Join Team Care Force!

Team Care Force is now accepting applications for our 2009-2010 team. First year Corps Members are encouraged to apply now to become a member. For more information or to contact a current Team Care Force member visit our 'Join Team Care Force' page on facebook.

For more information on how you can make your second year at CY a unique experience that will take you places you will never forget, contact Care Force Senior Program Manager Wil Holbrook at wholbrook@cityyear.org.

Team Care Force Spotlight: Allison Goldstein

Hello! My name is Allison Leah Goldstein, I’m 24 and from Centerville, OH. After high school I moved to Ann Arbor to complete my BS in Zoological Anthropology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Michigan. Last year I served with City Year Philadelphia, working in Mr. Berry’s 6th grade classroom. I love adrenaline rushes, laughing, meeting new people and good food with good friends. Luckily, I have the best friends and family in the world and they support me in everything I do!

I joined Care Force for a variety of reasons. The travel aspect really appealed to me, and I really wanted to learn about event planning and useful skills, such as how to build a picnic table from scratch. My favorite service project thus far has got to be our project with T-Mobile at Adam’s Elementary School in Tampa, Florida. I was in charge of building a HUGE outdoor stage - a project that had never been attempted before. We were hoping for the best, but didn’t really know if it was reasonable to expect it to be completed by the end of the day. However, my volunteers, almost all large males, rocked it out and decided that there was no way they were leaving without finishing. You could hear the sound of 30 hammers all frantically pounding like a thunderstorm during the beginning of the closing ceremonies, but halfway through the ceremony the sound ceased and the stage was DONE! It was pretty incredible!

I hope to use this year as an in to becoming Usher’s personal tour advisor. Just Kidding. However, this year will be extremely instrumental to my future success in almost every job I can think of. First of all, I am learning invaluable leadership techniques, how to work with diverse groups of people, flexibility and time management skills. In addition, I have gained skills in everything from wood cutting to painting to public speaking and setting up AV equipment. Basically, you name it, I’ve probably done it. So, I hope to be able to leverage these skills and experiences to further follow my passions.

As of now I really couldn’t tell you what city I’ll be in next year, let alone what I’ll be doing. My hopes are to find a position either within a foundation, student service learning or working with international exchange students. Grad school to follow at some point.

The Moment for National Service

January 26, 2009

New York Times Editorial

President Obama used his Inaugural Address to summon the nation to “a new era of responsibility” and personal engagement to solve the nation’s problems. He set an example by spending part of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday painting walls and furniture at a shelter for homeless teenagers.

As Mr. Obama recognizes, there are certain tasks that cannot be accomplished by volunteers showing up occasionally or contributing a few hours a week. Worthy service programs, like Teach for America, have too few slots to accommodate the rising number of applicants.

Now is the moment for the new president and Congress to harness the sense of idealism and unity evident amid the huge crowds that massed in the nation’s capital by greatly expanding the opportunities for sustained and productive national and community service.

A smart blueprint for doing exactly that was just introduced in the Senate by Edward Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat, and Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah. Building on the ongoing success of AmeriCorps, Bill Clinton’s signature domestic service program, and relying on its administrative framework, their Serve America Act would rapidly expand the number of full-time and part-time national service volunteers eligible for minimal living expenses and a modest educational stipend at the end of an intensive year of work by 175,000 from the current level of 75,000.

The new positions would be devoted to meeting challenges in a handful of targeted areas: tackling the dropout crisis, strengthening schools, improving health care and economic opportunity in low-income communities, cleaning up parks, aiding efforts to boost energy efficiency, and responding to disasters and emergencies.

The Serve America Act is structured to invite participation by people of all income levels and ages, including retirees. It would offer tax incentives for employers who allow employees to take paid leave for full-time service, and permit older individuals to transfer their education awards to a child or grandchild. A new Volunteer Generation Fund would help nonprofit groups recruit and manage an expanding pool of volunteers.

Much as President Franklin Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps during the early days of his first term in 1933, Mr. Obama should tell Congress he considers the Serve America Act a top priority.

Truly, there is no reason for delay. The measure largely fleshes out ideas that Mr. Obama promoted on the campaign trail and that are currently posted on his White House Web site. In his previous job representing Illinois in the Senate, Mr. Obama co-sponsored the bill when it was proposed at the end of the last Congress.

Understandably, Mr. Obama is now concentrating on gaining quick passage of a $825 billion stimulus package aimed at creating new jobs and aiding the nation’s ailing economy. At a price tag of about $5 billion over five years, the Serve America Act is an apt companion piece.

Its prompt approval would create tens of thousands of meaningful new positions for people ready to work hard for the public good, making tangible the “spirit of service” Mr. Obama spoke of in his Inaugural Address.

