Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day

from the Volunteer Center!



Public Forum on Future of Education

Bergen County has some of the highest property taxes in the nation, and 60% of a homeowner’s tax bill goes to education. One remedy to out-of-control taxes might be to reduce costs associated with education. Bergen LEADS, the premier local civic leadership program for adults that is sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, will present a Public Forum on the Future of Education on Tuesday, June 14. The event is the culmination of the Bergen LEADS seminar year.

The Bergen LEADS Class of 2011 has been exploring options to redesign the business of public education in Bergen County, with the goal of reducing the cost per student while maintaining or improving quality. Teams will present their models at this Forum, which will be held at Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Road, in Paramus, from 3-5 PM. The forum is open to the public free of charge but pre-registration is required; call 201-489-9454 Ext.119 to register or e-mail amissey@bergenvolunteers.org.

Party Like It’s 1966!

Join us Saturday, December 3 as we celebrate the Volunteer Center’s 45th anniversary at our Heart of Gold Gala – With a Little Help from our Friends!

Companies Encouraged to Organize Summer Food Drives for Children

Thousands of children from needy Bergen County families receive lunch during the school year through subsidized school meal programs.  When schools close for summer vacation, these meals are not available, and low-income families often have to make the choice between paying rent or buying food.

To address this critical need, the Northern New Jersey Business Volunteer Council (BVC) is coordinating a summer food drive.  Companies are invited to host food drives from May to July to help low-income families; employee volunteers in participating companies collect “kid-friendly,” non-perishable breakfast and lunch food items. 

The food collected during this initiative, entitled Brown Bag Buddies, will be delivered to the Center for Food Action and other local food pantries during the months of June, July and August.

A free information kit that describes the program and provides “how-to” instructions on running an employee food drive is available from the BVC, and can be obtained by calling 201-489-9454 Ext. 114, or email ttomasi@bergenvolunteers.org.

Since 2000, the Brown Bag Buddies initiative has distributed more than $326,000 worth of food and grocery gift cards.  The goal for 2011 is 10,000 pounds of food.  The sponsors for this year’s drive are United Water, BD, Rockland Electric and Sealed Air.

“We’re asking all companies in northern New Jersey to encourage their employees to participate in this summer food drive,” says Tess Tomasi, BVC Coordinator at the Volunteer Center of Bergen County. “Remember, hunger never takes a vacation.”

For more information about Brown Bag Buddies or other BVC programs, visit us online at www.nnjbvc.org, or contact us at (201) 489-9454, Ext. 114 or ttomasi@bergenvolunteers.org.

Summer Program Teaches Youth Leadership Skills

The Volunteer Center is offering an innovative summertime program that provides young people with the leadership skills to play an active role in the community.  The Center’s Youth Leadership Institute is taking applications for a summer session June 27-30, at Bergen Community College, in Paramus.   Youth Leadership is open to students entering grades 8, 9 or 10 in September of 2011.

Prospective participants are required to submit an online application form by May 31.  Upon acceptance to the program, the fee for each student is $200.00.

The mission of the Youth Leadership Institute is to provide youth with the encouragement, peer networks and leadership skills necessary for them to make meaningful contributions to their communities and begin a life-long journey of service.  The interactive curriculum, of the caliber of training typically available only to corporate executives and government leaders, features a challenging series of lessons and exercises on community needs analysis, goal setting, team building, project planning, decision-making and other leadership dynamics.

For more information on the Youth Leadership Institute, call Debbie Emery at (201) 489-9454 ext. 118 or email at demery@bergenvolunteers.org.

Workshop on Creative Facility Issues for Non Profits

The Volunteer Center invites non-profit leaders to “Creative Facility Options for Non-Profits—How Non-Profits are Looking at Facilities, Sharing Spaces, and Financing the Facilities They Want”. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 8, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Volunteer Center’s offices in Hackensack.

  

Participants will get guidance and answers to such questions as:

• Should you own or rent your facility?
• Can you renegotiate your lease?
• What are the benefits of co-locating with other non-profits?
• Can you afford to purchase a facility?
• What financing and subsidies are available to buy your facility?
• What are your energy efficiency options; how to take advantage of solar energy and energy efficient choices.

The course leader is Keith Timko from Real Estate Advisory and Development Services (READS), a 501(c)3 organization that is an industry leader in non-profit real estate development. Since its inception in 2003, READS has developed more than $100 million of non-profit real estate. Its markets include charter schools, day care facilities, supportive housing, non-profit office facilities and manufacturing housing. READS can help groups further their mission, have a broader impact on the community, and bring organizational and long-term financial stability.

“Nearly all non-profits need a space in which to operate,” says Tess Tomasi, Volunteer Center training coordinator. “And while non-profits are experts at their own causes, they aren’t usually experts at real estate. This workshop can help them explore options for developing the right kind of space and how to get the financing that makes it a reality.”

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required; the fee is $35 and includes all course materials. The deadline for registration is June 3. For more information e-mail training@bergenvolunteers.org, or call (201) 489-9454, ext.114. Register on-line here!

