A LIFETIME OF SERVICE JANUARY 2011

SERVICE
AmeriCorps Alums has been working hard this past year to provide service events and support to Alums across the country. Check out what weve been up to!
I worked all day creating service learning activities for kids while running five after school classes a week and tutoring sessions Saturday and Sunday.

2010: A YEAR OF

Update from Capitol Hill

by Julie Murphy, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Points of Light Institute With the start of a new Congress in January of 2011, there is no more important time to advocate for issues that affect AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Alums. Let your voice be heard to keep the momentum of the national service moving forward. We are half a million strong and growing. Our experience on the front lines of Americas greatest challenges and our commitment to service in 500,000+ communities across the country give us a unique role in Washington. In the coming year, we will be focusing on three critical policy developments: The continued implementation of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act with the anticipated growth in AmeriCorps, targeted to specic issue areas such as education, health, veterans, and clean energy. The exclusion of the Eli Segal AmeriCorps education award from income for purposes of federal taxes. Pilot funding for the National Service Reserve Corps. The Corps was created in the Serve America Act but has not been funded by Congress to date. The constituency of former AmeriCorps members is a powerful tool for continued engagement and impact on an unprecedented scale. Alums offers a clear pipeline for effective civic leadership and is a unifying advocacy agent for national service programs. Join us as AmeriCorps Alums continues to play a critical role in support of full funding of the Serve America Act and in building awareness of and support for national service. At a time of both economic uncertainty and struggling communities, the voice of Alums in Washington could not be more vital.

KICK OFF 2011 WITH A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE

Your contribution to AmeriCorps Alums will change lives!
AmeriCorps Alums no longer charges membership dues to be a part of AmeriCorps Alums. Rather, we hope our value speaks for itself and inspires our alumni and friends to be a sponsor by donating $25 or more. A special gift, whether $25, $250 or $1000, will help AmeriCorps Alums to connect, equip and engage the national service alumni network a half a million strong and growing rapidly. AmeriCorps Alums creates a sustainable force for positive change in Americas communities by empowering alumni with the tools and resources they need for a lifetime of civic leadership. AmeriCorps Alums does not receive any federal funding from AmeriCorps. Each year as a nonprot we need to raise our own funds; we rely on individual gifts as 30% of our revenue stream.

8 Ways to Contribute

I once spent 8 hours in a dumpster full of trash.

My first assignment was a woman with inoperable cancer. Her nose and ears had begun to bleed because she was living in a house that had flooded during Katrina. It still had black mold, no insulation and broken rafters...

10 Grants awarded for MLK Day Service Projects:

St. Louis, New Orleans, Buffalo, Maine, Detroit, Southern Arizona, SW Pennsylvania, Quad Cities, Develop U and buildOn. CONGRATULATIONS!

I slept in churches, YMCAs, tents, schools and strangers floors.

Painting in Plaquemines Parish, LA

I shared cold showers and mushy oatmeal with 582 strangers. There were bedbugs in my sleeping bag.

MLK DAY OF SERVICE January 17 NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK April 10 through 16 GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY April 15 through 17 EARTH DAY April 22 AMERICORPS WEEK May 7 through 14 NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON VOLUNTEERING AND SERVICE New Orleans, LA June 6 through 8 KATRINA ANNIVERSARY August 29 SEPTEMBER !! DAY OF SERVICE September 11 AMERICORPS ANNIVERSARY September 21 (1993) MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY October 27

Though these stories all have different endings, they all start out the same. With us saying, I served and I wouldnt change a thing.
Weve all met the teenager who stays late each day after school so that he can be the first in his family to graduate. We all know the woman with four kids and three jobs who whispers a million thank yous when she gets her package of food and gifts for the holidays. We have all seen the community garden that was once just a vacant lot, but now flourishes with greens, veggies and volunteers or the flooded house that is now a beautiful home for a family. We know these people and places because we have served. We have served young and old, black, white and every color in between. We have served the earth, schools, entire communities. And most of all, we have served ourselves. Because no matter who we are, what we do, what we have or do not have we can always serve. Service is our story. It is a story of personal growth. Of giving to a community and getting ten-fold in return. Of 18 hour days, late nights, tears, hugs, laughs, friendships and exhaustion. And we wouldnt change a thing. AmeriCorps Alums are a family bound by a call to serve and destined to make the world a better place.

During this holiday season, AmeriCorps Alums is shouting from the rooftops that our world is different because of you. Its brighter, cleaner, more hopeful and full of promise than ever before! In 2011 we are focusing on building this community of alums to serve and lead now and in the future. We are calling on you to help us solidify this network so people dont forget our story of service. Inside youll read about the exciting developments we have to share and specific ways for you to renew your commitment to the service movement and AmeriCorps members past and present. Youll also find that we would love to hear back from you! So please take a moment to support local alumni and the future of national service by filling out and mailing back the enclosed envelope. When you give you are helping to build a stronger and more robust network of alums willing to continue to Get Things Done for our community, our nation and our world. We wish you a most heart-warming holiday season and an amazing 2011! Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. You are truly an inspiration! With deepest gratitude and well wishes from your service family,

-jarid manos

Womens Build in Slidell, LA

2. Donate Online To make an online donation by credit card, please visit www.americorpsalums.org and click the Donations link. Its quick and easy! 3. Be a Service Sponsor! Pledge a Yearly Amount of just $25 or more and become a Service Sponsor. Please see our website to start your sponsorship. 4. Visit Ebay You can pick us as your favorite nonprot on Ebay! For more details, log on to www.ebay.com/americorpsalums. 5. Share! Share this with your family, friends and coworkers! Many businesses and organizations will match donations dollar for dollar. 6. Give Your Time Contact your local chapter and see what volunteer opportunities are available. Dont have a local chapter? Start one! Log on to www.americorpsalums.org for more information on how to start a chapter in your town! 7. Show Your Pride Buy AmeriCorps Alums gear at americorpsalumsstore.com and 50% of your purchase goes straight to AmeriCorps Alums! 8. Connect with us! Tell us what you are doing, share your stories of service and let us know what big plans you have in 2011!

