Category: Community Service

Community service programs, opportunities, policies, etc.

April 3, 2013

4-H Fights Hunger Through Feeding and Growing Our Communities

Illinois has been selected as one of five states to pilot the 4-H: Empowering Youth to End Hunger in Their Communities, an effort to heighten awareness of and solutions to reducing hunger and food insecurity in America. This grant opportunity, sponsored by the National 4-H Council with funding from the Howard G. Buffet Foundation is designed to engage and empower youth through service projects addressing community-based food security and hunger relief. Our goal is to engage a minimum of 500 youth and 100 adults in providing 10,000 service hours addressing this important issue. Program information for staff is posted to the Portal under Groups/4-H Contacts/Feeding and Growing Our Communities and includes:

Feeding and Growing Our Communities Overview – background information about the opportunity and useful websites.

2013 Illinois Challenge Grant Application – application form for use by 4-H clubs and extension staff in applying for funding.

4-H Ending Hunger Toolkit – a compiled source of resources, activities, and workshop suggestions to increase awareness of hunger and food insecurity and the Invest An Acre program for farmers and landowners.

Illini Fighting Hunger Community Partner Handbook – a step-by-step resource is provided by the Illini Fighting Hunger organization for groups interested in organizing a meal-packaging event to fight hunger in their community, county or region. Illini Fighting Hunger is a student led volunteer organization serving the UIUC campus and expands their reach into the state. If you are interested in observing and learning more about a meal-packaging event join Chancellor Phyllis Wise on April 20 as the U of I Campus community volunteers gather to assemble 146,000 meals representing 1,000 meals for every year the University of Illinois has been in existence.

This information will be posted to the State 4-H website and a notice will be emailed to 4-H leaders who had members enrolled in vegetable gardening during the 2011-12 4-H program year.

How can you get involved? Please communicate this opportunity to all 4-H clubs in your county/unit and challenge them to practice BIG M as they engage as a group to learn about hunger/food insecurity in their community and how they can become part of the solution in alleviating this significant need.

Feeding and Growing Our Communities Webinar – plan now to attend the Feeding and Growing Our Communities Webinar scheduled for Friday, April 19 from 1:30 – 2:30 PM. Following is the registration link:

https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=8182

Once your registration is complete you will receive a confirming email with the Meeting ID and Password.

Posted by William J. Million at 4:15 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Community Service, Metro, Partnerships, Teens, Volunteers, YLT

March 14, 2013

Service Learning - Engaging Hands AND Heads!

Many youth are involved in community service activities – one example might be cleaning a river or stream bank in their community; youth may also be involved in learning something new, for example reading a book about improving their environment.

BOTH of these experiences positively impact youth; however a much bigger impact is made when youth look at the results from a water study; collect and analyze water samples; document their results; share the information with local community partners or a local pollution control agency; and discuss the impact these results may have on the future of the community. This would be an example of engaging youth in SERVICE LEARNING!

Register today for the Service Learning – Engaging Hands AND Heads Webinar, on Wednesday, April 17, 2013; from 1:30 – 2:45 PM where you will gain strategies to use as you move volunteers and 4-H clubs toward engagement in service learning experiences where adults and youth are equal partners in all elements of planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Register using the link below:

https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/default.cfm?RegistrationID=8076&

Posted by Patricia C. McGlaughlin at 6:22 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Clubs, Community Service, Volunteers

December 28, 2012

REVISED State 4-H Key Award Application

We have finally completed the REVISED University of Illinois Extension 4-H Key Award Application and it has been posted on both the 4-H Contacts portal (Awards, Scholarships & Recognition = Awards Program & Applications) and the Illinois 4-H Website: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/members/recognition_awards.cfm.

For new staff members, this statewide award is targeted for 4-H members who are 16-18 years of age by September 1 of the 4-H year they submit the application. The State 4-H Key Award recognizes members exhibiting outstanding leadership, community service, and mentoring during their 4-H involvement. We will recognize a maximum of 30 State Key Award winners each year.

A few changes to the application and selection process:
* Counties may submit a maximum of TWO applicants per year (changed from 3 applicants per Unit).
* Speaking for Illinois 4-H was added to State & Multi-County Level Leadership, as well as a few minor changes in the wording of various opportunities.
* Missing "check boxes" were added.

We strongly encourage youth who may have submitted applications this past fall to your county awards program complete the REVISED application, otherwise their points may be skewed. They do NOT need to submit new Reference Evaluations (that form did not change except for adding the missing boxes mentioned above).

Applications must be signed by the member, parent/guardian, AND an Extension staff member to be accepted. They must be postmarked by March 1, 2013 to be accepted for this year's processing.

Please contact Deb Stocker if you have any questions.

Posted by Debra Stocker at 12:14 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Awards, Scholarships & Recognition, Community Service, Teens

November 15, 2012

December 2012/January 2013 issue of Illinois Leader now Available

The December 2012/January2013 issue of the Illinois Leader is now available for download from the portal under Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It will also be posted shortly to the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Leader Resources: Illinois Leader. Please share this newsletter with your 4-H leaders via email, by linking it on your county/Unit web site, by including it in your county/Unit newsletter, or by providing paper copies at leader meetings.

