Make A Difference Blog

Join Us on April 21 for Serve A Thon for Schools

2007-04-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

It’s Monday, April 23rd and you’re eight years old. You’ve put on your navy blue uniform pants and your white uniform polo, strapped on your Spider Man or Barbie backpack and trotted off to school. Once on campus, you enter the front gates and hear giggling, see lots of pointing and sense a general excitement hanging in the air. And then you see why: your once dull school has a new flower garden in the courtyard, bright murals cover the walls and there’s even new sets of hop scotches on the playground! All of a sudden you feel excited to be at school and you’re glad that someone helped make it a more interesting place to be.

Help create that excitement for eight year olds around the Valley. Join us for Serve A Thon for Schools on April 21.

By participating in Serve A Thon for Schools, you benefit Valley schoolchildren, Make A Difference and, even yourself. Here's how it works. 1) Schools reap the rewards of your elbow grease with brightly painted murals, freshly planted flowers, organized libraries and so much more! 2) The funds you raise by asking for pledges helps Make A Difference provide 40+ amazing and impactful service projects and programs each month. 3) You earn prizes like commemorative Serve A Thon for Schools tees, Diamondbacks tickets, gift cards and more for pledges raised in the amounts of $25, $100, $250 and $500. For 2007, our goal is to raise $50,000 in pledges with the help of generous folks like you. So get started today!

A New Year Full of Cheer!

2007-01-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 2007 and the Make A Difference Blog. My name is Meg, I’m an AmeriCorps member here at the Make A Difference office. I shall write little tid-bits of news, juicy gossip and stories to entertain and delight the readers of this blog. Feel welcome to send your thoughts and stories to me as you volunteer in your community.

New Year’s Resolutions are just pretty dang hard to keep. As you make or break promises in 2007, just remember that you can redeem yourself by VOLUNTEERING!

Here are a few more resolutions that the Make A Difference staff and AmeriCorps Members serving around Phoenix wrote in with:

Smokie the Bear, serving at Audubon Arizona, writes: My new year’s resolution is to quit smoking, I am on day 2 and it isn't so bad yet. So if you see me and I am cranky please note the non-smoking sign on my back. Good luck with your resolution!
-That’s a hard habit to break, Smokie. I myself have struggled with addiction. But don’t worry the birds and lizards in Phoenix will appreciate your new fresh breath.

Sleeps Late, serving at Day Resource Center, writes: I just want to wake up on time. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it is quite tough for me. To keep my resolution, I plan on going to bed earlier and to drink coffee in the morning. I'm also going to start eating large amounts of kelp, because I think it will help me fight off the extreme tiredness I have due to my thyroid condition.
- I hope that seaweed family doesn’t come after you for eating all that kelp! Seriously, setting more than one alarm holds no shame & coffee can jump start any morning…

Long-Winded Fruit Eater, in her second year at the Phoenix Mayor’s Office, writes:
I found it very interesting that this was probably not the first time I pondered on this question. How much time and energy did I put into what I should do? While I was thinking “Well… I should bite into an apple and crack open a book [in 2007]” I was just sitting there, probably during a commercial break, waiting for a repeated episode of Will & Grace to return. So long story short:
My 2007 New Year’s Resolution is to focus on thing I need to do to be a healthy happy person. I will plan on making a mental list and wait for the new year to arrive to fuel my fire.
- You really never shut your pie-hole, do you? It looks like you have a great start to your list. Be sure to let me know once you actually do something.

Jogging for Joy, Programs Coordinator here at the office, writes:
I've got one that I want help with! I'm going to go to the gym during lunch time! Life outside the office it just too crazy to regularly work out but I'd love a companion or two! The fun begins TOMORROW! Peace
-You are one ambitious lady, Jogging! Since when is exercise fun? I just hope you don’t make our nostril hairs fall out after one of your long runs. Remember to shower!

