Arlington Heights and Education Hubs Launch

HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) and Linked Local Network (LLN), as part of the Community Hub Network, have collaborated to launch two new websites focusing on Arlington Heights and Education.  The sites will be previewed on May 1^st at 8:30 am at the Forest View Education Center Theater in Arlington Heights.  In attendance will be Thomas Hayes Arlington Heights Mayor, Carl LaMells of Clearbrook, and Mike Fiel Director of Community Education at Township HS District 214.

These two new Internet websites are designed to share news, information and events that professionals can use to grow their organization, engage in community dialogue and create long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between business, nonprofit, public service agencies and education sectors.

There will be a short presentation on how organizations can get involved and an opportunity to ask questions. There will also be a virtual ribbon cutting. This event is free to attend.

For more information and to register visit:  http://ArlingtonEducationCHN.eventbrite.com.  Ceremony can also be viewed  online at the Linked Local Network Google+ Community by  joining the Hangout.

(Arlington Heights, Ill.) – HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) and Linked Local Network (LLN) have collaborated to launch Linked Local Schaumburg: Building a HandsOn Community, which will be previewed on Feb.15 at 8 a.m. at the Schaumburg campus of Roosevelt University.

The Schaumburg Community Hub is an Internet website designed to share news, information and events that professionals can use to grow their organization, engage in community dialogue and create long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between business, nonprofit, public service agencies and education sectors.

The first Community Hub site, http://schaumburg.linkedlocalnetwork.com,  will allow members of any sector to participate as content providers, engage in skills-based consulting or become sponsors. Each site will benefit from the large social media network that the Linked Local Network and HandsOn Suburban Network have been developing over the last three years.

At the preview, there will be a short presentation on how organizations can get involved and a panel with members of business, nonprofit and education sectors who will address questions. There will also be a virtual ribbon cutting.

Chris Smith, COO of HandsOn Suburban Chicago explains, “We are very excited to be based at Roosevelt’s Heller School of Business Incubator Space, partner with LLN and launch our first social enterprise designed to put a brighter spotlight on community engagement and leverage social media platforms to increase collaboration between the education, public, nonprofit and business sectors.“

Each Community Hub, beginning with Schaumburg, will provide businesses with opportunities to highlight employee expertise and business services, which will benefit the community.

”The Community Hub model offers many benefits to all sectors,” said Fred McMurray, founder of LLN. “This initiative provides a win/win situation and no matter how participants choose to engage, efforts will result in increased exposure, a more strategic network of contacts and enhanced presence in the local community, whether business or nonprofit.”

Roosevelt University became involved in December 2012 when Roosevelt’s Walter E. Heller College of Business selected HandsOn Suburban Chicago to join the Incubator Business Program Initiative with the goal of furthering its commitment to entrepreneurship and sustainable business. 

“We are so glad to have them as Heller Incubator residents,” said Melissa Stutz, Assistant Dean of the Heller College of Business. “This collaboration is such a great opportunity for Roosevelt students and our community.”

HandsOn Suburban Chicago and Linked Local Network have hosted multiple meetings and recorded multiple Internet radio programs including an interview with two Roosevelt students on the topic of social justice as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.  Listen to interview

“This is the ideal marriage of resources and expertise,” said Patty Neuswanger, Director of Community Engagement & Development.  “LLN has cultivated an outstanding social media network within multiple sectors and specific geographic areas. HOSC has solid relationships with 200 plus schools, universities and nonprofits. By pooling our resources and networks, we believe everyone can benefit, and by taking a local approach, individual communities can be strengthened.”

This event is free to attend. For more information and to register visit: http://SchaumburgComHubLaunch.eventbrite.com. (Space limited)

For over 40 years, HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) has been inspiring, equipping and mobilizing people to volunteer and take action that builds vibrant and prosperous communities. HOSC recruits and refers 9,000 volunteers annually to over 200 member agency nonprofits and schools, and provides other support to local charitable organizations, such as consultations and trainings. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) agency and part of the national HandsOn Network, HOSC’s service area includes 45 core communities in Chicagoland and a population of over 1.6 million residents. LLN was founded in 2010 with a mission to help small businesses and nonprofits better leverage state –of- the- art digital and social media technology to increase revenue and improve member services.

LLN Reports on Non-Profit Volunteering w/Chris Smith of HandsOn Suburban Chicago

Mike Boehler and Michele Rempel will interview Chris Smith of HandsOn Suburban Chicago.

Chris joined Handson Chicago as the COO in July, 2007 after a 21 yr career at the Chicago Tribune Co.

HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) is committed to mobilizing the compassion of individuals in order to bring about positive change in our community. 

Our mission is “to improve lives by advancing, promoting, and developing community volunteer initiatives.” HandsOn Chicago started in a box.

