(517) 241-0063
Contact: Elyse V. Walter
verberkmoese@michigan.gov
This weekend, April 15, 16, and 17, is the official 2011 Global Youth Service Day. This annual opportunity is the largest youth service event in the world and will engage hundreds of youth in Michigan in an effort to highlight the positive contributions young people make throughout the year.
Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day through service and service-learning. Established in 1988, GYSD is now celebrated in more than 100 countries. On GYSD, children and youth address the world's most critical issues in partnership with families, schools, community and faith-based organizations, businesses, and governments.
Global Youth Service Day is organized by Youth Service America with State Farm Companies Foundation as the Presenting Sponsor. In Michigan, efforts are led by the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), Learn and Serve - Michigan and The LEAGUE Michigan, GYSD Lead Agencies.
"Tapping the energy and idealism in young people is so important," said Paula Kaiser VanDam, MCSC Executive Director. "Through our Global Youth Service Day Lead Agency efforts thousands of youth will engage in more than 70 service projects this spring."
Some of those projects include:
-
On Saturday, April 16, HandsOn Battle Creek - in collaboration with the LEAGUE Michigan, Food Bank of South Central Michigan, and several community school clubs - will host a Fresh Food Initiative to get food into low-income neighborhoods. Students will separate fruits and vegetables into plastic bags to be divided among families in the area.
HandsOn Battle Creek - Battle Creek
-
On Wednesday, April 13, Lake Michigan College will host Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Day to create an easy way for the residents of Berrien County to recycle otherwise difficult items.
Lake Michigan College - Benton Harbor
-
Clare High School, along with members of the community, will celebrate Clare Pride Day by polishing the town through services such as painting, yard work, cleaning, and gardening. This project will fall around Earth Day, April 22.
Clare High School - Clare
-
Volunteers will participate in "Resource Awareness and Environmental Clean-up Day," a project for youth to take the lead in cleaning the parks and streets in Southwest Detroit. The event will take place on Saturday, April 16, and will be an opportunity to educate the public on local agency resources, activities, and volunteer opportunities.
Youth United - Detroit
-
High School students in the Youth Enrichment Scholars Academy will assemble Snack Sacks and Breakfast Bundles for Kids' Food Basket, an organization that helps to fight child hunger in West Michigan.
Grand Rapids Community Foundation - Grand Rapids
-
The Iron Mountain Tri-Hi-Y student service organization will sponsor a Senior Prom in appreciation for the senior volunteers who are a part of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in the Dickinson and Iron countries on Sunday, April 10.
Iron Mountain High School Tri-Hi-Y - Iron Mountain
-
Allen Neighborhood Center, in collaboration with Power of We, The Boys and Girls Club of Lansing, The Garden Project, and NorthWest Initiative, will collaborate on Saturday, April 16 to construct two accessible raised garden beds to accommodate those who are differently-abled at Hunter Park Garden House.
Allen Neighborhood Center - Lansing
-
On Saturday, April 16, volunteers will work together to prepare and plant in the Nims neighborhood community garden.
Embrace Muskegon - Muskegon
There are many other youth-driven service opportunities occurring across the state in the coming weeks for Global Youth Service Day. For a map of all Michigan projects, or additional information, visit
www.gysd.org
.