Flexible & List Challenged, the Make A Difference Special Initiatives Director, writes:
I have a tendency to practice resolutions throughout the year as I get new insights or challenges in my life. So I don’t have a long list now but I do plan to do some sort of cleanse., I’m going to practice appreciating people in my life more – sending some hand written cards out to thank people (rather than email). There are also a lot of exciting things going on at the yoga studio where I teach that will be part of my new year.
Have you come up with yours?
- It sounds like you’ve got a long list already, Flexible. Maybe you can stop off at the post office after your last Downward Dog. Yes, I have many resolutions. Do you need my mailing address?

Wanted - Inspirational Stories

2006-12-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Do you have an inspiring volunteer story? Would you like to share it with the Make A Difference public? We are looking for motivational stories from YOU to add to our blog. We are looking for YOUR help in sprucing up the blog. Please submit your stories to Sara.

Hey.. Good AM from the Gulf Coast!...

2006-10-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Monday was just what I was thinking this week was gonna be like. We worked our butts off :>)…. The five of us Katie, Steven, Rachel, Kaitlin and I (the other two make a difference members we hadn’t hooked up with yet) signed up to work on constructing a park in Biloxi. As you can see from the pictures the Hands On people have done a ton of work so far creating a park on what once was an oyster shell dump. In some parts of the garden where we were digging, the ground was hard as a rock..eerrrr shell.!.... We all were working on building some raised beds for the planting vegetables.

I’m writing this Tuesday AM while Teresa, Rachel, and Steven are on Breakfast clean up duty, and Katie is working in the office. I did my chore by cleaning up after dinner on Sunday, yahooooo...Right now there are about 70 people living here, so the cleanup can take quite a while. The way this place works is everyone is expected to help out with the daily chores whether that is clean up, cooking , admin stuff, picking people up at the airport… all kinds of stuff…More about this very cool thing that the Hands On Network has going here on the Gulf Coast later……….gotta go now, I’ll be writing tomorrow…

See ya

Lee

Make A Difference Volunteers in Biloxi

2006-10-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

What I never could have believed... Work starts on Monday Oct 2 in Biloxi Mississippi so on Sunday 10-1, Katie, Stephen, Rachel and I drove around on our own and checked out New Orleans. It’s been over a year since the devastation of hurricane Katrina. Not much to say except that it’s overwhelming. Mile after mile of pure destruction. It was kinda strange, we would all be talking about what we seeing then it would just all of a sudden get quiet... One of the hardest hit areas was the 9th ward, check out the water level above Katie’s head in a random house we stopped at.

The houses are the way they were
since the storm. The people just left...

Unbelievable...

It’s 10:00 PM now and we’re all settled in at our base camp in Biloxi, ready to get to work first thing in the AM!

Lee

8-Year Old Seeks Experience...Yours!

2006-09-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

Experience Corps members are trained and supported to tutor students in the
skills they need to succeed in school and life.

Tutors (age 55+ preferred) who commit to tutoring fourth graders 15 hours per
week for one school year, receive modest monthly stipends and educational awards.

The program starts this fall in the Mesa Public School District. For more information, visit our website, or contact Lisa.

Become A Bookworm Buddy!

2006-08-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Would you like to be a Buddy? Become a Bookworm Buddy for the fall and help a student learn to read!

Bookworm Buddies is Make A Difference’s unique literacy, mentoring, and tutoring program designed to give students in under-resourced schools the opportunity to benefit from a one-on-one relationship with a committed adult while simultaneously working to improve their literacy skills. Volunteers are asked to commit to meeting with their student for one hour a week, for at least one semester. Students are in grades 1st-3rd and have been chosen by their teachers to participate in the program.

To sign up for training today, or for more information contact us at info@makeadifference.org or call 602-973-2212.

The Bunk House Became Home

2006-06-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Thursday was the demolding project, as I mentioned earlier. The house was on a street that seemed to be abandoned. As far as I could see all of the houses were empty. Some had been gutted; some still had the owners’ belongings in them. Aside from the few cars that passed by, it seemed like a ghost town. There were two port-o-potties at then end of the street that the city had provided, but apparently didn’t bother to empty or clean. I won’t go into graphic detail, but let’s just say they probably would have been unbearable without my mask on. I worked on this project with a group of boy scouts and a few individual volunteers. It is kind of funny but I don’t even know most of their names. You go to these projects everyday and most likely you will be working with different groups, because volunteers choose which project they will go on that day, and no one really introduces themselves to each other. You talk with each other at breaks, but inside it is hard to converse with a respirator on.

