Spotlight on Step Up Greensboro

To give you an accurate picture of StepUp Greensboro, I’m going to need you to close your eyes. Imagine that you have just a few (or no) reliable people in your life. Imagine that you’ve been working dead-end, minimum wage jobs for your entire life. You never got your high-school diploma, and you might have spent the last 10 years of your life in prison and have little to no work experience. Every single job interview you go to ends in disappointment and rejection.  

Now, imagine yourself being told that there is hope for your future and that you are, in fact, employable. Imagine being told that you are a person of worth, who is now a part of a family that will be there to support you as you transition into a new life-system. This is a priceless thing to observe on the Monday morning of Job Readiness class week at StepUp Greensboro. Some are skeptical as we, the staff, introduce ourselves and give words of encouragement and welcome, but as the week progresses, they begin to open up and connect with the staff and their fellow participants.

StepUp provides an open window to people who feel that they are stuck in a dark place. Beyond learning how to write a resume or talk in an interview, you learn about who you are. You learn how to be a better person in all of your relationships and how to face fears with strength.

Working at StepUp has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It has caused me to break outside of myself and move forward in life, for the sake of helping others do the same. It has helped me to be a more authentic person, and it pushes me to be a woman of integrity. I’m surrounded each day by the StepUp staff, who I now consider dear friends, and they speak truth to me and by example, they remind me to place others ahead of myself.  I’ve learned and am constantly digesting that it’s okay to fail at something and not crumble, but to learn and do better next time. I will forever be grateful for being placed here and know that there is a permanent stitching on my heart from this lovely place.

This post was written by AmeriCorps member Kerry. To learn more about Step Up Greensboro, check them out online at http://stepupgreensboro.org/.

Big Brothers Big Sisters + Black History Month

Why is Black History important for young people? Unfortunately, many schools exclude the contributions of Blacks.  This lack of information can be the driver for an accelerated down hill slope.  It may lead to a lack of a sense of culture, pride and heritage for African American children.  In turn, this may lead to an attack to an African American child’s self -esteem and self- worth, ultimately ending in a lack of motivation for success for the African American child. 

Black history is also important for children of all races and ethnicities. Learning the history contributes to cultural awareness, the broadening of perspectives of the lives of others, and understanding milestones.

Two organizations clearly understand the importance of celebrating and learning the accomplishments and plights of African Americans in history. Americorps Partnership to End Homelessness and Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Greensboro.

 

On Feb. 25^th , the two organizations partnered together to create an afternoon of fun and  education as they celebrated Black History month with the children of BBBS. The event was held at the BBBS headquarters in Greensboro, NC.  Approximately 16 children from the ages of 7-12 were invited to participate.  As an Americorps member, I was elated to Chair this event. The young group kept the Americorps members on their toes with their enthusiasm and energy. The older group amazed us with their knowledge and higher than normal level of maturity.  The children had to pick a buddy from the Americorps member to hang out with for the afternoon. Amber, with her bubbly and inviting personality was the first one picked. The order of events consisted of icebreakers, “get to know you time”, dancing, snacks and drinks, and a very competitive trivia competition.  Prizes were awarded to winners and non winners. Everyone was a winner that afternoon.  The Americorps members ages range from 18-63. It was extremely entertaining  to see them step out of their comfort zones as they did the Harlem Shake with their little buddies. Rythmless??? YES! But that did not inhibit them from making sure that the children were having a good time. We ended the event on the theme of “happiness”.  As we played Pharell’s “Happy” song, we went around the room as the children expressed what they were happy for or what made them happy. Certain eras of Black History can be depressing, so we wanted the kids to grasp on the “now” and how African Americans are moving forward.

The children (and the adults) had a blast. But most importantly they learned a lot about many facets of Black History during a very fierce and intense trivia competition. They learned how African Americans made a huge contribution to the development of the arts, technology, science, world trade, religion and philosophy.

Thanks to all of the Americorps members and staff at BBS who participated. Special thanks to Holly, Terri, Ms. Ruth, Breah,  and Magena for making this an awesome Black History month event. A very special thanks to Out of the Garden Project for providing food for the children.

