[Community-service] November Division Notes

[Darian Smith]

Dear Community Service Division,

 Recently the board discussed ways we might keep the membership informed of the many things we are doing to further the work of the federation through our Community Service Division.
 We decided  we wanted to start pushing out monthly updates in order to keep folks informed.
 It is also our hope that you feel free to reach out to us with any suggestions or ideas you might have.
 So with no further delay, I give you updates from our board memers, as they have been submitted.
 


Chris  Parsons gives us an update on what her committee has been up to:
Web Site/Blog
The blog has seen a few new posts over the past month, including an entry from Jonathan Franks about serving with the Special Olympics, a recap of the division’s activities at this year’s National Convention in Orlando, and an announcement about the division’s new service awards program. If you haven’t checked them out yet, we invite you to do so at http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog <http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog>. We have some exciting entries in the works, including one about the project we did with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando during this year’s National Convention, so be on the lookout for that. If you have any ideas for entries you’d like to see on the blog or if you’d like to write one yourself, send me an e-mail at blog at nfbcommunityservice.org <mailto:blog at nfbcommunityservice.org>.
 
On the Web site front, the Events page now contains the dates/times on which each of the division’s committees will meet each month, so feel free to check that out and join a committee you’re interested in.
 KyraSweeney Writes:

	In October, the Membership Committee worked on planning the next conference calls in our #What’sInItForYou series, a set of discussions focused on what blind people can gain through participation in community service. The first of these calls took place in September, and was a collaboration with the National Association of Blind Students. In the next three calls of this series, we plan to discuss how guide dog users, the blind in communities of faith, and blind rehabilitation professionals can benefit from service and volunteerism.

	The Membership Committee is also creating a survey to gather feedback from our members and anyone who has participated in our activities. Please stay tuned for this survey, which will be sent out in late November/early December, and start thinking about ideas and suggestions for the division.

	The Membership Committee’s meeting time is the second Monday of the month at 5 PM eastern time. We are always looking for new committee members, so please join us!
 
From Ronnie Bellomy:

Our last outreach call was on Monday October 17th and here is a recap of what we accomplished and our next steps.  
The External Outreach committee has established a good list of youth based service organization.  Kyra said she would do some digging to find contact information for one or two that we could not find.  We have created a template for contacting these organization that hopefully will allow members of our division to plug into or partner with their organizations.  
The outreach committee in conjunction with the members committee discussed a scholarship call targeting the flag schools that will fall around mid-January.  Contacting the organizations in each school would be twofold in that; while we are contacting them for the scholarship call, we are establishing a connection between our division and their organization.  The focal point being the importance of community service leading to scholarship.  Our committees are currently establishing a list of flag universities that include the community service centers and the disability service offices.  


Darian Smith
President, National Federation  of the Blind Community Service Division

Web: www.nfbcommunityservice.org

Twitter: @NFB_CSD, at goldengateace

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CommunityServiceDivision"

E-mail: president at nfbcommunityservice.org <mailto:president at nfbcommunityservice.org>
 
(415)215-9809

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.
 “We need your service, right now, at this moment - our moment - in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history” — Barack Obama 
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