In the 1960’s, local activist Lois Moore began filling a recipe box with the names of friends and neighbors who were interested in volunteering but unsure of where to go. As that box began to overflow, Lois worked with the Arlington Heights Clergy Fellowship to found the Volunteer Service Bureau of Northwest Cook County, a clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities.

From humble beginnings, The Volunteer Center of Northwest Suburban Chicago — as we’ve been called since 1987– has grown into a force for change,referring over 10,000 volunteers annually and serving over 140  social service agencies, nonprofits and schools. 

At HandsOn Suburban Chicago, they work closely with volunteers, nonprofits and other community partners to help them make a difference and improve the lives of their neighbors —  not to mention their own lives — through meaningful service experiences.

In addition, Michele will share more information for small businesses during the Social Media Minute.

Mike will announce upcoming Linked Local Network events which can also be found at www.linkedlocalnetwork.com

Technology can make collaboration easier, cut costs and help operations run more efficiently. Unfortunately, the organizations trying to solve some of the world’s most difficult problems—nonprofits—often lack resources to fully take advantage of technology to further their causes.

That’s why we worked with the HandsOn Network, a Points of Light Enterprise, to create HandsOn Tech, an initiative that pairs U.S. nonprofits with individuals who are passionate about technology and looking to make a difference. Last year, we funded 24 full-time AmeriCorps VISTA positions. These VISTA members provided technology training to more than 1,300 small, poverty-focused nonprofits nationwide. Further, these VISTA participants engaged skilled volunteers, including lots of Googlers, to assist nearly 200 nonprofits in creating individualized, comprehensive tech plans that will help them to work more efficiently.

Each HandsOn Tech VISTA project varies based on different nonprofit needs. In the past year, projects have included:

Migrating Dreams for Kids, a Chicago nonprofit empowering at-risk and disabled youth, to Google Apps—enabling them to more efficiently and effectively collaborate without the restriction of limited office space.

Building a dynamic website and social media strategy for Doing Art Together, a NYC-based nonprofit providing hands-on programming and GED prep for under-resourced youth.
Using Google Maps and Fusion Tables to help Atlanta’s The Drake House create a map that helps staff better visualize the local homeless population in order to more effectively distribute their services.

HandsOn Tech Pittsburgh hosted a panel on social media tools, including Google+, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, with local nonprofits at the Google Pittsburgh office

The program has been so successful that we’re expanding—it will now include one additional city and 28 new VISTA positions, with the goal of reaching even more nonprofits. The new HandsOnTech VISTAs will start in August with a one week training at our campus in Mountain View, Calif., where they’ll learn about cloud-based tools from a variety of technology companies including the Google For Nonprofits suite that allows many nonprofits to use free online advertising, Google Apps and YouTube channels. Once they are armed with tech know-how they’ll spend the rest of the year in two and three-person teams serving nonprofits in the Bay Area, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Pittsburgh and Seattle.

HandsOn Tech is accepting applications for VISTA members now through June 27. If you’re passionate about technology and helping nonprofits on the front line of fighting poverty, then we hope you’ll apply!

Posted by Patty Neuswanger

Join HandsOn Suburban Chicago and your friends from the Schaumburg Business Association (SBA) for their annual golf outing on July 17th at the Schaumburg Golf Club. ( Please see attached link for details and registration.)

HandsOn Suburban is donating, as a raffle item, a special managed volunteer project to enable an area business to engage their employees in community service. The package includes the planning, leadership and onsite management of a service project for up to 20 employees from your company. HandsOn Suburban Chicago works with many nonprofit organizations that can use the skills and talents of your employees to help them achieve goals. The value of this package is $1000.00.

In addition, HandsOn Suburban will create an Impact Report which will be provided at the completion of the project which places a monetary value on the service provided, photos, quotes and serves as a fantastic publicity piece for company, demonstrating your business’ commitment to serving the community.

Whether or not your business already has a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatve , this is a prize that any size or type of business can use to engage employees and reach new audiences while making a positive impact on the community.

Calling all Youth Leaders!
As part of the National Conference on Volunteering held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, Points of Light, generationOn and HandsOn Suburban Chicago are encouraging youth leaders to get involved in volunteering. There are two opportunities for youth to participate. The first is the Youth Summit which is held on Sunday June 17th and is free to attend and details are below.

Youth Summit Sunday, June 17, 2012 1-4pm FREE. Registration required. Space is limited.

The generation On Youth Summit will gather 250 young people for an afternoon of civic dialogue and service-learning including a panel discussion with notable youth leaders, leadership skill building activities and a service project to benefit the local Chicago community! For more details and to register visit: www.generationon.org

There second opportunity is the Youth Workshops. The cost is normally $250 for attendees, however HandsOn Suburban Chicago is providing scholarships to the first 20 students who apply. For more details on the events, visit www.generationon.org

Youth Workshops Monday & Tuesday, June 18-19, 2012 9am – 3pm | Ages 13-18 Fee: $250* Includes all seven sessions. Sessions are sequential and must be attended as set. Registration required. Space is limited.