In Obama Era, National Service's Time Has Come

By Morton M. Kondracke
Roll Call Executive Editor
January 22, 2009

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the day before his swearing-in, President Barack Obama’s inaugural committee stimulated a more than doubling of volunteer activity around the country.

It was a demonstration of a major development that’s likely to unfold in the Obama era — a quantum leap in both paid national service and volunteer citizen service.

What Obama’s predecessor, President George W. Bush, referred to as “the armies of compassion” may at last be mobilized in huge numbers to tackle the country’s social problems — and on a cost-effective basis, at that.

The centerpiece of the process will be passage — its advocates hope, in Obama’s first 100 days — of the Serve America Act, sponsored by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), to expand Americorps, the nation’s civilian service force, from 75,000 personnel to 250,000 per year over five years.

Earning $12,500 a year, plus a $4,700 scholarship, Americorps volunteers do direct service at low-income schools, clinics, boys and girls clubs, environmental projects and disaster sites, and help organize the work of around 60 million unpaid volunteers.

Service Nation, a coalition of 120 mainly nonprofit organizations, hopes that by 2020, the government will give stipends to a million volunteers, whose efforts can leverage unpaid work by 100 million people.

Whether such an ambitious goal ever gets realized, it’s clear that Obama is moving the idea of national service — in fact, of citizenship — to a whole new level.

Partly, it’s the result of a coming-to-pass of the poignant challenge issued by President George H.W. Bush in 1989: “From now on in America, any definition of a successful life must include serving others.”

That’s an attitude that caught on among young people even before Obama appeared on the scene, as exemplified by Teach for America, the nongovernmental corps of lowly paid volunteer teachers that now has 37,000 applicants for 5,000 positions each year.

Another group, City Year, which puts recent high school and college graduates to work in poor neighborhoods, has experienced growth of 180 percent.

Dozens of other such nonprofits have grown up in recent years, and there’s an added overlay of “social entrepreneurship,” the idea that charities should use business techniques to measure their effectiveness and leverage their effect.

The Obama presidential campaign was powered, in part, by this combination of idealism and practicality.

Instead of volunteering in inner cities, tens of thousands of citizens went to work ringing doorbells and manning phone banks.

And shrewd organizers assembled a gigantic database of e-mail addresses and textable phone numbers that served as a potent political tool in the campaign.

As a result, the Obama campaign became a citizens’ movement of millions.
In advance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, those in the database got messages from Obama, Michelle Obama and inaugural co-chairman Colin Powell urging them to sign up through a Web site, USAService.org, for volunteer work on Jan. 19.

More than a million people did so — double those who signed up last year — and they worked on 12,100 official projects, compared with 5,000 last year.

Obama set an example by working at a shelter for homeless teens and visiting wounded soldiers while his wife helped assemble gift packages for troops overseas.

In perhaps the most eloquent portion of his inaugural address, Obama cited military service as the model for citizen service at home.

“As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains,” he said.
“They have something to tell us today ... because they embody the spirit of service, a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.”

It’s a spirit, he said, “that must inhabit us all.” And he added that “a new era of responsibility” refers not only to personal conduct, but to “duties that we have ... to our nation and the world,” and that this “is the price and the promise of citizenship.”

Some Republicans worry — as well they might — that Obama is conflating service and civic duty with support for him and his program and that his mailing list can be turned into a powerful pressure group as well as a volunteer force.

That’s the way it is with movements — they have multiple uses. And the Obama movement is making use of digital technology the way Franklin D. Roosevelt once used the radio and John F. Kennedy used television.

Whatever political implications are involved, the national service idea now has — and should have — broad bipartisan appeal.

It has as Senate co-sponsors such conservative Republicans as Thad Cochran (Miss.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), Judd Gregg (N.H.) and John McCain (Ariz.).

Historically, too, the service idea is bipartisan, originating with Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps and followed by Kennedy’s Peace Corps, Lyndon Johnson’s VISTA volunteers and Bush 41’s Points of Light.

Bill Clinton created Americorps, which hyper-partisan Congressional Republicans tried to kill in 1995 and 2003, but George W. Bush kept it alive and even expanded it from 50,000 volunteers to its current 75,000.

Both Bushes and Clinton established White House offices to oversee service programs, which are also managed by the quasi-governmental Corporation for National and Community Service.
Obama reportedly intends to establish a White House office to coordinate not only service programs, but “social innovation” and technology — which presumably involves a 21st century take on volunteerism.

“Whenever there’s been an expansion of service opportunities, it’s been because of presidential leadership,” says Alan Khazei, founder of City Year and now head of Service Nation.
“We have every indication that Obama is going to give this the leadership it needs,” he said. Indeed, it’s a movement whose time has come.