NCCJ Interfaith Tour a Success!

It was a sunny and warm afternoon on January 22, 2015-- the day of the annual Interfaith Tour organized by NCCJ. Several of our members attended the tour as a training. We work with literally anyone who walks through the door, so we see a lot of diversity! The idea is that we can serve our clients better if we understand their culture and religion.

The tour started at Beth David Synagogue; the image below is Rabbi Havivi blowing a shofar.

Photo credit NCCJ of the Triad

We then headed to Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church. You wouldn't believe the smell of the incense!

Photo credit NCCJ of the Triad

Our final stop was the Islamic Center of Greensboro. We were so thankful of their generosity! After a very interesting talk by their imam, they served us a delicious meal! Here are a few of our members enjoying their time at the Islamic Center:

Ime and her mother & Laura

Shawn and Lisa enjoying the food

Shawn, Malisha, Ime, Lisa, and Laura in socks

Some of the girls + Will

Our members seemed to get a lot out of this tour and we highly encourage those that didn't make it to try again next year!
 
"It was a humbling experience to be welcomed into three different places of worship that represent faiths about which I knew little. All three religious leaders who spoke seemed excited to share their faith traditions with us, and eager for us to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding. It was powerful to be able to compare and contrast three religions, experience some of the diversity of Greensboro, and connect with people of different faith traditions." -Laura
"Honestly, the Interfaith Tour was not what I was expecting, but in a good way. I thought it was going to be long and boring, but it wasn't! It was awesome to see so many young people as well. For me, the Interfaith tour was such an eye opening experience. It was just nice to see other faiths, what they believe, and a glimpse into how they worship. I highly encourage anyone who didn't go this year and if they offer it again next year, take the time out and go. You won't be disappointed. I sure wasn't." -Ime
"I thought the interfaith tour was/is important because it dispels all the myths. We could ask questions and get the answer from the horse's mouth so to speak." -Malisha

"Being religious or non religious doesn't mean we can't work together for one common goal of peace or other global issues. Learning other faiths brings attention to generalizations and corrects assumed stereotypes. I realized that I have more in common with Judaism than I thought!" -Shawn
"It's a great thing when we can come together and learn about other people's religious backgrounds." -Will

A huge thanks to NCCJ of the Triad for organizing this event!


 

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Sure, I have donated multiple times to shelters and organizations for the holidays but never have I ever had the opportunity to deliver the gifts and see the faces of the recipients… until this year. It was the most heartwarming experience- to see a group of people bringing together their resources (which aren’t plentiful to begin with) so that strangers can have something to open on Christmas morning.

For the holidays, the AmeriCorps Partnership to End Homelessness adopted a family. The family we adopted was a friend of one of our members- the mother has lupus, cancer, and an aneurism. While struggling with her health concerns, she also has a large family including twin 4 year old boys, an 8 year old girl, and an 18 year old daughter who has a 2 year old of her own. They have been in a shelter the past year until two weeks before Christmas - Greensboro Urban Ministry's Pathways shelter helped them get permanent housing just in time for the holidays.

AmeriCorps members and staff, from l to r: Ime, Amber, Jonathan, Ruth, Juanita, Nardya, Malisha, Holly, and Todd

When the three carloads of gifts arrived at the family’s home, everyone’s mouth dropped. The children gave each of us a hug before we even brought in the first gift because they knew what we were there for. The appreciation on the mother’s face was so apparent and beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes multiple times. The kids were obviously excited, and like I said knew what we were there for, but they did not know the extent of just what was going on. The feeling of doing something for someone you have never met before and they can never repay you is the most amazing feeling.

Neighbors came out to see what was going on and I honestly started to feel a little uncomfortable. Here we are showering this one family with an abundant amount of gifts yet every other person around the neighborhood was in some sort of need of assistance too. That was by far the hardest part for me but just because you can’t help everyone, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help anyone. I think we as people forget that sometimes. Every little bit helps, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, and even if you don’t get thanked for it… it helped!​

WOW!

