delivered the Save Service holiday ornaments and they served as an affirmation of the success of Catherine’s Purple Cow (see previous blog post) saying they knew instantly that the ornaments were advocating for AmeriCorps and CNCS.  They also mentioned that the ornaments still decorate their office to this day and stand as a reminder of AmeriCorps and service.

Senator Bill Nelson’s staff member participated in a separate MLK Day event on Sunday night where both Catherine and AmeriCorps Alum Darrill where able to speak with her about CNCS and sharing with Senator Nelson the need for his support for service in 2012.

Over the last couple of months, ServeNext Organizer Katherine Jones and network member June Carlson have been attending town halls put on by the various Presidential contenders and talking to them face to face about the tremendous value and impact of service to New Hampshire and the country as a whole.  From Mitt Romney, to Rick Santorum, to Jon Huntsman, they explained how service programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps are great cost effective investments in the people of our country to solve community challenges locally.

For example, Katherine and June talked about how Senior Corps helps save the government money from costly nursing home expenses by helping seniors stay independent in their homes.  They mentioned how AmeriCorps members help save both money and energy by weathering homes and keeping folks warm during the harsh New Hampshire winter months.  And of course they explained how they themselves have benefited when they served in AmeriCorps by gaining critical job skills and earning a small stipend to help pay for college.  National service is a win-win-win.

While the outcome of tomorrow’s primary is yet to be decided, one candidate who seems to be getting some momentum is former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.  Katherine and June caught up with Gov. Huntsman at a town hall back in November and asked him if he would support national service as President of the United States.   Check out the video to see what he said.

When we started ServeNext five years ago, the details about how we were going to fight for national service were unclear.  But one thing was crystal clear: after four consecutive years of cuts in Congress, there needed to be a powerful grassroots army of advocates who would refuse to let this stand.

Today, I’m humbled to report that with your support, ServeNext has become that organization.  Our efforts have repeatedly staved off crippling cuts to AmeriCorps and other great national service programs. We’ve won support from presidential candidates to help pave the way for the bipartisan Serve America Act.  And over the last two years, we’ve expanded our work and now have an annual team of field organizers.

These victories have kept the wind in our sails, but in the face of new and evolving political challenges that threaten the national service movement, we need to get bigger, better, and stronger.

That’s why I’m excited to announce that ServeNext is joining forces with ServiceNation, the national bipartisan campaign dedicated to increasing service opportunities and elevating service as a core ideal and problem-solving strategy in America.  By combining our resources, skills, and staffs, we will increase our efficiency and our impact at a time when both are needed.

ServeNext will be acquired by Be The Change, Inc., the parent organization of the ServiceNation campaign, and will serve as the grassroots advocacy arm of the campaign. Moving forward, the activities and operations of both ServiceNation and ServeNext will occur under the ServiceNation banner.

We are grateful for the support of both Boards of Directors who unanimously approved this decision.  We are grateful to our funders, partners, and field organizers who are excited about the merger and the many who provided invaluable guidance along the way.

And, of course, we are grateful to you, our members, and our field team. It’s because of individuals stepping up to fight for national service that has made ServeNext successful.  That success is the reason we’re in a position to take this great step.

We will be rolling out more details in the near future, but I want to share some initial benefits:

1)    Our budget from 2011 to 2012 will double – this means doubling our staff and significantly increasing the capacity of our grassroots operations;
2)    Be The Change, Inc.’s larger team will provide a huge increase in support and expertise for fundraising, communication, strategy, and more;
3)    ServeNext’s team will spend less time managing the back office and more time fighting for national service.

In other words, 1+1=3.

The years ahead in Congress are going to be turbulent. But as a result of this merger, we’re putting ourselves in the best position possible to succeed at a time when our children, communities, and the entire country deeply need a robust national service movement.

I’m excited, our team is excited, and we hope you are too.  There are plenty more details to come, but please let me know if you have questions or thoughts in the meantime.

Thank you for your support, passion, and commitment to ServeNext.  I hope you will continue to support our work as part of ServiceNation.  We’re still the same ServeNext, just bigger, better, and stronger.

