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.

Central RI Chamber of Commerce Pictures

The Central RI Chamber of Commerce is organized to support and advance the business community in Rhode Island by providing leadership initiative in economic and human development. The Chamber hosts approximately 3 events per month for its members such as luncheons and coffee breaks. The event that I attended was a LEADS Luncheon designed as "speed dating for your business" for the members of the Central RI Chamber and their guests.

Youth Pride Pictures

Youth Pride, Inc. provides support, advocacy, and education for youth and young adults throughout Rhode Island who are impacted by sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. They hold events like work-out classes and game nights during the week and have special events on Saturdays. Youth Pride sees about 70 different faces stop in each week and has had around 500 people visit the drop-in center at some point this year. Youth Pride also has a community food pantry.

International Institute of RI Pictures

The International Institute of Rhode Island is an organization that provides high quality educational, legal and social services to immigrants and refugees throughout RI as well as a full range of interpreting and translating services and cultural training program. Gaining US citizenship is a long and complicated process, and some immigrants are waiting 20 or more years for the opportunity to become citizens.

Real Life Superheroes Movement

Here is an interesting volunteer program which is rising in popularity due to the downturn of the economy. The Real-Life Superheroes is a grassroots movement that performs civic service in many different areas. Real Life Superheroes make an impact on their communities by doing civic activities, public safety patrols, crime fighting, charity work and other pro social acts.

If you are interested in learning more there is a great article from CNN at 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/06/04/real.life.superheroes/ or you can visit the Superheroes Anonymous website at www.superheroesanonymous.com

Bristol Pictures

Here are the pictures I took while visiting the Good Neighbor Soup Kitchen and Bristol Park and Recreation.