We didn't do this alone. It wasn't just our AmeriCorps program that brought tears to the mother's eyes, or made the 8 year old (Miracle) give out hugs. The employees of Kohl's on Wendover, Central Carolina Air Conditioning, the Pavilion Restaurant, and many individual friends and family members connected to our group donated to help "our" family. It made this experience even more meaningful knowing that this family was loved and supported by those in our community they would never even meet.

 

One donor in particular stands out. Hunter is the son of Nikki, an employee of Central Carolina Air Conditioning. When he heard about the family, he wanted to make a donation of his own. He gave his game system and all of his games to them. He also included his own money and a really sweet card. We made sure to put his gift aside to show the family at the end, so they knew who is was from. They agreed that Hunter must be an awesome kid to care so much and be willing to give up his own stuff for another kid's happiness.

Thank you to everyone who contributed and continues to support the work we do! We love our community!

 

Turkey Giveaway 2014

Something happens around the Holiday season that our society would really benefit from if it happened more often. People seem to be in better moods, more willing to give, and empathy is at an all-time high. Being a volunteer coordinator I definitely see an increase of applicants after Halloween. It is like people “try” to be nice all year ‘round but something about the holidays gets in our heads to put action behind these kind thoughts- and we do amazing things.

 

The past two Thanksgivings I had the opportunity to be a part of the AmeriCorps Partnership to End Homelessness Turkey Giveaway. The event provides 300 families all the fixin’s for a Thanksgiving meal- a big ol’ turkey, stuffing, a couple cans of vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy and dessert. The event is scheduled to start at 9am the Tuesday before Thanksgiving but donations and preparation for the event start much earlier. Donations are collected the entire month of November and come in from local grocery stores as well as the community churches and residents. The Monday before Thanksgiving we, AmeriCorps members, spend half of the day as an assembly line sorting and bagging the donations to be ready for the next day’s event.

 

 

On the day of the Turkey Giveaway, cars start lining up as early as 8am to make sure they can have a Thanksgiving meal for their family. The Giveaway is drive-thru style; you register at the entrance and make your way toward the big truck while smiling faces are wishing you and your family a happy holiday. At the big truck, you pop your trunk and we bring your bag of sides and your turkey right to the car! It goes extremely smooth and is convenient for those who have vehicles.

 

 

I was amazed at the amount of families who were on foot. It is pretty difficult to watch this person get off of the bus, pick up a 10lb turkey and load their arms up with bags of sides, and walk to the bus stop again only to have to wait 30 minutes to bring the food to the home it will be nourishing. Or to watch a four year old and his grandmother walk from their house a few blocks down to get their meal only to have one of the plastic bags break so they have to walk back for a replacement. How is life so unfair?

 

 

It does feel good to help someone who is in need of a simple human necessity, but why do we only act on the need around this time of year? People are homeless, hungry and living in poverty all year long, not just around the holidays. There are more donation collection sites, volunteer service projects, and donation drop off locations around this time of year- but why? Is it because people are more willing to give because of the spirit of the holidays? I think people are willing to give and want to help when they can but so much emphasis is put on giving around the holidays that we forget about the rest of the year. What if Salvation Army had bell ringers outside of Food Lion every single Wednesday of every single month? I bet people would still give their change! If Goodwill dedicated one week each month as a week to get rid of old things we don’t need anymore, people would give! I say we test that theory and make the entire year of 2015 a year to give… not just around the end of it!

 

 

Give your time, money, or clothes, anything you can give throughout the whole year can be put to good use. Not only are you helping those in need, but you are helping yourself by becoming less selfish, which in turn helps the entire community. If every community were less selfish, the entire nation’s morale could change for the better, and maybe eventually change the world in a positive way. It could happen, and it will happen if we can commit to GIVING all year, every year.

Giver Or Taker?

I have been a taker all of my life.  I have lived in a constant state of narcissism.  Everyone has been a means to an end for me.  When people do not live up to my expectations or the standards that I have decided for them, and I have decided that they no longer serve a purpose for me, then I would quickly discard them.  That has been my struggle for a long time.