Zach

It looks like Congress has finally agreed on a FY 2012 budget for the country.   The agreement includes $1.05 billion for the CNCS (which includes AmeriCorps), roughly $25 million or 2.3% below current levels. While the deal has not yet been voted on, and will still need to be signed by the President once it is, we expect that to happen tomorrow.

Below is the breakdown of the numbers:

• VISTA was cut $3.9 million to $95 million.
• AmeriCorps State & National was cut $4 million to $345 million.
• Senior Corps remains at $207.9 million
• NCCC was increased $3 million to $31.9 million to relocate the Maryland campus as proposed by the Senate.
• The Volunteer Generation Fund remains at $3.99 million.
• The Social Innovation Fund was cut by $5 million to $44.9 million.
• State Commissions were cut by $3.5 million to $13.5 million.
• The National Service Trust was increased to $212 million.

Winning $1.05 billion for CNCS in FY12 is a testament to all the district office visits, phone calls, op-eds, emails, rallies, and other hard work done by service supporters across the country and to the leadership of our champions in Congress and the White House who fought hard against the attempts to eliminate AmeriCorps.  This shows the incredible impact and critical importance of service supporters mobilizing year-round to tell their members of Congress to support service.  Great job from our ServeNext Organizers and Network Members, Save Service Partners, and everyone else who took action throughout the year!

Despite our success in preventing elimination, it is critical that we are mindful that funding for service is still going in the wrong direction and we all have much more work to do to get it back on track.  There are still too many members of Congress who simply don’t get how AmeriCorps and other national service programs work and how it is a critical and cost effective strategy for addressing many of our nation’s most pressing challenges, especially in a tough economy.

ServeNext will work to keep you updated with any further developments.  If you are on Facebook, I strongly encourage you to like the ServeNext Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter to get the latest updates and other important national service news.

Below is a recap of how we got to this point.

• On February 14^th, 2011, President Obama kicked it off by submitting his budget to Congress.  For the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), he requested $1.3 billion which among other things would grow AmeriCorps to 90,000 members.
• On September 20^th, 2011, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Service, Education, and Related Agencies (Otherwise known as Labor-H) released its budget proposal for FY12 and included $1.093 billion for CNCS.  The Senate budget would essentially keep the funding levels for CNCS in FY12 level with those it received in FY11 with the exception of increasing $14 million for the National Service Trust and increasing $3 million for NCCC.
• On September 29^th, 2011, the House Appropriations Labor-H Subcommittee released its budget proposal for FY12 and included $280 million for CNCS.  Yes that is million with an M.  The House budget proposal only funds the National Senior Volunteer Programs with a little left over for the “orderly elimination” of everything else.  In other words, the House budget ELIMINATES AmeriCorps and CNCS.
• On December 7th, 2011, a joint House-Senate Conference Committee was announced to negotiate a final budget deal and reconcile the differences between the House and Senate proposals.

Have you ever driven past a purple cow? No. Well, I bet if you did, you would stop and pay attention, right?

I first started thinking about purple cows in September at the 2011 ServeNext mid-year retreat in Boston. During one session, ServeNext Co-Founder Zach Maurin emphasized the importance of coming up with activities and events that are “purple cows” and will capture the attention of our members of Congress regarding national service.

When I got home to Miami, I immediately met with Harold Silva, ServeNext Miami Deputy Organizer, to discuss what we would do for our 2011 holiday event. I told him about the purple cow. It seemed like we had organized everything there was to organize: call days, office visits, and letter campaigns, so what could we do that would be new and different…What would be ServeNext Miami’s purple cow?

Then it hit us. Holiday ornaments. Yes, that’s right, ORNAMENTS!

Our idea was to organize an ornament decorating party for national and community service supporters to attend before the holidays. We would deliver the big batch of hand-painted ornaments to our Senator Marco Rubio with messages like: “My neighbor has a home for the holidays thanks to AmeriCorps members working with Habitat for Humanity.”

