All articles tagged with #volunteerism
Rob P., a 54-year-old Seattle man, survived a traumatic brain injury in 2017 and, despite cognitive and physical challenges, remembers how to fix bicycles. He spends hours repairing bikes—often for free—in his garage, turning a past injury into purpose, helping neighbors and keeping old cycles out of landfills.
In Los Angeles County, the battle against hepatitis C relies on unpaid volunteers due to scant public funding, with a partnership between USC and the county public health department training volunteers to contact those infected and encourage treatment. The virus has taken a toll on marginalized populations, and obstacles such as limited resources and patient awareness contribute to the high number of untreated cases. While the Biden administration seeks funding to eliminate hepatitis C, the current initiative, Project Connect, relies on volunteers and faces limitations in reaching and treating patients.
Buses of migrants from Texas have been bypassing Chicago and dropping off hundreds of migrants in suburban communities, sparking a debate among residents about the role of their towns in the migrant crisis. While some residents are mobilizing to help the migrants with clothing and other needs, others are approaching elected officials with growing alarm, expressing their reluctance to be involved in the crisis. The influx of migrants has prompted some suburban municipalities to pass rules limiting buses, similar to the restrictions set in Chicago.
Buses of migrants from Texas have been bypassing Chicago and dropping off hundreds of migrants in suburban communities, sparking a debate among residents about their towns' role in the migrant crisis. While some residents have mobilized to help the migrants with clothing and other needs, others are approaching elected officials with growing alarm, expressing their reluctance to be involved in the crisis. The suburban drop-offs have prompted some municipalities to pass rules limiting buses, similar to the restrictions set in Chicago, while volunteers in towns like Wilmette are working to provide essentials for the migrants before they continue their journey to shelters in downtown Chicago.
Homeless individuals in California were discovered living in furnished caves 20 feet below street level along the Tuolumne River in Modesto before being cleared out by the Modesto Police Department and volunteers. The cleanup effort removed 7,600 pounds of garbage, including bedding, belongings, food, drugs, and weapons. The discovery highlights the growing crisis of homelessness in California, with Los Angeles recently recruiting up to 6,000 volunteers to conduct a street tally to estimate the homeless population and provide necessary services.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, AmeriCorps volunteers gathered at Herzl Elementary School in Chicago for a beautification project, but the event was postponed due to inclement weather. While many participate in service activities on MLK Day, some critics argue that a single day of service does not fully honor King's legacy and call for ongoing efforts to address societal issues such as racism, poverty, and war. They emphasize the importance of understanding and embodying King's radical ideals and working towards systemic change throughout the year.
Volunteer drone operators in Britain are using off-the-shelf drones equipped with thermal cameras to help locate lost dogs. These drones can quickly scan large areas and detect the body heat of scared puppies or lost dogs. With the help of these drones, thousands of dogs have been reunited with their families. The volunteer group, consisting of 2,500 drone pilots, has successfully reunited nearly 3,000 dogs so far.
A woman is hurt and confused after a former friend abruptly cut off their long-standing bridge group and excluded her and her husband from her son's wedding. She is upset that the other two members of the group are still attending the wedding. The advice columnist suggests not judging the other attendees and advises against letting this situation ruin the remaining friendships. In another letter, a disappointed volunteer shares concerns about safety and lack of appreciation at a nonprofit organization and seeks advice on how to address the issues. The columnist advises the volunteer to outline their concerns and decide whether or not to continue volunteering based on the organization's response. Lastly, a reader criticizes the columnist for not suggesting confiding in trusted adults regarding sexual experiences in high school, to which the columnist agrees and encourages seeking support outside of school friends.
Volunteers from schools, sports teams, churches, and other organizations gather to clean up the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the Indianapolis 500, using the cleanup as a fundraising opportunity. The Speedway provides a stipend to the groups, which helps fuel their programs. Volunteers often find odd items in the litter left behind, including wallets, cell phones, clothes with tags still on, and questionable snack choices. The funds raised from the cleanup contribute to uniforms, equipment, and tournament costs for lower-income families.
Los Angeles and Riverside have some of the lowest rates of volunteerism among the nation's largest cities, according to a new study from AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau. The study ranked 12 metro areas based on formal volunteering and informal helping, with Riverside ranking dead last in formal volunteering and Los Angeles third from the bottom. Despite the low marks, Angelenos still give back to their community in large numbers and dollars, with over 1.5 million formal volunteers contributing 66.4 million hours of service through organizations worth an estimated $2.4 billion in 2021.