Click here and look for the report on Dallas.
Or better, click here and read the report on our Dallas work.
Or best of all, click here and see who else is paying attention!
Way to go, CitySquare AmeriCorps team!
Showing posts with label community service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community service. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
CitySquare's AmeriCorps team rocks!!!
Click here and look for the report on Dallas.
Or better, click here and read the report on our Dallas work.
Or best of all, click here and see who else is paying attention!
Way to go, CitySquare AmeriCorps team!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Live United. . .worth watching
The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas (UWMD) is moving through a complete organizational "re-invention" with the objective to provide higher impact services, advocacy and community engagement than ever before in its history.
I can say this with great confidence because I've been in on some of the work that has been going on now for about three years.
UWMD holds up a brilliant new model in its simple, but profound call to "Live United!"
Inviting donors to donate, advocate and volunteer, UWMD throws down a comprehensive challenge to corporations and their employees to get involved as never before in the life of our region.
Turning to service providers and community organizations like Central Dallas Ministries, UWMD challenges us to refine our focus to concentrate on three major areas of concern as we do our work: Education, Income and Health. In addition, UWMD has set aside funding for "basic human needs" that arise from the current economic realities of our area and from emergency situations.
One more major policy shift that marks a sea change at Untied Way is the fact that next year any non-profit organization in the community can submit a grant for funding. The process will be wide open to any group with a great idea and the ability to drive positive, measureable outcomes.
Working with Gary Godsey, President/CEO of UWMD, his team and all of our colleagues is a real privilege. But, the best days remain ahead of us.
So today, I applaud the work of our United Way!
To gain more insight into the new world of UWMD click here.
I can say this with great confidence because I've been in on some of the work that has been going on now for about three years.
UWMD holds up a brilliant new model in its simple, but profound call to "Live United!"
Inviting donors to donate, advocate and volunteer, UWMD throws down a comprehensive challenge to corporations and their employees to get involved as never before in the life of our region.
Turning to service providers and community organizations like Central Dallas Ministries, UWMD challenges us to refine our focus to concentrate on three major areas of concern as we do our work: Education, Income and Health. In addition, UWMD has set aside funding for "basic human needs" that arise from the current economic realities of our area and from emergency situations.
One more major policy shift that marks a sea change at Untied Way is the fact that next year any non-profit organization in the community can submit a grant for funding. The process will be wide open to any group with a great idea and the ability to drive positive, measureable outcomes.
Working with Gary Godsey, President/CEO of UWMD, his team and all of our colleagues is a real privilege. But, the best days remain ahead of us.
So today, I applaud the work of our United Way!
To gain more insight into the new world of UWMD click here.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Heart, it's all about heart. . .
My friend, Mike Cope posted this link on his blog recently.
I've sent it all over "the world of Central Dallas Ministries."
Around here, we talk often about how we treat the people who come toward us and into our lives.
It really is very simple.
It's just all about heart.
Take a look and tell my your reactions.
.
I've sent it all over "the world of Central Dallas Ministries."
Around here, we talk often about how we treat the people who come toward us and into our lives.
It really is very simple.
It's just all about heart.
Take a look and tell my your reactions.
.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The limits and the possibilities of community service
For the past 15 years we've struggled on almost a daily basis with the notion of "community service" and its place in community development and the pursuit of a more just, equitable society.
Often service opportunities flow in just one direction: from communities of material wealth to communities of material scarcity. Most service options at the local level provide the greatest actual benefit to those performing the service, rather than to those receiving it.
Early on we recognized the enormous value of inviting low-income neighbors into the mix of community service and activism. Lots of debates, even arguments, resulted from our rather unorthodox, at least for Dallas, decision to invite the poor into the process of community service.
Nothing has been more important to our growth and maturation as an organization than this single decision. [For more background, type "Josefina Ortiz" into the blog search tool.]
Now comes encouraging news about the proposed Serve America Act that will come before the new Congress in the near future. For a helpful summary of the bill's contents and an outline of its goals, read more here. Co-sponsors of this legislation include Senators Hatch, Kennedy, Cochran, Clinton and, then Senator Obama. The bi-partisan legislation would place an additional 175,000 community folks into positions of service and community improvement across the nation. Much like AmeriCorps, this additional national service force would include folks from low-income communities.
I would urge your support of this legislation. Write your Senators and your member of Congress today to express that support.
Involving low-income communities in national renewal at a large scale will affect much needed change in our inner cities. I know this from my experience here in Dallas inside my own shop.
.
Often service opportunities flow in just one direction: from communities of material wealth to communities of material scarcity. Most service options at the local level provide the greatest actual benefit to those performing the service, rather than to those receiving it.
Early on we recognized the enormous value of inviting low-income neighbors into the mix of community service and activism. Lots of debates, even arguments, resulted from our rather unorthodox, at least for Dallas, decision to invite the poor into the process of community service.
Nothing has been more important to our growth and maturation as an organization than this single decision. [For more background, type "Josefina Ortiz" into the blog search tool.]
Now comes encouraging news about the proposed Serve America Act that will come before the new Congress in the near future. For a helpful summary of the bill's contents and an outline of its goals, read more here. Co-sponsors of this legislation include Senators Hatch, Kennedy, Cochran, Clinton and, then Senator Obama. The bi-partisan legislation would place an additional 175,000 community folks into positions of service and community improvement across the nation. Much like AmeriCorps, this additional national service force would include folks from low-income communities.
I would urge your support of this legislation. Write your Senators and your member of Congress today to express that support.
Involving low-income communities in national renewal at a large scale will affect much needed change in our inner cities. I know this from my experience here in Dallas inside my own shop.
.
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