PRESS RELEASE                                                 CONTACT:    Peggy Linton 662.449.5002

                                                                         Shulanda Johnson  662.449.5002

Volunteer Northwest Mississippi's 2nd BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED

Volunteer Northwest Mississippi (VNM) Advisory Council members celebrated the second birthday of the volunteer center.  Established in 2007 under the umbrella of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi, this first-ever regional volunteer center for northwest Mississippi has made an impact in the area of recruiting volunteers and assisting nonprofits.   VNM is part of the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service and HandsOn Network generated by the Points of Light Institute.  VNM would not exist today if not for the support of its many donors:

            Entergy         

            United Way of the Mid-South Venture Fund

            United Way of the Mid-South (Tunica and Tate Counties)

            Town of Walls

            City of Olive Branch

            City of Hernando

            City of Horn Lake

            City of Southaven

            DeSoto County Board of Supervisors

            Wal-Mart Foundation (Hernando Wal-Mart)

Our donors to special projects coordinated and/or implemented by VNM include:

Gold Strike Casino Resorts for donating $14,000 during IMPACT Week projects for Clarksdale Area and West Tallahatchie Habitat for Humanity affiliates;

            Hollywood Casino donated $500 which was granted to local food pantries in

                        DeSoto County including the Samaritans, Olive Branch Emergency

                        Food Ministry, Sacred Heart Southern Missions Food Pantry and

                        Interfaith Council on Poverty Hernando/Nesbit Food Pantry;

            Youth Service America provided grant funds to conduct Global Youth

                        Service Day in April.  The project resulted in the collection of 13,229

                        cans of food for local food pantries as a competition among local high

                        schools and a CANNED Structure contest.  The project proved to be

                        a great success and very creative.  VNM is the lead agency for the

                        2009 Global Youth Service Day project to be held in April 2009

Points of Light Institute granted funds to conduct a Community 

            Commemoration Series honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther

            King, Jr. in January 2009.  This week-long event featured guest

lecturer Marco Robinson.  The project was coordinated with the First Regional Library.

Save the Children provided Safe Spaces Training in January 2008 for

volunteers to learn how to entertain and occupy children in designated shelters following a disaster.  The trained volunteers were able to utilize their skills as evacuees from Hurricane Gustav came to VNM’s service area. 

VNM promoted several of the national observances for volunteers including National Volunteer Week in April, Family Volunteer Day in November and Make A Difference Day in October.   The volunteer center also worked with the MS State Department of Health to promote a disaster preparedness Training in Tunica County.    Disaster preparedness is a focal point of VNM as the center works with emergency management agencies, the Red Cross of the Mid-South and the MS Department of Human Services. 

The VNM e-newsletter continues to be the communication tool for volunteers and nonprofits.  This bi-monthly tool features volunteer opportunities as well as features including a Volunteer and Non-profit Spotlight section.  Volunteers spotlighted in 2008:  Billie & Kinsey Wilhite, Kyle Cooper, Theresa Williamson and Peggy Linton.  Spotlighted non-profits in 2008: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Keep Horn Lake Beautiful, American Red Cross Mid-South Chapter and the Interfaith Council on Poverty for Hernando/Nesbit.  VNM is always seeking information on new volunteers and nonprofits to highlight.  Please send your suggestions to volunteer@cfnm.org or call 662.449.5002.   VNM has as online presence through its website, and utilizes Facebook and Myspace for recruiting purposes. 

The volunteer center in 2008 said good-bye to Crystal McNabb as Volunteer Coordinator and welcomed Shulanda Johnson as an Americorps *VISTA member.   Part of her responsibility is to manage the online volunteer management system, 1800volunteer.org.  VNM has registered 150 volunteers and recruited over 300 for volunteer projects, 3 volunteer groups and 54 nonprofits.  VNM is a member of DOVIA (Directors of Volunteers in Agencies) which is a strong advocate for nonprofit agencies. 

Perhaps the highlight of 2008 was the awarding of one hundred President’s Volunteer Service Awards from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.  The awards (which included a letter signed by President Bush, a certificate and pin) were presented by VNM to selected volunteers in a ceremony held May 20, 2008. 

VNM serves as a regional resource center for its eight service counties.  Connecting volunteers and agencies is just one service.  The center also provides trainings and resources to the nonprofits, volunteers and community members.  The third year of VNM will see new projects, observances and volunteers.  To become a volunteer or to learn about volunteer opportunities go to www.volunteernwms.org or call 662.449.5002.   

Submitted by Peggy Linton, Community Development Director for the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi and Director of Volunteer Northwest Mississippi.