Civic and Community Responsibility

To All,

I attended the Service Nation Town Hall Meeting last night with a few of the 9/11 family groups.

Both candidates stated that they are fully supportive of the volunteer effort and would work to help such efforts if elected.

Governor Paterson even announced that he is going to create a cabinet level position to support the same.

I have always felt that Staten Island was years ahead of the rest of the country in this effort but according to the statistics shared New York ranks as one of the lowest states in citizen involvement and volunteerism.

We at Where to Turn are going to double our efforts in an event to rectify this situation.

We will be reaching out to all our local schools civic groups, community boards and elected officials to recruit volunteers into our current programs and support of the volunteer efforts by posting their events.

We have also proposed programs at the National level to both Senator Clinton and Schumer (see below for details)

For a list of all of our Where to Turn Programs go to

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/index.php?c=18

For additional volunteer opportunities go to

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=26


We have already reached out to all of our local elected officials through our Campaigning for our Community Program asking candidates to offer their campaign workers of a day of community work.

We are happy to see that Senator Lanza has taken this even further and will be partnering with the Staten Island Advance to do four beach cleanups.

We hope that others will follow his lead and we will work with them to organize events.

We will continue to work with our court ordered offenders through our weekly graffiti cleanups but we will also work with any school to coordinate additional cleanups.

We also will ask all Staten Island Schools to adopt a block in their neighborhood and keep it graffiti and litter free. Where to Turn will supply the paint and supplies.

Letters will also being sent out for this year’s Snow Shoveling for Seniors Program.

Last year we shoveled for over 625 seniors and this year our goal is 750.

We have also offered to set up pilot programs in the other boroughs if funding is made available.

Information and applications can be found at

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=42

We will also be planning our Re-Gifting for a Good Cause Flea Market and will need volunteers. We are also asking schools if they can begin supporting the effort by collecting unwanted gifts. We are also looking for some new toys to be distributed over the Holidays. We will arrange pick up at your convenience.

Below are a few opportunities over the next few weeks

Volunteers needed for beach cleanups 9/20, 9/27, 10/4 and 10/11

Roy Chelsen Bone Marrow Drive

September 20, Zion Lutheran Church, 505 Watchogue Rd, Staten Island 10314, 10am-3:30pm

Students will receive 1 hour of community service credit if they donate blood or for each person referred by them who donates. Students will receive 2 hours of community service credit each time they donate platelets or recruit someone to donate platelets. Students will receive 1 hour of community service credit for each person they recruit to be tested as a possible bone marrow donor for Roy Chelsen. We will award 2 hours of community service credit to any high school senior who registers. (MUST BE 18 OR OLDER)

Graffiti Removal Outing with St. Johns

We will be cleaning up a ten block stretch of graffiti on Arthur Kill Road with the 122 Precinct

More to follow

National Recommendations

Proactive Support

Instead of waiting to coordinate efforts after hurricanes hit we recommend that schools and churches in non hurricane regions adopt schools and churches in hurricane regions or regions impacted by other natural disasters.

This will develop a proactive relationship. If a hurricane should hit our local school or church would have a contact at the hurricane impacted school or church and would be able to coordinate the collection of what is needed.

This could also be expanded to community groups and police departments, fire departments etc.

Where to Turn will arrange to cover the shipping costs by recruiting corporate sponsors. The coordination of the shipping will be expedited as all information would already be on file.

Recruiting Retiree Volunteers

Set up a federal or state fund which will support medical benefits to recent retirees who volunteer at least 20 hours a week at not for profits or schools.

This will supply valuable resources while cutting the payrolls of not for profits while provided medical benefits for those who have lost them when they retired.

Where to Turn is ready to coordinate a pilot program on Staten Island.

Volunteerism = Financial Aid

Have Colleges and Universities (especially at the state and city level) offer financial aid based on the amount of community service hours incoming students have accumulated over their pre college years.

Local organizations can be set up to track and document student volunteer hours

Injured Soldiers Benefits

Both candidates spoke of the problem of recruiting and retaining soldiers in the military.

One of the major problems is the pathetic treatment of injured veterans (both mentally and physically) when they return home.

Even though this was newsworthy last year little has been done and the injured vets continue to suffer.

Our proposal is that a certain percentage of each year’s military budget be dedicated to the treatment of returning soldiers.

If we dedicate even 3 to 5 percent we will have more than enough the properly treat the needs of those who have given up.

I believe that last year the only 1/10 of 1% of the total military budget went to veteran benefits. That is a disgrace.

In times of war as the military budget increases we will be able to bank funds to assist vets when they return.