Please contact HandsOn Suburban Chicago immediately (schoolresources@volunteerinfo.net) if you would like to attend and to acquire instruction in applying for the scholarship. Visit www.generationon.org for more info.

During seven sequential workshops over two days, hear from stars in the service field and learn to:
• Plan a Unique Service Project
• Share Your Story and Learn to Public Speak Like a Pro
• Raise Big Bucks for Your Service Work

This is a fantastic way to foster leadership skills and establish community service initiatives among today’s youth.
To learn more about volunteering in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, visit www.volunteerinfo.net

A Billion + Change, a growing national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based volunteer services from corporate America, announced today that 100 companies have pledged to create or expand a skills-based volunteer program in their workplace.

In just six months, these companies have pledged a combined total of $1.7 billion and at least 11.5 million hours of time and talent to nonprofits, taking the campaign a one-fifth of the way toward its goal of recruiting 500 companies by 2013.

“We believe that building the capacity of businesses to more effectively engage the time and skills of their employees in service is central to meeting the critical needs in our communities,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light, which houses and manages A Billion + Change.

Pledge companies – including Allstate Insurance Company, IBM and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company – work to support many aspects of community needs, from workforce development, health care and the needs of veterans and military families, to creating empowering opportunities for women and girls. For nonprofits and communities, the value of skilled support in areas such as general operations, technology and professional services can be 500 percent greater than the value of traditional volunteering.

A Billion + Change is a national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based volunteer services by 2013. It was launched by the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2008 and continues as an initiative of the federal agency. Reinvigorated in 2011 with expanded leadership under the honorary chairmanship of Sen. Mark Warner, it is now housed and managed by Points of Light, the world’s leading volunteer organization that is dedicated to inspiring, equipping and mobilizing people to take action that changes the world.

On a local level, area businesses can help HandsOn Suburban by taking the A Billion + Change pledge. For each pledge that HandsOn Suburban Chicago can secure between now and June 18, our nonprofit will receive $250 (up to a total of $15,000) which is money we will reinvest in additional programming.

A list of pledge companies, and information about how to take the pledge, is available at www.abillionpluschange.org.

If your company is willing to pledge, please contact HandsOn Suburban Chicago at 847.228.1320 and we will assist your organization in this amazing initiative and provide you with the support to engage your company in building a skills- based program in your workplace.
Learn more about HandsOn Suburban Chicago, the largest volunteer center in Illinois at www.volunteerinfo.net and sign up for our free newsletter, HandsOn Highlights.

by Patty Neuswanger

HandsOn Suburban Chicago, in conjunction with Hanover Township’s Open Gym program, provided five District U-46 schools with environmental messages and fun activities for the student participants.

Each afternoon between May 7th and May 11th, the program was offered to a different environment site.

Over 200 students enthusiastically participated at Bartlett Elementary (Bartlett) Oak Hill (Streamwood) Laurel Hill ( Hanover Park), Lords Park (Elgin) and Ontarioville (Hanover Park).

The focus of the event was to make students aware of environmental issues. One of the activities involved decorating paper grocery bags from the Streamwood Jewel Osco. Each student was encouraged to write messages and drawing pictures that promoted environmental responsibility and awareness. Messages were written in both English and Spanish and the students covered topics such as carpooling and riding bicycles to conserve gas, to planting gardens, having rummage sales and not littering. The decorated bags were returned to Jewel Osco and used by shoppers.

The program was tied into the Earth Day celebration and students each planted their own chive plants which they could take home and grow on their windowsills.

Jeff Firlej, Coordinator of Hanover Township Open Gym program felt the activities were not only enjoyable, but were also insightful.

“Our participants learned skills that they will be able to use in the future and also learned valuable lessons on how important it is to protect our planet by recycling and gardening, ” Firlej said.

HandsOn Suburban Chicago serves 45 area towns and villages and inspires, equips and mobilizes people to volunteer and take action that buiild vibrant and prosperous communities.

For more information, visit www.volunteerinfo.net and subscribe to the eNewsletter HandsOn Highlights.

By Patty Neuswanger

HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) plans special volunteer opportunities that are tailored to corporations’ key corporate social responsibility (CSR) focus areas. HOSC is currently working to support Zurich in its “100 Ways to Serve” initiative. In celebration of Zurich’s Global Community Week, Earth Day and Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22), 16 employee volunteers from Zurich worked with 45 students, at London Middle School in Wheeling on school beautification service learning activity.

Volunteers trimmed hedges and pruned a Hawthorne tree in the interior courtyard before the student teams were engaged ,to spread multch, turn soil, weed existing vegetation, sand & stain garden benches and finally plant flowers and bulbs.