Harold and I got into serious party planning mood. We set up an online registration form where people could RSVP. If someone couldn’t come, they could submit a pledge of support, and an ornament would be decorated on their behalf.

The party took place on Saturday, December 3 at Little Haiti’s Earth-n-Us Farm. We had a great turn out including: Kevin Bulger (Collins Center for Public Policy Associate and AmeriCorps Alum), Lamont Howell (Samsung Field Marketing Manager), Derrick McCann (Best Buddies International Grant Writer), Kimberly Welcome (Best Buddies International Grant Writer), and Darrill A. Gaschler (Hands on Broward Corporate Projects Manager and AmeriCorps Alum).

In the end, we had painted twenty-four ornaments to deliver along with national service impact sheets for Florida. Perhaps most importantly, everyone who came had a blast. Check out our video from the event below.

Most people wouldn’t associate painting ornaments with advocating for national service, which is exactly why it will be effective. AmeriCorps is at serious risk, and we need new creative ideas to get the attention of our members of Congress who will be deciding whether to fund or eliminate AmeriCorps.

Harold and I are already brainstorming our next event. What will be your purple cow to help save AmeriCorps?

Jordan with Newt

Post by Jordan Jones, ServeNext Des Moines:

It’s no fun getting lost on the back roads of rural Iowa on your way to a 2012 Presidential campaign event, but with so much at stake for national service right now I can’t complain. Presidential hopefuls descend upon Iowa in the months preceding our first-in-the-nation caucus and I know it is a great opportunity to get face-to-face contact with them and talk about the importance of national service to Iowa and the entire country. After all, one of these candidates might be the next President of the United States.

My goal is to get national service into the political dialogue and get all of the candidates on the record of where they stand. By being persistent I have been able to engage multiple candidates in conversations about national service and even succeeded in getting press for the issue.

My first encounter with a candidate was with Michele Bachmann at a town hall in Oskaloosa. I was a little nervous, but I was nevertheless able to engage the Congresswoman on the issue. Rep. Bachmann seems to have a strange antipathy towards service (despite her son’s participation in Teach for America) and I wanted to challenge her on some of the facts. The result was what I would call a lively exchange of ideas. Check out the video.

Rather than just write Rep. Bachmann off, I went to a second event where she was speaking at Drake University in Des Moines. I am so glad I went because the event was my biggest success to date.

The Congresswoman evaded my question, but I was able to get something invaluable in politics: press. To my surprise, CNN quoted my question on national service in an online account of the event. And, the very next day, the Des Moines Register did the same thing. You never know what to expect on the campaign trail.

Here is a video from the event (bringing a friend to the event to film made it much easier and I recommend that this to others).

Between all the private fundraisers, debates and television ads, it is easy to forget that average citizens can have an impact on the race just by talking to the candidates. But they definitely can. While a simple question on national service may not change a candidate’s mind, it does get them thinking. And what’s more, it gets people talking, raising awareness about the local impact of national service, and educating folks about the threats facing it.

So get out there and speak up. You really do have an impact. Plus, you might inadvertently wind up on the NBC Nightly News (I’m at 0:27, next to Newt Gingrich).

Fight the Zero rally participants lining the street on Capitol Hill

Last Thursday, November 3rd, 75 college students, AmeriCorps alums and service supporters descended upon Capitol Hill for the Fight the Zero rally. We were all a little sleepy since it was 8am, but we were energized by our mission of showing Congressional leaders that AmeriCorps is a valuable program that can be a solution for youth unemployment (currently at 20%).

We didn’t want it to be a typical rally, so we broke into three groups and stood at the Capitol South Metro station, on the corner of 1st and C street (right outside the entrance to the Cannon House Office building) and on the corner of 1st and Independence (one of the busy streets Congressional leaders have to cross to get from their office building to the Capitol).

The energy of the day was amazing as we stood in lines of bright red shirts. People chanted, handed out fact cards and shared their stories of service. Members of Congress and staffers stopped to ask questions or to show their support.

