Save Service

Can you believe that we've gotten to a point in this world - where we have to fight to save. service.

Service, as in - a act that is done by one person or a group that benefits another person or group etc. etc.
Umm. I'm speechless really.

Here's the deal, according to saveservice.org,

On February 19, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, legislation that would make deep cuts in government spending for the rest of the fiscal year.  The measure – which eliminates the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs-- passed 235-189.  Click here to learn how your Representative voted.

The House vote is just one step in the legislative process. The bill has been sent to the Senate for their consideration, and the Senate and the President will have opportunities to shape and influence the final spending package.  But it is up to us to make certain that the final bill restores funding for service!

Please call Congress and explain what will be lost if H.R. 1 becomes a reality. It is important that you express your disappointment with the House vote and ask that funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service be restored in the final spending bill.

We know H.R. 1 – as it passed the House – will not be the final funding package. But Congress must reach a compromise before March 4^th or the government will shut down.   Difficult decisions on funding priorities will have to be made in the next two weeks and we have to work very hard to ensure that any compromise restores funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service.

& there is it. The program that saves the government money in the long-term, helps young people gain professional skills, helps the needy, improves communities, teachs kids to read, advocates for self sufficiency and beyond - is at risk of being cut. & honestly I'm exhausted from begging everyone to call, write, sign, blah blah blah.

So, friends. Please. Just do something.

If you don't believe my words on the impact of service, read this Minnesota Fact Sheet, if you're too tired to write a letter - revamp mine, if you don't know who your Representative is, enter your zip code here, your Senator - here, and if you feel like your voice won't count - change your (swear word) attitude.

Mr/Ms/Mrs Representative

I'm a fan of writing letters, even one's that aren't to loved ones and friends. As an assignment in fifth grade, we were all asked to write a letter to our State Representative, & I haven't stopped doing so. 

I realize for many the word 'government' automatically tenses muscles,  frowns faces & turns people off/against, but now more than ever, we all must be aware of what is going on. Right now our State Representatives are gathering in DC to work on the Federal Budget, & in efforts to eliminate the Federal deficit - are making some HUGE cuts. Many to social services.

I've been busy writing letters to 'save' family planning assistance programs, funding for refugee assistance, AmeriCorps (& other national service projects) & our beloved NPR/PBS -- because I believe in these causes.

The writin' comes easy when fueled by belief and I encourage all of you visit Congress.org to educate yourself on what is happening within our Congress. I'm confident you'll find something you believe in and I urge you to go one step further - write your representative. Tell them how you feel, even if it's more of a "Thank You" than "HOW DARE YOU".  We vote our representatives in to speak for us - listening to your concerns, congrats and interests is. their. job.

Alone we are one person, but if we all do our share - we can make a change (or keep good things going). Your voice matters.

---

Dear Representative -----, 

During these times of evaluation and tough decision making in efforts to reduce the Federal deficit, I hope you consider voting against the elimination of national service programs such as AmeriCorps. 

This year, I am serving as an Americorps Volunteer at a local refugee resettlement agency. Although my official title is Volunteer, daily I serve as an Employment Counselor. My AmeriCorps organization has 30 AmeriCorps members serving in approximately 20 sites. Each of us provide employment services, job/work readiness training and college preparation services for low income refugees, immigrants, and/or ex-offenders. If Congress eliminates AmeriCorps, large numbers of at-risk members of the Minnesota community will lose services they need to be successful, incoming earning, contributing members of society. The Continuing Resolution will only push unemployment rates up. Unemployment numbers -- particularly for young people, veterans and military spouses, older Americans and people of color-remain alarmingly high. 

Beyond the at-risk groups we serve, people like my fellow volunteers (including but not limited to: retirees, recent college graduates, graduate students, mothers, fathers, etc.) national service programs have offered us the opportunity to earn a subsistence-level stipend, develop skills, and create pathways to future employment. Eliminating programs like AmeriCorps will result in jobs lost for the corps members and the staff who supervise them. 

I personally joined AmeriCorps when after graduating from a State University was unable to find steady employment. Through AmeriCorps I've been able to gain skills in the career area of my choice, become a young professional, gain new skills, move forward in becoming financially independent and most importantly - serve my community.  

I have been able to help at risk population of new Americans, refugees. Most refugee individuals have lived a life of discrimination and war - they have survived unbelievable feats and have made the plunge to accept their invitation to start a new life in the United States, specifically in Minnesota. This transition is not an easy one, but during my service thus far I've been able to help my new neighbors find steady and gainful employment through assisting in skill development, job/work readiness training, managing job search and placement assistance. I've been able to build relationships with small and large business owners, so they too may benefit from the hard work and determination of refugee workers (all of whom are legally granted the right to work in the United States). Through my service, I've been able to help individuals once dependent on State and Federal assistance become self sustaining, contributing members of their State and community. 

While the immediate benefits of cutting programs such as AmeriCorps may be high - the future implications are not. Our goals for aiding Americans and Minnesotans to become self sustaining, contributing members of society are like minded, I hope we can work together so that national service programs such as AmeriCorps can continue to make those goals a reality. AmeriCorps has had a deep impact on my life, and beyond one year of service will continue to shape the way in which I work towards bettering our local communities. Please save AmeriCorps.

Thank you for your time.