Friday I woke up feeling under the weather. By mid-day my body was feeling a little achy and I was running a little fever. Jessi, Kayla, and I had signed up to cook dinner Friday night, taco salad, yum (Jessi’s idea and it was a hit). So, we had to leave the project early anyway to shop and start cooking and Jessi asked if we could tour the lower 9th ward before going to the store. The lower 9th ward is where the levies broke, so this area had the most damage. Two long-time volunteers drove Jessi, Kayla, Kevin and I there. It was a pretty intense sight to see, just complete devastation. There were mangled houses and cars, houses on top of cars, houses that had been completely swept away and all that was left was the foundation, and one makeshift memorial that read “You are not forgotten.” There were some workers there; apparently these were the first workers the long-time volunteers had seen since they had been there. It felt weird to take pictures knowing the tragedy that took place.

Saturday I woke up feeling worse than before with a bad cough. I am sure sharing a room with about 60-70 people can play a role in getting sick. I tried to sleep through the usual loud music and bright lights that we wake up to at 6am every morning but to no avail. We were leaving today, so I stayed in bed for awhile waiting for it to clear out a bit. I talked with Scott who was in the bunk next to me for awhile before finally getting out of bed. I watched Jessi and Kayla pack and decided I should do the same. After Jessi and Kayla’s departure and a nice warm shower, a few of us walked up to Magazine St. to look in some shops and get a frozen cappuccino, which was refreshing on a hot, humid day. Igor’s would be my first and last stop in New Orleans. I said goodbye to Jeff, the bartender Kevin, Mary, and I had spoken with on our first day, and bought a t-shirt. When we got back it was time to call a cab to the airport. It was strange leaving, like the bunk house had become home. I felt as though I was there a lot longer than one week. The residents that lived near the church were friendly when they saw us because they knew why were there; I always got a head nod or a hello. We said some goodbyes at the bunk house and eventually more goodbyes at the airport (I hate goodbyes, by the way, but I think most people do. They just seem so awkward to me). Finally, I was on a plane, sick and exhausted, back to Arizona with one thought on my mind, when can I go back.

I felt my time in New Orleans was well spent. It is amazing the amount of work that volunteers are doing there, but also the amount of work that needs to be done. I am not sure what will happen there, will people return, will everything be rebuilt, and how long will it take? I do know one thing, though, the work that is being done is uplifting. Watching people come together for a cause is very powerful and I am fortunate enough to work for a place that let me be a part of it.
I also want to thank Kevin and Mary, both former AmeriCorps members at Make A Difference, for coming with me. They were serving their terms at Make A Difference when Katrina hit and, along with the staff and other AmeriCorps members, worked round the clock to answer calls and help run the shelter at the Coliseum. They also helped raise funds to aid in disaster relief. I think we all had a good experience.

Megan

So what will they do with all those wrecked cars left from the Hurricane?

2006-06-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

So, where did I leave off?? Monday was the AmeriCorps Alum Month of Service Kick-off event in Biloxi. The kick-off event was really neat because you got to see current AmeriCorps members working alongside AmeriCorps Alums. There were about 150 people there to volunteer. The day started off with some people from the community speaking and thanking volunteers for all of the help they have been given. Then we got to work demolding houses in an affordable housing complex. This is the last step that has to be taken before a house can be rebuilt inside. I made some friends with two former AmeriCorps NCCC members named Jessi and Kayla.

When we got done with dinner, Mary and I walked down to Canal Street where they have lots of souvenir shops, of which I bought none. :) We walked past this spot under the freeway where there are rows and rows of cars that were damaged by the hurricane. They are just sitting there, some wrecked, I wonder what they will do with all of them?