Norwalk, CT Chronicle

by Mary Parker

Saturday October 18, 2008
After an incredible service day in Nashville, Tennessee with T-Mobile, Care Force was on the road less than 24 hours after arriving back in Boston. Allison, Hugh, Amy, and I were led by Care Force Project Manager, Vanessa Meisner, to Norwalk, CT to begin prep for the Pepperidge Farm service event. After packing up Care Force’s un-official mascot, the Dodge Caravan with Stow-N-Go capabilities, we departed south to Connecticut on a beautiful fall afternoon.

Sunday October 19, 2008
After a breakfast of meat and potatoes, Team Care Force and City Year New Hampshire headed out to our service site, the Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now, Inc. (NEON). NEON is a community action agency whose mission is, “To provide economically disadvantaged residents of the greater Norwalk area with the range of community, social, economic development and emergency assistance services needed to enhance the quality of life, increase self-sufficiency and reduce the incidence of poverty.” NEON fulfills its mission by running an after-school and HEAD Start programs, providing energy assistance, halfway housing, offering employment training, and various youth programs. Once City Year arrived to NEON we were greeted by the CEO and President of NEON, Joe Mann. Pepperidge Farm and NEON have partnered before on two previous projects, and NEON had honored Pepperidge Farm as Sponsor of the Year earlier that week.

After a quick circle, City Year quickly got to work! Allison led City Year New Hampshire through the art of taping and tarping, while Amy and Hugh did a Home Depot run because Home Depot does not do deliveries on Sundays (who knew!?), and I went on the biggest grocery store run to date with New Hampshire’s service leader Jodi.

After lunch City Year set out to build, stretch, and prime as many panel murals as we could before dinner. By the end of the day we were able to build and stretch close to 25 panel murals before departing for dinner at Black Bear Saloon. The group watched an exciting game between the Jets and Raiders that ended in overtime with a record-breaking field goal kick! Shortly after the game ended we retired back to the Norwalk Inn to rest up for the next morning.

Monday October 20, 2008
We got off to a strong start with an 8:30 a.m. circle. We finished taping and tarping the other parts of the building, and were able to get most of the panel murals sketched. Right before lunch, Jaimee Goodman, Corporate Partnerships Manager from Headquarters joined us at NEON. After lunch a 5 hour session of wood cutting commenced where two Team Care Force and two City Year New Hampshire corps members cut wood for 14 mural benches, 6 backed benches, 2 bike racks, 2 cubbies and 2 bookshelves by the day’s end!

Tuesday October 21, 2008
At morning circle the group had some new additions, Team Care Force corps members Joel Shuherk and David Alexander, whom had flown in from an event in Florida the night before. With two additional people everyone was able to complete the last few things of prep before lunch.

Wednesday October 22, 2008
Event Day!! At 6:30 a.m. sharp City Year circled and welcomed Senior Vice President of Program & Service, Stephanie Wu. After a powerful readiness check City Year headed to NEON to get ready for the arrival of Pepperidge Farm. At 7:30 a.m. half of the group stayed to continue with prep while another group departed to Pepperidge Farm Headquarters to help with registration and serve as bus captains.

Around 8:30 a.m. Pepperidge Farm began lining up to load the buses. Many of the folks coming to the event had served with City Year on the prior two events prior Norwalk. It was great to see people committed to continuing to provide service in their community. The morning program kicked off with powerful PT led both New Hampshire and Team Care Force. After an inspirational spirit break, the 140 volunteers were deployed to build 10 mural benches, paint several walls inside NEON, paint over 30 panel murals, sand and stain several wooden doors, build 2 picnic tables, 6 backed benches, 2 cubbies and add a fresh coat of paint to the entrance way to their single-person housing unit! After the volunteers departed, we stayed to finish attaching the stained doors back to their hinges. Once all of the doors were attached and appropriately hung throughout the building, City Year departed NEON feeling accomplished after a transformational day of service.

Nashville, TN Chronicle (Trip #2)

by David Alexander

On the cold Sunday morning of October 12, the Special Forces of Idealism formed at Logan International Airport, ready to continue our long journey toward idealism perfection. After an hour layover in New York City, we landed at the Nashville International Airport ready to serve. We proceeded to pick up our rental vehicle, and off we were to the Hotel Preston. Upon checking in at the hotel, many of us took full advantage of the unique offer of pet fish and lava lamps for our rooms. Let's face it; no hotel room is complete without a fish and lava lamp. We then went into to downtown Nashville to snack on some mean barbeque that would hopefully hold us over until dinner. Later that night, we were accompanied by “the Great” James Simmons for dinner at the famous Loveless Cafe. The meal included some authentic and delicious southern cuisine, as well as the greatest biscuits any of us have ever had.

The next day we pulled up in front of the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club ready to begin our prep work, the initial step necessary in our quest to transform yet another neighborhood center. The team noticed that this particular Boys and Girls club was right in the middle of a housing project, which made this project's success seem all the more crucial. Some of the prep work included cutting wood, taping and tarping several rooms in the center, and sketching out murals. The first day was laid back and the stress level remained low, but little did we know, as is the natural course of many of our events, it would only get crazier from there.

