Michiganders encouraged to volunteer during Global Volunteer Month

Michigan Community Service Commission funding 19 volunteer projects

Lansing, Mich. - The Michigan Community Service Commission, the state’s lead agency on volunteerism, encourages Michiganders to serve during Global Volunteer Month in April.

To help support Global Volunteer Month, the Michigan Community Service Commission will fund 19 volunteer projects across the state with nearly $20,000 to engage youth in volunteerism as part of Global Youth Service Days, April 24-26. The funding will engage an estimated 4,000 volunteers, with 3,000 volunteers ages 25 and younger, in nearly 10,000 service hours.

“Giving one’s time is among the most powerful contributions we can make and collectively the impact can lift others up and strengthen communities. We would like to see every Michigander strive to make a difference during the month of April,” said Michigan Community Service Commission Executive Director Ginna Holmes. “We are proud to support Michigan organizations in engaging youth volunteers that can benefit our state and inspire a lifetime of service.”

Global Youth Service Day projects will include clean-ups, planting gardens, assembling care packages and meeting other community needs. Projects will take place throughout April and May.

The Michigan Community Service Commission issued grants ranging from $150 to $1,500 to:

• Boys & Girls Club of Alpena (Alpena)
• Children’s Center of Wayne County, Inc. (Detroit)
• Crim Fitness Foundation (Flint)
• Detroit Hives (Detroit)
• Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative (Kalamazoo)
• Fly Heels & Cufflinks Nonprofit Organization (Detroit)
• Friends of the Flint River Watershed Inc. (Flint)
• Greenhills School (Ann Arbor)
• Goodrich Area Schools - Reid Elementary (Goodrich)
• Lapeer County Community Foundation (Attica)
• Macomb Foster Closet (Mount Clemens)
• Marquette Senior High School (Marquette)
• Peerbagh (Ann Arbor)
• St. Charles Borromeo School (Coldwater)
• TrueNorth Community Services Camp Newaygo (Newaygo)
• United Way of Bay County (Bay City)
• United Way of the Lakeshore (Muskegon)
• Universal Learning Academy (Westland)
• Wayne State University- Center for Urban Studies (Detroit)

Global Youth Service Day projects are happening in communities across the state, and some are still looking for volunteers. For a complete list of projects the Michigan Community Service Commission is supporting, and details on how Michiganders can join the efforts, visit Michigan.gov/volunteer.

To find other volunteer opportunities across the state, visit volunteermichigan.org.