Posted by Sheri Seibold at 1:27 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Community Service, JLC, Volunteers

April 24, 2012

Effingham 4-H Member Awarded the Governor's Volunteer Service Award

Mary Perkins, a 4-H member in Effingham County was named the East Central Region Youth Winner for the 2012 Illinois Governor's Volunteer Service Award. Mary received her award on April 19th in Springfield. She was recognized for her leadership with the Effingham County Youth Ambassadors P2D2 prescription pill and drug disposal program. The Governor presents the Volunteer Service Awards each year during National Volunteer Week. Extension Units are encouraged to nominate youth and adult volunteers for these awards. To learn more go to www.serve.Illinois.gov. Congratulations to Mary Perkins and her ECYA 4-H Team for this worthwhile project.

Posted by Sheri Seibold at 4:06 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Awards, Scholarships & Recognition, Community Service, Volunteers

April 20, 2012

2011 North Central Region Volunteer e-Forum DVD's Available


2011 North Central Region Volunteer e-Forum DVD's Available

Today I put in the mail 3 DVD's to each 4-H Youth Development Educator. There is one DVD for each of the three sessions that were offered in November 2011 as part of the North Central Region Volunteer e-Forum. Please utilize these DVD's to share the sessions with 4-H volunteers in your unit. You may play one topic at a leader training or share one whole DVD at a time. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me - Sheri Seibold at 217.333.9290 or by email at sseibold@illinois.edu. Program Coordinators and Community Workers - know that the 4-H Youth Development Educator have these available for use in your counties.

Posted by Sheri Seibold at 9:28 AM | Permalink |
Categories: Community Service, Projects, PYD, Risk Mgmt., Volunteers

March 14, 2012

2012 VALUED Volunteer Winter Telenet Series Concludes

The 2012 VALUED Volunteer Winter Telenet Series concluded this week. 20 volunteers from 14 counties participated in one or more of the six sessions as well as 4 Extension 4-H staff members. Cathy Blunier, Johnna Jennings, Deanna Roby, and Sheri Seibold as members of the Volunteerism Work Group served as facilitators. The six sessions held were on Positive Youth Development, Communications within the 4-H Club, Behavior Management, Risk Management, Parental Involvement, and Community Service. Special thanks to those staff members who helped promote the program and who supported volunteers who attended. I hope that you will recognize those that participated at a local leader meeting and give them the opportunity to share what they learned with other leaders. This program is partially supported by funds from Monsanto. If you have questions about the VALUED Volunteer Program please feel free to contact Sheri Seibold at sseibold@illinois.edu.

Posted by Sheri Seibold at 9:13 AM | Permalink |
Categories: Community Service, Risk Mgmt., Staff Development, Volunteers

February 27, 2012

1st Farm Credit Services Community Improvement Grant for 4-H Clubs DEADLINE - March 1, 2012

1st Farm Credit Services Community Improvement Grant Opportunity (DEADLINE - Thursday, March 1, 2012) – Grants of $250 will be available to 4-H clubs for implementing community improvement projects. Eligible clubs are those located in one of the counties served by 1st Farm Credit Services which includes 13 Extension Units in central & northern Illinois. This includes the following Extension Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 representing the 42 counties served by 1st Farm Credit Services: Adams, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, JoDaviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Mercer, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, Woodford.

Use the following URL for more information and to connect to the online application:
www.1stfarmcredit.com

Posted by Patricia C. McGlaughlin at 4:51 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Clubs, Community Service, Funding

February 5, 2012

Farm Credit Services Offers Community Improvement Grants for 4-H Clubs

Farm Credit Services of Illinois Community Improvement Grant Opportunity (DEADLINE - Friday, February 17, 2012)  – Grants of $250 are available to 4-H clubs for implementing community improvement projects. Eligible clubs are those located in one of the counties served by Farm Credit Services of Illinois which includes 14 Extension Units in southern & central Illinois. This includes the following Extension Units: 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 representing the 60 counties served by Farm Credit Services of Illinois: Alexander, Bond, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Lawrence, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Massac, Menard, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Perry, Piatt, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, St. Clair, Saline, Sangamon, Scott, Shelby, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson.

Use the following URL for more information and to connect to the online application:

http://www.fcsillinois.com/CommunityGrants.html

1st Farm Credit Services Community Improvement Grant Opportunity (DEADLINE - Thursday, March 1, 2012) – Grants of $250 will be available to 4-H clubs for implementing community improvement projects. Eligible clubs are those located in one of the counties served by 1st Farm Credit Services which includes 13 Extension Units in central & northern Illinois. This includes the following Extension Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 representing the 42 counties served by 1st Farm Credit Services: Adams, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, JoDaviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Mercer, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, Woodford.

Use the following URL for more information and to connect to the online application:
www.1stfarmcredit.com

Posted by Patricia C. McGlaughlin at 6:24 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Clubs, Community Service, Funding

February 3, 2012

Volunteer Service Award Nominations Due Feb. 29, 2012

Just a reminder that the Illinois Governor's Volunteer Service Awards are due Febuary 29, 2012. Categories include Education and Environmental Awards. Awards are given in five regions throughout the state. Go to www.ServeIllinois.gov for the nomination form. http://www2.illinios.gov/serve/Pages/Volunteer-Awards.aspx is the web link for the nomination form. Last year Extension and 4-H had several winners so please consider making nominations today. Encourage your 4-H leaders and youth to make nominations as well. Contact Sheri Seibold at sseibold@illinois.edu or at 217.333.9290 if you have questions.

Posted by Sheri Seibold at 10:40 AM | Permalink |
Categories: Awards, Scholarships & Recognition, Community Service, Junior Leaders, Volunteers