BECOME A SERVICE SPONSOR

Give A Day, Get a Day created 30,000 volunteer slots and 3,000 projects across the country

Stay engaged in the service movement: pledge a yearly amount!

by Jerry Saavedra In these pressing times, national service is playing a critical role in addressing many of our countrys biggest challenges. However, with unpredictable political winds and ever diminishing resources, it is urgent now more than ever that the service eld comes together to engage key decision makers about the value and impact of service. With that goal in mind, ServeNext.org, founded by two Alums, launched a bold new programField Corps and kicked off its inaugural class of organizers in August 2010. ServeNext selected 10 people (ve of which are AmeriCorps Alums!) in 10 different strategic locations across the country (Denver, New Orleans, Miami, Chicago, Mt. Pleasant, Des Moines, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Las Vegas, and San Francisco). The goal of ServeNexts Field Corps is to build a local network of service stakeholders and supporters and to mobilize these networks

Front
ServeNexts 2010 Field Corps members in Washington D.C.

Amity, Greg & Whitney, The AmeriCorps Alums Team

Pepsi Refresh Campaign: AmeriCorps Alums placed 43 out of 400 in the $50,000 category

At AmeriCorps Alums we value your service. We believe you are a member of the alum community as soon as you nish your rst term of National Service, so we are making a change!

To be a Service Sponsor, you must pledge a yearly donation of at least $25, which will go directly towards providing Alums with service opportunities and promoting civic engagement across the country.

Make A Life Changing Contribution

Your Donation to AmeriCorps Alums will make the most impact
$1000 will fund a chapter grant for a signature day of service. $500 will fund a scholarship for an alum to attend the National Conference On Volunteering and Service. $250 will fund an alum internship at the national office in Washington D.C. $100 will fund a monthly professional development training for chapter leaders.

What this means:

FREE registration Access to all the sections of our website You are a part of the Alums community until you choose not to beno more expired memberships!

AmeriCorps Week:
10,000 Volunteer Hours, 49 Projects
Shout out to the Austin Chapter for the best AmeriCorps Week 2010 celeb guest: its CONAN!

to engage and educate key decision makers about the value and impact of national service. AmeriCorps Alums are the best advocates for the program because they speak rst hand about the experience and the benets, not only for the person serving but for the communities being served.

As a Sponsor you will receive:

A heartfelt thank you! Your gift is tax deductible Exclusive AmeriCorps Alums Gear Special Sponsors only event invitations!

Elections come and go but the work to promote and engage leaders about the importance of national and community service never ends.
To get involved with your local ServeNext Network or to apply for Field Corps 2011 visit www.servenext.org or contact Jerry Saavedra at jsaavedra@servenext.org.

Lifetime of Service Blog: 57 blog articles by 14 different Alums 50+ Ofcial Alums Chapters!

Please see the enclosed reply form or log onto our website to become a service sponsor. Help us make 2011 another exciting year of service!

Thank you for your generosity!

To make online donations by credit card please visit www.americorpsalums.org or call (404)979.2931.

$50 will cover the cost to engage 10 volunteers in a chapter volunteer project. $25 will cover the cost of work gloves for a chapter service project.

Rebuilding homes in Pascagoula, Mississippi

www.americorpsalums.org/donations

For questions or further information about donations, please e-mail donations@americorpsalums.org.

A LIFETIME OF SERVICE JAN 2011

AmeriCorps Alums is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the furthest extent of the law.

KICK OFF 2011 WITH AMERICORPS ALUMS!

AmeriCorps Alums 1875 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006

KICK OFF 2011

AMERICORPS ALUMS!

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YES! I Want to Make a Personal Contribution to AmeriCorps Alums!

in the amount of:

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8 WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE UPDATE FROM THE HILL 2010: A YEAR OF SERVICE SERVE NEXT: FIELD CORPS SAVE THE DATE 2011 CONNECT WITH ALUMS!
National Aids Fund Public Allies Community Health Corps Brandeis Universitys The Heller School Service Nation VISTA Alums Bank of America Social Imprints

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AmeriCorps Alums Direct Mail Campaign 8.5x11, Four Color + Pantone Envelope and Reply Card

NCCC Teamleaders in Sacramento, CA

MISSION:
AmeriCorps Alums connect, support, and mobilize AmeriCorps alumni to improve our country and communities through civic leadership and service.

CONTACT: AmeriCorps Alums 1875 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Ph: 202.729.8186 Fx: 202.729.8100 info@americorpsalums.org

CONNECT:
AmeriCorps Alums is a proud part of the Points of Light Institute Civic Incubator. AmeriCorps Alums is a stand-alone operating unit within Points of Light Institute, an organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. Points of Light Institute also manages the HandsOn Network. To learn more please visit: www.pointsoflight.org or www.handsonnetwork.org.

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Return/Refund policy: Unless information is entered fraudulently, AmeriCorps Alums does not refund or return monies once processed. However, if AmeriCorps Alums is notified of request to return donation before it is processed, then we will gladly accommodate the request.

2011 SAVE THE DATE

given to Arianne McGinnis and Elliot McGann of Hope Grows Farm

Eli Segal Award

Wonderful Outdoor World Camp in Salt Lake City

1. Go Direct! Donate by check or credit card. Return the enclosed reply card and know that 100% of your donation goes directly to supporting service in hundreds of communities.

There is no more exhilarating and realized life than a life of service. When you produce tangible change, thats something to look forward to each day.