That seems to have become a thing of the past, though.  A door of opportunity opened for me to serve the Partnership To End Homelessness in Greensboro, NC, through AmeriCorps.  It is turning out to be a life-changing experience.  I will tell you why...

I was simply looking for a part-time job to work during my senior year in college.  When I learned about this opportunity, it seemed like a good fit for my life.  I could do something positive for the community, while earning a little extra dough to help me live a comfortable life.  But, it is much more than that.

I found that out at one of the first training sessions we had.  I had just moved into an apartment (my own place for the first time in over three years), and so the members of the group decided to surprise me by chipping in and getting me some things that I might need for my place.  They even sprung for a really nice, brand-new toaster oven (which I know took some capital to procure)!  It touched my heart deeply, and I was very humbled by such a display of love and care.  Usually, I love being the center of attention, but I am in a period of transition in which I would rather let the light shine on those around me.

Why was I humbled?  These folks hardly knew me!  It is one thing if people within your close proximity reach out to bless you, but it is something altogether different when complete strangers lend a helping hand (and I use the word "strangers" very loosely - we in this group are the type of people who really do not know any strangers in life, if you know what I mean).  They did not know me, which, in my mind, would not give them any incentive to reach out to me in the way that they did.  (This shows you the faulty narcissistic thinking from which I have suffered).

But, that is the whole point of AmeriCorps, and the Partnership To End Homelessness.  We, as servants, are a family.  In fact, that is what I was told that day when they gave me these gifts.  "We're all family here!"  Not only are we family in serving together, we also reach out to serve the family of humanity.  We are all one human race, and rather than focusing so much on our differences, we should be seeking to find the ties that unite and bind us together.  If more people would adopt such an attitude, the world would be a much better place.

They say that no man is an island unto himself, and that is certainly becoming evident to me in my service with AmeriCorps.  It is in the context of team work that we truly learn our independence, because it shows us how much we cannot do it all alone.  We all need a helping hand to get by in life, and as we work together, we can promote love, harmony, and the freedom that comes from being able to depend on each other.

A man once said that in order to become the greatest among humanity, you must first become the servant of all.  Another man wrote that it is better to give than to receive.  The greatest gift we can give is ourselves, because at the very core of our being is light and love.  That is what makes humanity so special, and why it is important to have service projects like the AmeriCorps Partnership To End Homelessness.  It teaches and trains us to get out and over ourselves, and into this world and help make it a better place, one act of random kindness at a time.  This is true change, and I am thankful that it is finally happening in  my life.  Now, I can stop being a taker, and become the giver I was designed and created to be.

by Carl Michael Pozyck, Food Bank Assistant for AmeriCorps at Greensboro Urban Ministry

SALUTE 2014

SALUTE is an annual fundraising event for The Servant Center (TSC), the proceeds go to benefiting The Servant Center programs serving homeless & disabled veterans. This year, the event was held in the Empire Room of downtown Greensboro and had about 120 guests. SALUTE is a social event to give thanks to former and current military as well as their families in a WWII theme with entertainment being a Bob Hope impersonator and “Letters From Home” an Andrews Sister’s tribute to truly take you back in time. Did I mention there were swing dancers?! Music will never be the same… that’s a whole ‘nother blog.

Veterans are twice as likely as other Americans to become chronically homeless.

SALUTE was graciously sponsored by businesses around the triad and many of their employees were in attendance. There were silent auctions, in-kind donations to be won by raffle drawings and some freebies. Chronic homelessness has decreased in Guilford County, but the number of homeless veterans has increased so seeing veterans, their families, TSC staff, AmeriCorps members and the community all coming together to give thanks for our freedom was breath taking. The food was delicious, entertainment to die for, and conversations that could go on all night.

1 in 4 homeless people are veterans.

Being a 90’s baby, I don’t know what it feels like to have our country governed by war the way it was in the 1940’s. I am thankful for that but working at TSC part-time gives me the opportunity to listen to stories the veterans living in transitional housing are willing to share. It is important to learn all we can from the past and not let it be forgotten about as new generations are born. SALUTE is a great way to do that and give appreciation to Veterans and current military personnel who deserve so much more.

-Amber Ward