Reflection

Anyone remember when I talked about the This I Believe project? Well, 8 months later - I've written my own. & it wasn't due to my own will. It was an assignment for my Emerge*AmeriCorps service year, & boy, did I treat it like an assignment -- fast typing, nit-picking, long hours of spacing out, procrastination, caffeine and a few tears.

I've been up in the air about posting it in it's entirety, but as so many around me discuss their New Year's resolutions, goals and dreams for 2011 - I figure - why not?

I realize, that as years pass my beliefs will change and grow with me. But here's what I've got now, and mayyyybe - writing a new This I believe essay will become my yearly "New Year's reflection". 

--- 

While trying to decide what I believe it soon became impossible to distinguish what I believe versus what I wanted others to know about my life, opinions, passions and dreams. It wasn’t until I looked within myself – sitting in silence with my heart – that I realized – that’s it.

When in doubt, I sit with my inner voice.

While it goes by many names – gut feeling, Devine intervention, impulse, urge, or a punch in the gut  … I believe, the answers lie within one’s self.

I believe in the importance of growing in an atmosphere of openness and trust of both yourself and the Universe. I believe that the right answer’s lie within our very core. But to get there – you’ve got to have conversations with yourself. And further – you have to be on the listening end.

Often we act before thinking. There are many times which our inner voice is unable to shout louder than our fears, doubts, and other outside influences. It is not uncommon to find materials and conformity taking the lead. Sometimes, our inner voice is the problem itself– trying to disrupt relationships, jobs and other plans going seemingly smooth – it’s always trying to make you go one step further – or highlighting your wrongdoings.

But when we are not listening our inner voice – we welcome not only that achy feeling in our gut, but also disappointment, discontent, and unhappiness.

These are opportunities to learn and grow.

Saying I believe in my inner voice – is not a statement of believing only in myself. I believe that in the process of learning to trust one’s inner voice there comes a responsibility to understand and accept the voice of others. Not everyone’s inner voice feels the same, and they may not be linear to your own. When you listen to the core of your being and try to understand that of others– differences are hard to come by.

But when they do, they are not feared, but embraced.

Our own inner voices are continually growing and changing. Teaming with our dreams, values and beliefs our inner voice is a reflection the loved ones and strangers around us. It is fueled by our experiences, stories we hear, the advice we receive, and the hard work and flexibility we put into life. We cannot decide and act alone – the trust, input, love and experiences of others will help guide you.

Trusting your inner voice is also practice in accepting the connectedness of the Universe.

In listening to my inner voice I’m able to more firmly believe in the inherent goodness of people, the value of diversity, the right of all to experience joy, and the importance of imagination.

If only we all listened to the depths of our heart – I believe there would be more passionate people, more tolerance and significantly less hunger, slavery, violence and discrimination.

While I do not believe in utopia, but I do believe that if we all take the time to listen to our inner voice- we’d know how to respond.

In the novel, ‘The Alchemist’ a man says to the young protagonist, “Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there.”

This. I. Believe.

WhataYear

Mid-December: a random couple talks me to at a Caribou coffee in Red Wing, MN. They think I'm someone else. Then invite me to attend a meeting about the co-op they are trying to open. (PS: it's now open... check out http://www.riverbendmarket.com/ for more information about this beautiful project). 

I go to said meeting, and meet Collie Graddick who works for the MN Dept. of Agriculture. He tells me I should e-mail Sara Chute from the MN Dept. of Health. I do. She becomes a wonderful contact who gets me involved in the Metro Area Refugee Health Task Force, coaches me on grant writing, and sends me community refugee updates. She likes chips and salsa as much as I do. 

July: After a wonderful spring/summer of volunteering with WISE I find out that I did not get an AmeriCorps position with them. Same day - Collie e-mails me about a position at the Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM). I'm much to depressed to apply. Sara keeps sending out e-mails about KOM's August 5th Open House (she's the Board Chair). I think, "Maybe I should apply, too bad I have to work during the Open House." 

This is where it gets crazy, folks. 

August 3rd: I apply for the position.

August 4th: The schedule at work changes - I can go!

August 5th: Schedule at work changes again, I can't go. Being obviously upset - a gracious co-worker takes my shift. I rush to the KOM Open House. I get shuffled to a random table. After the program a man comes to the table and introduces himself as KOM's Executive Director. To my surprise he reacts to my introduction by saying,
"Jeanna Bauer?! I called you today."
"Uhh, really?"
"Yeah, why do you not listen to your voicemail?"
Then I lose him. Later in the night I find the Chang Bee Vang again and ask about this voicemail and he tells me that he wants to interview, "Hows tomorrow morning?"

August 6th: Interview at KOM.

August 9th: Interview at Emerge (Emerge is the organization that received AmeriCorps funding - they then 'sub-contract' the volunteer positions to smaller non-profits around the Metro. All of Emerge's AmeriCorps positions revolve around the same issue of Employment). The interview went wonderfully - and as I was pulling out of the parking lot got a call from KOM offering me the position.

I start Americorps training on August 23rd, and start with KOM full time for the year August 30th. I'm still in shock.

Is that a circle or what?!

whew

OMG. That AmeriCorps application I started wayyyy back in July ... then ignored for a while ... then revisited a few months ago - IS FINISHED. FIN. DONE.

ONTO the fun part - finding bunches of cool positions.