As Team Care Force member Allison Goldstein was cutting wood the next day, a man approached her, asking politely if she could cut off his arm with her circular saw. Although he boasted “excellent” health insurance, she had to turn him away. Although he did not know it at the time, he would go down as the most interesting addition to the many stories we have already amassed this year. As the day continued we could tell that we were making our mark around the neighborhood, due to the many questions posed by the neighborhood’s residents. In the back of the center Team Care Forces members David Alexander, Hugh Harlow and “the Great” James Simmons pulled pipes out of the ground and mercilessly ripped them in half with a sawzaw. The last day of prep was intense, as we moved 100 LB railroad ties, sketched a giant W.E.B Du Bois mural, and sorted tools and materials for the big day. At the end of the day, the team was confident that the event was going to go well. We left the center that night with our heads held high. David even hoisted his hammer proudly about his head, reminiscent of Thor preparing for battle against the giants.

Soon enough the event day was upon us, but it was turning out to be a dark and nasty day, bound to be filled with rain. As the team poured paint and the PT crew prepared for the opening ceremony, we got ourselves in place to greet the volunteers whom were to change this neighborhood for the better. As the volunteers arrived, we jumped and cheered to get them in the right frame of mind, and they returned the favor. The opening ceremony included some of the best PT ever performed and a speech by the director of the Boys and Girls Club, Marcus, whom, after a request to the volunteers, received a rock star’s welcome. Service started off crazy-busy, with volunteers working on landscaping, repainting basketball courts, painting murals in several rooms and a creating University of Tennessee themed T-Mobile Huddle Up Zone. Before long, service came to a close and yet another mission had been completed. The team then put on the finishing touches while Joel Shuherk ensured that the children in the Club’s afterschool program were well versed with City Year’s “fired up” call and response. That night, we had our wrap-up dinner at the Boogie Bar in downtown Nashville and celebrated yet another successful service event!

The NonProfit Times Names City Year CEO Michael Brown and ServiceNation Colleagues "2008 Executives of the Year"

For advancing the national service agenda, The NonProfit Times has named as its 2008 "Executives of the Year" City Year CEO and Co-Founder Michael Brown and his ServiceNation colleagues, John Bridgeland, president and CEO of Civic Enterprises, Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Alan Khazei, CEO and founder of Be the Change, Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of the Points of Light Institute, and Richard Stengel, managing editor of TIME magazine.

The NonProfit Times honored these executives for their leadership in organizing the ServiceNation coalition and the September 11th ServiceNation Summit, which featured a nationally televised Presidential Forum on Service with Senator John McCain and then-Senator Barack Obama and convened more than 500 of the nation's leaders to discuss how service can be expanded to solve major problems facing our country.

In The NonProfit Times article announcing the 2008 Executives of the Year, Michael Brown shared his vision for national service and the importance of the ServiceNation agenda: There is "a very strong sense in the country that we need to move forward by calling on citizens to directly engage the problems of our country. I think it's palpable. It's not partisan and it is part of the spirit of the country. As members of service organizations, we have to model the idea that there's something larger than ourselves."

To read The NonProfit Times full story, click here.

Boston Globe Op-Ed on National Service

By Allegra Goodman December 31, 2008

There was much talk during the presidential campaign about coming together for change. Each party spoke about renewing America, each highlighted energy independence. Television commercials for both John McCain and Barack Obama featured windmills as symbols of homegrown power replacing foreign oil. One source of native energy got less press: America's youth.

In the new year with a new president, as we try to rebuild the economy and leverage our resources, I would love to hear a serious debate about how the next generation might contribute. Many countries require national service of their high school graduates. The service takes different forms - from community work to military enlistment. High school graduates generally begin work or college. But how would the United States look if 18-year-olds spent a year working in parks and schools, day care centers, libraries, or took a year to work with the elderly and the underserved, with the homeless, or with young children after school?
Programs like City Year promote this spirit of volunteerism. But what if City Year spread to every city and town, and programs like it became the norm for every graduating senior?

To some parents, national service on such a massive scale might sound too much like the draft. To some politicians, it might sound like a bureaucratic nightmare. But millions of hands make light work. As the mother of a 16-year-old, I see untapped potential in young men and women.

Our kids are big and strong and capable - big enough to get into trouble, but also big enough to do some serious work. We all ask morosely, what kind of world will our children inherit? But what if we allow our children to become part of the solution? Just think what 18-year-olds might contribute: building, cleaning, organizing, tutoring. And imagine what our children would learn about others if they worked outside their own communities.

Allegra Goodman is a novelist. Her first book for younger children, "The Other Side of the Island," has just been published.