Around 9:30 we moved to the steps of Capitol Hill and took some pictures and then we went into the Rayburn House of Representatives office building. Inside we held a short brainstorming session about our next steps and what strategies people thought would be effective.

At 10:30, Representatives Rosa DeLauro (Connecticut) and Doris Matsui (California) came and spoke to us. We were very lucky to have them because they are both big champions of service. DeLauro is the ranking chair on the Appropriations Subcommittee that handles funding for AmeriCorps and Matsui is Co-chair of the National Service Caucus. David Price, the other Co-chair of the Service Caucus sent a statement that was read. All three were very inspiring and urged us to keep organizing and push back against people who want to cut AmeriCorps.

Everyone left the rally pumped up.  The rally had been a success, but the day wasn’t over yet!

After taking everything back to the ServeNext office, grabbing some coffee and going to class, I met up with a few Fight the Zero supporters at Politics and Prose to hear Tom Brokaw speak. In his new book, Time of Our Lives, Brokaw talks about the need for American’s to re-enlist as citizens and mentions national service as a good option. Some AmeriCorps alums visited Brokaw at a New York book signing event and our hope is that if enough people talk about AmeriCorps at these events, Brokaw will come out publically supporting AmeriCorps as a specific policy solution for his ideas.

The Politics and Prose event was packed but an AmeriCorps supporter got a question in, asking Brokaw if he supports AmeriCorps. Brokaw said he supports national service and public/private partnerships.

We went home pretty tired, but hopeful. The rally and Brokaw event were just the beginning of Fight the Zero. The next few weeks are going to be critical to showing our Congressional leaders that AmeriCorps can’t be cut.

You can get involved in Fight the Zero (even if you don’t live in DC) and support AmeriCorps. Sign the petition at www.fightthezero.org and check out ServeNext’s Facebook page for updates on upcoming events and actions.

Post by Stephanie Sacco, ServeNext Rochester:

Last Saturday, October 22nd, should not be remembered as “not quite Halloween weekend.” It was so much more than spending too much money on costumes to be worn for three hours, and eating more chocolate than any human ever should. In fact, it had nothing to do with Halloween, except that some people spent the day in a cemetery.  Last Saturday, October 22nd, was national Make A Difference Day.

All across our country groups of community-minded citizens gathered together to beautify, feed, organize, cleanse, support, and heal our nation. In Rochester, NY, several dozen volunteers–most of them Rochester AmeriCorps members–met with rakes and gloves at the City’s Mt. Hope Cemetery, an historic Rochester landmark and home to such figures as Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.

Before the volunteers got to work cleaning up our city’s favorite cemetery, Luis Borges, Commission for Recreation and Youth Services, read aloud a proclamation signed by our City Council and Mayor Tom Richards that described the impacts of Rochester AmeriCorps and announced October 22nd to be Make a Difference Day in our city.

The proclamation included the observation that Rochester AmeriCorps has continued to bring and keep talented and socially-minded people in the City of Rochester. The proclamation also acknowledged that AmeriCorps members have benefited our City through a strong focus on youth initiatives, criminal justice activities, and areas of employment readiness and financial literacy services for economically disadvantaged youth and adults in our community.

Overall, the Mayor and City Council thanked Rochester AmeriCorps for increasing the spirit of volunteerism and community service in the City of Rochester, specifically on Make a Difference Day.

The event was a tremendous success and even was written about in the Democrat and Chronicle. Thank you to everyone who participated and to all the Rochester AmeriCorps members who make a difference everyday!

Please contact Stephanie Sacco if you would like more information on what Rochester AmeriCorps, ServeNext Rochester, and other national service groups are doing for our city, or for information about ways that you can get involved with the spirit of volunteerism yourself–even on today, a day when all sorts of eeeeeerie spirits are spooking about.

