Today marked the first ever Georgia GIVES Day, a statewide day of philanthropy with the goal of raising money and awareness for Georgia nonprofits, so I wanted to take this opportunity to ask for your support.  I’m writing this past 11pm after a very long day of fundraising for Make-A-Wish Georgia, so bear with me.  I have three things to request of you, and yes, one of them is money… please keep reading!  (…and if you’re willing to do just about any favor I ask of you, feel free to just jump down to the bottom of the page!)

Georgia Gives Day is an initiative that has been co-created by the nonprofit sector itself. It doesn’t support one cause or one locale – it’s all of us in the state’s nonprofit sector pulling together to ask you to stop and consider your life and your community without nonprofits. How much less connected, less vibrant, less interesting and less supported would our communities be without them?

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September 17th is celebrated as Constitution Day in the United States, and today marks the 225th anniversary since our Constitution was signed.  Each year, the day is used as an opportunity to commemorate the document that guarantees our rights as citizens.  To that end, Georgia Serves is challenging high schools, colleges and universities across the state to engage its students, faculty, staff and community members to engage in nonpartisan voter education and registration efforts.

With all the social ills we work to manage every day, there are still so many things to be thankful for — the courage of those who act in difficult situations, the leadership of everyday people who make a difference and give of themselves,  the support of neighbors who care, and the freedoms we enjoy in this country to name a few.  There is no better reminder of that than last week’s 10th annual observance of My Good Deed Day, now known as the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.   If you haven’t done so, please visit 911day.org and pledge to do something good with Georgia Serves & HandsOn Southeast Georgia.   One good deed would be to volunteer with our local Rock the Vote efforts.

Next Tuesday, September 25th is National Voter Registration Day and we have joined a campaign to register 50,000 voters across the country.   If you’d like more information on how you can participate, email vote [at] georgiaserves.org.  or call 912-225-9781.   We’ll get you all the information you need on conducting a successful voter registration drive.

Yours in service and peace,

- @HandsOnJeremy

After 7 years, we’re growing and evolving!  Be it proclaimed, GeorgiaServes.org is the new home of HandsOn Southeast Georgia online, and the City Campus E-Zone at 58 East Main Street in Statesboro is our new physical location!  As the lead operating division and supporting organization of Community Centered Foundation, Georgia Serves acts as a grassroots, nonpartisan organization which convenes a support network of partners including volunteers, corporate citizens, educational institutions, faith-based groups, government allies, nonprofit agencies and community-based organizations to improve lives and meet critical needs.

If you’re used to going to HandsOnSEGA.org to find great meaningful volunteer opportunities, you’ll still be able to access those too, but the Georgia Serves website will operate as a one-stop-shop where you can find great ways to get involved with many other nonprofit organizations and community events statewide as well as find training, leadership development opportunities, and other civic resources.  HandsOn Southeast Georgia will continue to be the regional volunteer & civic action center for Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Evans, Jenkins, Montgomery, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs and Treutlen counties.  Our regional efforts, however, will be bolstered by new strategic partnerships through Georgia Serves to leverage state and national resources and funding made available by generous donors to our Community Foundation fund.

There are lots of changes ahead over the next several weeks.  You’ll begin to see a heavy focus on the areas of disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans & military families.  Additionally, our youth & family programs will grow to support Kids Care Clubs and generationOn Clubs of Georgia youth action centers, goLEAD (the new Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute based on servant-leadership practices), the LEAGUE “cooperatitions,” and service-learning professional development for K12 educators.  We’ll also be announcing a network of associate volunteer centers and Collegiate Corps partnerships with institutions of higher education and ways to get involved with campus chapters.  New enhancements to our website powered by Salesforce.com and HandsOn Connect are just around the corner as well.

Look forward news of our Doing Good Business corporate social responsibility initiatives, Community Cinema free film screening events, Georgia Community Blueprint resources for veterans and military families, advocacy work to preserve federal funding for national and community service through ServeNext Georgia, and much more.  Our future is looking so bright that we’ve gotta wear shades!! If you haven’t already, please register as a volunteer today.

Yours in service and peace,
- @HandsOnJeremy

Georgia Serves/HandsOn Southeast Georgia

Across the US (and Canada) nonprofits and volunteer centers like ours will have activities in recognition of National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, 2012.  The central theme “Celebrating People in Action” is about honoring the people who dedicate themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities.    This week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change—discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation.  For seven days, here are seven ways you can participate locally:

1. Create an account at www.handsonsega.org/join
2. Sign up for a service activity at www.handsonsega.org/search
3. Post a story to the Points of Light online tribute wall at www.handsonsega.org/tribute
4. Enter the National Volunteer Week Contest on Facebook sponsored by Cabot.  Share your story of service for a chance to win an 8-day/7night cruise to Alaska at www.handsonsega.org/cabot
5. Like us on Facebook at www.handsonsega.org/facebook
6. Follow @HandsOnSEGA on Twitter  www.handsonsega.org/twitter
7. Become a certified service-leader through HandsOn University Online at www.handsonsega.org/hou-online

I hope you take time this week to Celebrate People in Action and get involved with HandsOn Southeast Georgia, your regional volunteer and civic action center!

Yours in service and peace,
- @HandsOnJeremy