On Tuesday I gutted a house on Allen Street. They had already been working on this house so most things had been removed, except what the owner wanted saved, and the walls had mostly been knocked out. Some of the owners belongings were in a trash pile in the front yard, including a box of trophies that had been ruined. We worked on ripping up the floor boards, knocking out the top part of the walls, and taking down the ceiling. It was hard work especially in those darn Tyvek suits. I was working with a good group, including my two new friends.

After dinner I went with Jessi and Kayla down to the French Quarter. We walked Bourbon Street, which was pretty disgusting, all the bars you could ask for. Then we went down to Frenchmen Street, which is where the locals hang out, to listen to some jazz at The Spotted Cat. We were talking to the bartender, Bucky, and he said it used to be much busier before the storm, he said the place used to get packed.

Wednesday we toured the French Quarter some more and went to a free concert they have every Wednesday in Lafayette Square. It was pretty awesome.

Today, I demolded a house. First, you scrub the studs and walls with a wire brush, then you vacuum everything, and then you wipe everything down with pine-sol.

Well, I have to go now, people waiting for the computers!! Talk to you soon.

Megan

Arrived in New Orleans

2006-05-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

We made it to New Orleans Saturday afternoon, yay!! We got checked in at the First Street United Methodist Church where we will be staying for the week. We are staying in one big room with bunk beds for 80 people. There is a kitchen for us to cook in, 3 showers (one inside and two outside), a backyard with a fire pit and some comfy lawn chairs. I saw some before pictures and they have completely transformed this place. They built the bunk beds and the showers and the lawn chairs. Communal living is funny because everyone is immediately forced to drop their inhibitions a notch. I mean, I am practically sleeping in the same bed with someone whose name I don't even know. But everyone is here for the same reason, to help out and be a part of something big. It is definitely a bonding experience because you are seeing and experiencing complete devastation with strangers and trying to do something about it. People have been here days, weeks, even months!

After we checked in and found some empty bunks to stash our stuff, we walked to a local bar down the street called Igor's. We got to talking with the bartender, Jeff. He was living here when Katrina hit. When they evacuated, he hopped in his truck with 100 bucks in his pocket and drove to Tampa where he has family. His place got flooded and his stuff got ruined. Most of the clothes he has now were donated by co-workers. He told us some horror stories, stories we have probably all heard about people being stranded with no one to help, unimaginable stories. A woman called the radio station as her last attempt for help. She was in her attic on her tiptoes, she could barely keep her head out of the water to make the phone call, but no one could help her.

The work is hard and strenuous. On Sunday, we worked on gutting a school. Since we are working on mold abatement we have to wear Tyvek suits and respirators. I have never sweated so much in my life. I sweated completely through my shirt and jeans. We only worked half a day but I was exhausted.

Today we drove to Biloxi for the AmeriCorps Alum Month of Service Kick-Off event. We were de-molding homes in an affordable housing complex to get them ready for contractors to come in and finish them. It was a long tedious process, but it was nice to see all of the current AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Alums working side by side. The people down here are so grateful for the help.

I have got to go for now, my time is up. I will write again as soon as I can.

Megan Lashmet
Talk with Megan!

Cracking Down on Graffiti

2006-05-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, May 20, Mayor Phil Gordon spoke about the Graffiti Busters progress in Phoenix and attributed Make A Difference for the continued success to eradicate graffiti in our communities. “Make A Difference is the place to go to for volunteering,” said Gordon. “We couldn’t have done this without their support.”

Special thanks to all our volunteers who have committed to wiping out graffiti in our neighborhoods! You have invested $4,500 back into the community as of April 2006.

To get your neighborhood involved in graffiti cleanups, call 602-534-7014. Please tell us about your experience with the Graffiti Busters volunteer project.

Volunteer Highlight

2006-05-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to hearing stories from Make A Difference staff, AmeriCorps members, project leaders and our volunteers about the impact volunteering has had on your lives. We created this blog to highlight our volunteers, upcoming projects and announcments. We look forward to hearing from you!!!

Please click on the comment button and let us know your volunteer stories. We'll print the best of them in upcoming issues of our monthly newsletter.