Stephanie Sacco
ServeNext Rochester Field Organizer
Rochester AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA Alum
(585) 478-5112
ssacco@servenext.org
Facebook: ServeNext Rochester

AnnMaura Connolly, President, Voices for National Service and Campaign Director, Save Service in America, released the following statement on Monday, October 17, 2011

 

“Voices for National Service and Save Service in America applaud President Obama’s decision to nominate Wendy Spencer as the Chief Executive Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service.  For nearly 30 years, Ms. Spencer has been a leader in the nonprofit and voluntary sector.  She has a vast and impressive background that includes executive positions at the local, state and national levels.  Ms. Spencer served on President George W. Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation and was appointed by three governors to lead Volunteer Florida, the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service since 2003.  Volunteer Florida is the official statewide coordinating agency for volunteers and donations in times of disasters. During Florida’s record-breaking 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, Volunteer Florida coordinated more than 252,000 volunteers, as well as donated items totaling more than $85 million in value, which was the largest mobilization of volunteers in the history of U.S. natural disasters at that time.  Ms. Spencer has worked across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to mobilize citizens to address problems facing their communities, and she is uniquely qualified to lead the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

At a time of economic crisis, when national service organizations are being heavily relied upon to provide vital services to communities throughout the country, growing numbers of citizens are looking for opportunities to serve their country, and lawmakers continue to threaten to cut the funding for this vital support for organizations that are serving families and communities in need, it is essential for the sector to have strong and effective leadership at CNCS.  National service offers those who serve the opportunity to build skills and create pathways to work while delivering results for families and communities across the country that are struggling to make ends meet.  We look forward to working with Ms. Spencer and the Administration to mobilize citizens and communities to help get our country back on track.”

From the Corporation for National and Community Service:

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to let you know that President Obama has announced his intent to nominate Wendy Spencer to serve as the next CEO of the Corporation.

Wendy Spencer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, an organization that administers AmeriCorps grants throughout the state and is responsible for coordinating volunteers and donation management in times of disaster. Ms. Spencer  was appointed to the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006, and awarded the President’s Call to Service Award in 2005 due to her dedication to finding innovative solutions to Florida’s community challenges. 

She previously served as Director of the Florida Park Service, where she oversaw natural resource management for Florida’s 158 state parks.  Prior to her work with the Florida Park Service, Ms. Spencer was Campaign Director of the United Way of the Big Bend.  Ms. Spencer has also worked as Director of Marketing for the Macon County, Georgia, Chamber of Commerce and as a District Representative for Congressman Charles Hatcher of Georgia.  She is also the current Chair of the American Association of State Service Commissions. Ms. Spencer holds a B.A. in Fine Arts and Speech Communications from Valdosta State University.

For the time being, Robert will remain in place as Acting CEO.    The White House press release is included.

Sincerely,

Mark Gearan                                                                     Robert Velasco, II

Chairman of the Board                                                 Acting CEO, CNCS

From the White House:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2011

 

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

 

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

 

·         Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley – Ambassador to the Republic of Malta, Department of State

·         Julissa Reynoso – Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Department of State

·         Wendy Spencer – Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for National and Community Service

·         Robert E. Whitehead – Ambassador to the Togolese Republic, Department of State

 

The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

 

·         Robert L. Blazs – United States Commissioner, Canadian River Commission

·         Jayne D. Greenberg – Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

President Obama said, “These dedicated individuals bring a wealth of experience and talent to their new roles and I am proud to have them serve in this Administration.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.

 

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Malta, Department of State

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, currently serves as Deputy Coordinator for Policy, Programs, and Budget in the Office of the Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism. Prior to this role, she was Director of the Office of Egypt and the Levant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.  Her previous positions include: Chairwoman for Middle East Area Studies at the Foreign Service Institute, Consul General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Senior Advisor for Middle Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Director for Near East South Asian Affairs, and Director for Legislative Affairs at the National Security Council.  Her earlier posts include: Political Officer at the Embassy in Tel Aviv with responsibility for the Gaza Strip, Consul in Baghdad, and postings in Jakarta and Cairo.  She joined the Foreign Service in 1985 after serving as a Presidential Management Fellow at the United States Information Agency.  Ms. Abercrombie-Winstanley received a B.A. from George Washington University and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. 

