[Community-service] National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division March Service Snippets

Tue Mar 7 06:35:38 UTC 2017

National Federation of the Blind
 Community Service Division
Service Snippets
 March 2017
 Darian Smith, President
president at nfbcommunityservice.org

	Dear Federation family,
Thank you to everyone who attended the open board meeting of the Community Service Division.
We had a good number of participants, and some exciting ideas came from the call that I  feel positive will turn into opportunities to build our National Federation of the Blind.
 Our chapter engagement committee held a conference call  on how chapters can start to get involved in community service, even  if they have members that aren’t the type to jump into trying something new.
 This discussion was informed and inspired by our “How To Get Involved In Eight Simple Steps” <http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/eight_simple_steps> document, originally put together by Hindley Williams, former board member  and chairperson of the then Publications Committee.
 Dacia Cole, our division vice  president headed up this call and tells me that it was a very successful call.
 As a result, we  are happy to report that a few new members have joined the division.  We welcome our new members if you are reading these words.
Speaking of Dacia, she and I attended the national Federation of the Blind of Tennessee, Nashville Chapter on February 11th by way of conference call.  I want to tell you that Dacia represented us well, and I thank her for taking the time to do this.

 I also attended a call for  the Krafter’s Division on February 27th. we discussed ways in which we can use this particular hobby in order to do something good for our community.
 I am inspired by the ways that we are thinking about community service, and energized by the possibilities to collaborate with  our special interest groups and divisions to broaden the concept of community service.
 If your chapter or division is one you think might want to discuss community service and how it may fit into your plans for this year please be in touch.       We also sent a representative to the National Center in Baltimore to take part in a communications seminar hosted by President Riccobono and the  Federation’s communications team.
 Johna Wright, Coordinator of our social media efforts went and reported back on the large amount of information given and came back with  some wonderful ideas which we look forward to implementing.
 Finally, as the calendar turns to March, we start to plan for national convention.
There are already plans being made from ideas that have been thought of.  If you should have an idea of your own that you think we should try for this year’s convention, please do not hesitate to contact me..   

here are the customary updates from the board’s committees as brought to you by their chairs.
note: announcements are presented as submitted.
Web site/Blog Committee:

This month, I posted an entry written by Johna Wright, who serves as the division’s social media coordinator, in which she discusses participating in a campus community service activity <http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog_Be_a_Good_NeighBEAR>. If you’ve participated in a community service project and would like to write about it, just e-mail me at blog at nfbcommunityservice.org <mailto:blog at nfbcommunityservice.org> and we’ll work out the details. We’re always looking for new people and new stories to feature on the blog. Also remember that there are still blog topics floating out there for January, February, and March. If you need a refresher, they are:

January: National Mentoring Month (mentoring experiences or tribute to your mentors)
February: National Green Week/Great American Cleanup (spring, time to be outside; green- or nature-themed experiences; gardening)
March: Alternative spring break projects

We’ll always take entries on any community service experience you’ve had; these are just some seasonal ideas for possible topics. 
If you haven’t checked out the blog yet, we invite you to do so at http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog <http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog>. Send any entries or ideas for entries to blog at nfbcommunityservice.org <mailto:blog at nfbcommunityservice.org>.

On the Web site front, I’ve been keeping the Events page <http://nfbcommunityservice.org/events> updated with current committee meeting dates/times as well as information on any upcoming conference calls or special programs, so definitely check that out to keep up-to-date on what the division is doing. Find us at http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org <http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/>, and let us know of any new features or information you’d like to see on the Web site.
 Chris Parsons

Outreach Committee:
.  The outreach committee is currently working on ways to integrate service organizations  is into our upcoming division meeting at national convention. we are planning to have an opportunity for chapters and individuals to learn about volunteer organizations and how to get involved in them in an interactive format. 
            The next outreach conference call will be on March 20th and we meet every third Monday of the month.  You are invited to our call.  We know you have experiences and ideas that are a great asset to our committee and division.
 Ronnie Bellomy 

a new initiative:
 Below  is announcement that has been sent out to affiliate presidents and sent out on our list serve.
 please consider helping your chapter to become involved, and please be in touch with the committee  directly at ap at nfbcommunityservice.org <mailto:ap at nfbcommunityservice.org>.
Good morning Community Service Division Members,
Below is a blurb that we will be sending out to Affiliate presidents in regards to Volunteer Week, which is held in April. We are trying to make a push that is a mini version of the 75 days of service we did a few years ago. The goal of this project is to increase chapter engagement within their own community and assist our fellow Federationists with the planning process.  We are encouraging chapters to plan an activity, big or small, during the month of April, not just for that specific week. 
We are on a pretty short timeline, so we are asking you to help get the word out about this initiative and invite interested members to our first conference call that will happen On Sunday, March 19th. We will also be sharing ideas on our blog and on social media so please send us your thoughts on how chapters can get involved in service within their communities. 

Community and service engagement is a central aspect of our philosophy as Federation members. If you have been interested in participating in community service, but perhaps have not known how to get started, there is no better time than the present.  The Community Service Division invites you to participate in volunteer and community service related activities during the Month of April for National Volunteer week, which is April 23-29th. By no means do events have to take place during this specific date range, we would like to encourage service engagement during the month of April.
In preparation for events, the Community Service Division will lend itself available to assist chapters in the planning process for chapters interesting in planning an activity in the near future.  Whether your chapter engages in volunteer events on a regular basis, or you are completely unsure of how to get started, the Community Service Division team can help you find an activity that is compatible with all sizes and comfort levels. It is often assumed that blind people are recipients of services, and it is important that we stand amongst our sighted peers to show them we can also give back to the community. 
Community Service is a multi-faceted way to challenge misconceptions, meet new people, gain new skills and build a better team within your chapter. Together we can bring about positive change in our communities. This project will show and strengthen our belief in the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. You can take part in this project individually or coordinate with your chapter by volunteering at a nonprofit organization, church or school. 
Participants will be able to learn and share ideas during bi weekly conference calls that will take place on March 19, April 2, April 16, and April 30. 
To join us, call (712)432-0140 and enter access code 808277.
 The Community Service Division will also be sharing ideas via social media updates (“@NFB_CSD” on twitter and “National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division” on face book) throughout the month of March to help chapters plan activities. Please send us information regarding recent or future activities, so we may post them on the Community Service Division Blog <http://nfbcommunityservice.org/blog>. The blog is an outlet in which we showcase our volunteer efforts. We are excited to get started! Please join us on the first call to get more information.  Feel free to contact the community Service Division’s April Project Committee at ap at nfbcommunityservice.org with questions. 

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.
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