Many volunteers rolled up their sleeves and joined the students in the heavy physical labor required to transform the garden. In addition to noticeably improving the aesthetic of the school grounds, the volunteers were instrumental in empowering the students to take an active role in improving their school and community.

Gary Puhy, London Middle School Teacher & Project Manager said, ““When we’ve done this project in the past, it was just one or two teachers supervising the students.Having the adult volunteers on site definitely helped to keep the project moving smoothly.”

Comments from the Zurich employee volunteers included:
• “Kids were great! So were the leaders
• “Enjoyed participating and helping to make the school look better.”
• “Very impressed [with the] kids’ active involvement. Great day!
• “Great job. Very rewarding.”

To learn more about how your businesses can get involved, contact HandsOn Suburban Chicago 847.228.1320 or visit the website to learn more about the benefits of volunteering both to individuals and to businesses. www.volunterinfo.net

Photo attached: Zurich volunteers at London Middle School ‘s Beautification Project

Volunteering has a meaningful, positive impact on your community. But did you know that it can have many benefits for you too? Here are some reasons to volunteer.

Learn or develop a new skill
Volunteering is the perfect vehicle to discover something you are really good at and develop a new skill. It is never too late to learn new skills and no reason why you should stop adding to your knowledge just because you are in employment or have finished education. Planning and implementing a major fundraising event can develop goal setting, planning and budgeting skills. Supervising and training other volunteers helps to develop supervisory and training skills. Volunteering no longer means just stuffing envelopes. HandsOn Suburban Chicago engages many Skills Based Volunteers (SBV) that we place in nonprofit organizations to help those organizations meet goals. It might be IT support, planning an event or designing plans for revised office space.

Be part of your community
Volunteering is ultimately about helping others and having an impact on people’s wellbeing. What better way is there to connect with your community and give a little back? HandsOn Suburban strives to connect and engage all types of people. For example, the community garden project launched this month at London Middle School in Wheeling Illinois had students, parents, school staff, local garden club members and other community volunteers working together to build four raised vegetable beds. This is a long term project that will continue to connect the school with the members of the community in a positive way.

Motivation and sense of achievement
Fundamentally, volunteering is about giving your time, energy and skills freely. Unlike many things in life there is choice involved in volunteering. As a volunteer you have made a decision to help on your own accord, free from pressure to act from others. Volunteers predominantly express a sense of achievement and motivation, and this is ultimately generated from your desire and enthusiasm to help. HandsOn Suburban encourages feedback from our volunteers and most people indicate seeing that their efforts make a positive impact transforms them into lifelong volunteers.

Boost your career options
For many people who are in job transition, volunteering is a great way to keep skills fresh and explore new .While explaining a lapse in employment to a potential employer, listing accomplishments made through volunteering shows initiative and drive, rather than just “waiting for the next job.”

New interests and hobbies
Sometimes we do get locked into the “rat-race” of life and volunteering can give that escape to everyday routine and create a balance in our lives. Finding new interests and hobbies through volunteering can be fun, relaxing and energizing. Help redesign a website for a few hours a week or assist in publishing a nonprofit newsletter. The energy and sense of fulfillment can carry over to a work situation and sometimes helps to relieve tensions and foster new perspectives for old situations. Sometimes a volunteer experience can lead you to something you never even thought about or help you discover a hobby or interest you were unaware of. You can strengthen your personal/professional mission and vision by exploring opportunities and expanding your horizons.

Meeting a diverse range of people
Volunteering brings together a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Both the recipients of your volunteer efforts and your co-workers can be a rich source of inspiration and an excellent way to develop your interpersonal skills. Volunteering also offers an incredible networking opportunity. Not only will you develop lasting personal and professional relationships but it is also a great way to learn about people from all walks of life, different environments, and new industries. Networking is an exciting benefit of volunteering and you can never tell who you will meet or what new information you will learn and what impact this could have on your life.

Send a signal to your employer, teachers, friends and family…
People pay attention to your life outside the environment in which they have direct contact with you. For example, your employer would be interested in the activities that give you a good work-life balance, just as academic institutions are interested in your extra-curricular activities. Volunteering reflects and supports a complete picture of you, and gives real examples of your commitment, dedication and interests. Show people what you are passionate about and maybe you will inspire them too!

HandsOn Suburban Chicago has been inspiring, equipping and mobilizing volunteers for over 40 years. Whether you are an individual looking for a volunteer opportunity, a company looking to create a group volunteer initiative or a nonprofit organization that needs help recruiting volunteers to help meet needs, HandsOn Suburban Chicago can help.
For more information visit our website www.volunteerinfo.net

by Patty Neuswanger

References:
Ten Professional Development Benefits of Volunteering (Everything I Learned in Life I Learned through Volunteering). Mary V. Merrill, LSW, Merrill Associates