 

Julissa Reynoso, Nominee for Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Department of State

Julissa Reynoso is Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central America and the Caribbean in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.   Prior to her appointment in November 2009, Ms. Reynoso practiced law with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York, focusing on international arbitration and antitrust law.  During this time, she also served as a Fellow at New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School.  In 2006, Ms. Reynoso worked as Deputy Director of the Office of Accountability at the New York City Department of Education.  Ms. Reynoso holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard University, a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

 

Wendy Spencer, Nominee for Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for National and Community Service

Wendy Spencer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, an organization that administers AmeriCorps grants throughout the state and is responsible for coordinating volunteers and donation management in times of disaster. Ms. Spencer  was appointed to the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006, and awarded the President’s Call to Service Award in 2005 due to her dedication to finding innovative solutions to Florida’s community challenges.  She previously served as Director of the Florida Park Service, where she oversaw natural resource management for Florida’s 158 state parks.  Prior to her work with the Florida Park Service, Ms. Spencer was Campaign Director of the United Way of the Big Bend.  Ms. Spencer has also worked as Director of Marketing for the Macon County, Georgia, Chamber of Commerce and as a District Representative for Congressman Charles Hatcher of Georgia.  She is the current Chair of the American Association of State Service Commissions. Ms. Spencer holds a B.A. in Fine Arts and Speech Communications from Valdosta State University.

 

Robert E. Whitehead, Nominee for Ambassador to the Togolese Republic, Department of State

Robert E. Whitehead, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has served at the Department of State for 27 years.  From 2009 to 2011, Mr. Whitehead served as the Chargé d’Affaires in Khartoum, Sudan.  Other overseas assignments have included Deputy Chief of Mission in the Central African Republic, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Additionally, Whitehead served briefly as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Rwanda in 1994 and as the first consul general in Juba, Southern Sudan in 2006.   His assignments in Washington have included Director of the Office of African Analysis in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Senior Inspector in the Office of the Inspector General, and Desk Officer in the Office of West African Affairs.  Before entering the Foreign Service, he was a Fulbright lecturer at the University of Zaire.  Mr. Whitehead received a B.A. from Taylor University and an M.A. from Southern Illinois University.

My name is Morgan and I am a ServeNext intern.  I am also an AmeriCorps alumnus.   I’m writing because I’m frustrated, but I’m doing something about it…

When I graduated from college two years ago I didn’t have a job, but I had the desire to serve. I joined AmeriCorps with Oregon Campus compact and it changed my life.  I was able to gain tremendous skills and experience, while also building the capacity of a university to help thousands of college students go into their community and volunteer in classrooms, serve at food banks and build houses.

However, experiences like mine and the impact it made could disappear.  The nearly 100,000 jobs that AmeriCorps creates are on the chopping block.  I’m writing because we’re doing something about it in Washington, DC.  I’m hoping you can join me.

It’s called Fight the Zero.  We’re using that name because that’s literally what’s at stake: leaders in the House of Representatives have proposed $0 next year for AmeriCorps.  With 20% unemployment among young adults and AmeriCorps receiving 536,000 applicants last year, this makes no sense.  With communities in need of services provided by these positions, cuts are unacceptable.

On November 3 we’re organizing a rally – but it’s not your typical rally.  Instead of convening in one place, our goal is 200+ people in many locations on Capitol Hill and around the White House.  The idea is that our nation’s decision makers and the media won’t be able to miss the demand for AmeriCorps funding.

If you’re ready to go, you can register now.

If you want to learn more, we’re hosting two conference calls on Tuesday, October 18 at 11:30AM and 8:00PM.  Please RSVP here.

While ServeNext is helping with this event, it’s volunteer led.  We need more help to make it a huge success.  And personally, I’m a grad student so I’d appreciate your help so I don’t fail my classes!  But in all seriousness, with AmeriCorps’ future in doubt, I simply had to step forward and take action.

I hope you’ll join me and Fight the Zero.

Thanks,

Morgan

PS – please forward this to anyone in the DC area you think would like to learn more.