The Map! Give it a try!

This is an interactive map which I made for all of our

SFSR sites and universities. The yellow houses are

the universities and each of the markers is

color-coded based on what school the member

at that site attends. Click on each of the markers to

see who is at that site!! You can also view a larger

version of the map by using the link below.

View SFS Recovery Sites in a larger map.

YouthRAP Pictures

YouthRAP (Youth Resident Activities Program) is an after-school/summer program specifically for children living in the Smith Hill area of Providence. The youth take various field trips across New England including Roger W. Wheeler State Beach where I visited them. During the school year, the students can also receive homework help.

Food and Fun: My Experience as the SFSR Intern

Without a doubt, this summer has been a learning experience for our SFSR members. Throughout the blog I've told you about many of the sites where our members are volunteering as well as posted pictures, but I haven't shared much about my experiences on each of my visits. It's one thing to look at the sites pictures, but it is an entirely different viewpoint to see what our members are doing first-hand. As the SFSR intern, I was lucky enough to get to visit many sites throughout Rhode Island and pass along everything that I learned.

I have visited a total of nine sites with one more scheduled for this Friday, and I can't say enough how welcomed I felt at each one. As you can gather from the descriptions of each of the sites, our volunteers are doing valuable work, and on every visit I was able to be a part of it. Behind the scenes work is one thing, but I was able to get involved with many fun events - I was almost always offered something to eat, on several occasions I got to play with kids (and snakes), and I had the opportunity to meet lots of amazing people on site. Thanks again to everyone who had me visit as well as the rest of our members!! I know how busy you've been and how hard everyone has been working this summer.

PS - If you'd like to get a better idea of what our members are doing first-hand, make sure to RSVP to our End of the Summer Reception (see the link below). Anyone in attendance will see the premiere of the video I made from my visits!

End of the Summer Reception!

Our SFS Recovery members have been working hard all summer long. In celebration of the nearly 15,000 volunteer hours you have put in, we will be holding a Scholarships for Service Recovery Reception on September 3, 2009. Join us to meet the other SFSR members, see the video of the footage I collected from site visits, and enjoy some food and drinks!

The reception will be at the Woods Gerry Gallery at RISD on 62 Prospect Street in Providence and will run from 4-6PM on Thursday, September 3rd. If you haven't already, please RSVP at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=vi78bkTIhpImHkxPteJqIg_3d_3d

A Place to Grow Pictures

Jumpstart is a national non-profit organization working toward the day when every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. The organization places college students (like our SFS Recovery members) in early childhood education programs throughout Rhode Island. The site I visited was a preschool called A Place to Grow located in Wakefield.

South Providence Neighborhood Ministries Pictures

South Providence Neighborhood Ministries offers a number of services to surrounding residents including weekly food programs, financial assistance for utility and rent bills, toiletry needs, layettes for expecting mothers, case management, advocacy, and referrals to community agencies. I was there to visit our members working for the summer youth program at SPNM. They help plan and supervise events for children each day. While I was there, the kids were working on a community clean-up and recycling program, science experiments like baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, and an animal workshop.

Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket Pictures

The Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket is open year-round but is currently running its summer camp programs. They serve children from ages 6 to 12 and also have a teen center. The organization plans a structured schedule for each of the age groups every day. The facility includes a computer lab, gym, swimming pool, reading room, music lab, arts and crafts room, a science club, playground, and more.