Program to encourage more volunteers helps three Southwest Michigan communities

Three volunteer organizations in Southwest Michigan communities will receive funding a part of an initiative to build volunteerism across the state.

The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) awarded $299,266 in Volunteer Michigan funds to seven volunteer  organizations.

The Southwest Michigan projects approved are:

• Allegan County United Way and Volunteer Center, serving Allegan: $49,000

The Allegan County United Way and Volunteer Center will work to significantly increase the number of highly-skilled volunteer healthcare professionals providing pro bono care through the creation of a Volunteer Medical Corps. The Volunteer Medical Corps may include currently practicing physicians, nurses, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, retired medical personnel, interns, residents, teaching faculty, and medical, dental and nursing students. Non-professional volunteers also be will be recruited and trained to provide support services such as health, wellness, and nutrition education, patient advocacy, transportation, and translation services.

• Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo, serving Kalamazoo County: $40,000

The Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo will address three categories of safety issues within local neighborhoods: neighborhood policing, personal safety, and environmental hazards through home and neighborhood safety. Tasks undertaken will include appropriate landscaping designed to deter criminals, and adding lighting in strategic areas to ensure neighborhood safety.

• Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan, serving Cass, Berrien, and Van Buren counties: $44,919.

The Volunteer Center will work to address the community issue of childhood obesity.

The Center and its partners will work to offer science-based programming focused on reaching parents and caregivers with educational materials to encourage healthy eating, increased physical activity, and reduced sedentary time. The We Can Berrien Initiative will include the coordination of any and all community events promoting healthy lifestyles.

The funds are provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF).

The Corporation received $4 million in federal funds to distribute to state service commissions across the country to better recruit, manage, and retain volunteers to address pressing social challenges – as well as to enhance the volunteer infrastructure and capacity of nonprofit organizations. The MCSC received $486,913, the largest grant of any state service commission in the country.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Elyse V. Walter, Michigan Community Service Commission