A great Day at the Derby

The band was playing, the drinks were flowing and the energy was buzzing as well over 200 guests spent a fantastic afternoon at the Volunteer Center’s 19th annual Derby Day Party. Held at White Beeches Country Club in Haworth, this year's Derby Day Party raised more than $35,000 for the Volunteer Center's programs and services in the community.

Highlights were silent and live auctions of fabulous items such as a 46" 3D Sharp TV, trips, Coach bag, Tiffany pearls and much more. MC Damian Albergo and auctioneer Bill Diana led the festivities and encouraged enthusiastic bidding, and everyone cheered as "Animal Kingdom" came from behind to win the Run for the Roses.

Judge for the “Most Elegant Hat” contest was VC Board member, Susan Russ and for the “Most Outrageous Tie” contest was Haworth Mayor John DeRienzo.  Winner of "Most Elegant Hat" was Carol Nastos and of "Most Outrageous Tie" was Rashawn Gerald.

Thanks to all who attended and to our generous corporate sponsors: Sony, BD, The Reader's Digest's Association, TD Bank, Bergen Jaguar, Compensation Solutions, Englewood Hospital, Oritani Bank, 201 Magazine, Bergen.com, and Bergen Health & Life.

Donating Online: How to Make it Work for Your Non-Profit

The Volunteer Center is presenting a very timely workshop that notn only covers basic options for using online donation tools, but also will help you decide the best option for your organization. We’ll examine how donation tools work and compare several, such as Razoo, Network for Good, JustGive and Guidestar. We’ll also discuss strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of your online donation process. 

Our presenter is Marion Conway, an independent consultant working exclusively in the non-profit sector. A a popular workshop presenter, board retreat facilitator and speaker, Marion has published articles in Charity Channel’s Nonprofit Board and Government Review, Stevenson’s Major Gifts Report, and Canadian Fundraiser.

Date/Time: Tuesday, May 17, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Course Leader: Marion Conway – Marion Conway Consulting

Registration Fee: $45, $35 for member agencies (click here to register)  

Audience: Board, Executive, Development, Communications, Marketing

Big Book Success!

Over 2,000 books for children and adults were collected by the Northern New Jersey Business Volunteer Council (BVC) for a “Big Book Giveaway” held April 30   to benefit the children and parents in the Volunteer Center of Bergen County’s two mentoring programs: Mentoring Moms and Mentoring Youth.  This project is part of the BVC’s annual Books in a Bag initiative, in which employee volunteers collect, sort, bag and deliver books to help children of low-income families discover the joy of reading. Since 2000, the BVC has distributed nearly 70,000 books through this program.

Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers.  Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.  Families in both mentoring programs often struggle to pay for food, rent, and utilities, so books are far down on the list of “must have” items.  Consequently, the children and parents rarely own books of their own and many of the children neither read nor are read to.  “Providing books is an important encouragement for reading,” says Ellen Rafferty, of BD, co-chair of the BVC. 

To learn more about the BVC, visit www.nnjbvc.org.

Volunteer Center Receives Grant From TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to the Volunteer Center of Bergen County.  Funds will support its Mentoring Moms program, which matches overwhelmed mothers, many of whom are single parents, with women mentors who help them with parenting issues, financial issues and generally act as confidants and friends, helping the mothers provide for their families.

The funds will be used to provide support workshops, as well as outings and trips for these families, many of whom have suffered from poverty, homelessness or isolation.

“We are so grateful to TD Charitable Foundation for supporting the mothers and children in our programs,” says Cindy Andrake, Program Director for Mentoring Moms.  “Time spent with their mentors is free time. Free of the many things that have been hard for them to face daily in their environment. What a gift to have this respite and safe zone with a giving friend.”

           

To find out how to become a mentor, or to pledge a donation to support the Mentoring Moms program, call (201) 489-9454, or visit www.bergenvolunteers.org and click on mentoring programs.

Workshop on Creative Facility Issues for Non Profits

The Volunteer Center invites non-profit leaders to “Creative Facility Options for Non-Profits—How Non-Profits are Looking at Facilities, Sharing Spaces, and Financing the Facilities They Want”. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 8, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Volunteer Center’s offices in Hackensack.

 

Participants will get guidance and answers to such questions as:

• Should you own or rent your facility?
• Can you renegotiate your lease?
• What are the benefits of co-locating with other non-profits?
• Can you afford to purchase a facility?
• What financing and subsidies are available to buy your facility?
• What are your energy efficiency options; how to take advantage of solar energy and energy efficient choices.

The course leader is Keith Timko from Real Estate Advisory and Development Services (READS), a 501(c)3 organization that is an industry leader in non-profit real estate development. Since its inception in 2003, READS has developed more than $100 million of non-profit real estate. Its markets include charter schools, day care facilities, supportive housing, non-profit office facilities and manufacturing housing. READS can help groups further their mission, have a broader impact on the community, and bring organizational and long-term financial stability.

 

“Nearly all non-profits need a space in which to operate,” says Tess Tomasi, Volunteer Center training coordinator. “And while non-profits are experts at their own causes, they aren’t usually experts at real estate. This workshop can help them explore options for developing the right kind of space and how to get the financing that makes it a reality.”

 

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required; the fee is $35 and includes all course materials. The deadline for registration is June 3. For more information e-mail training@bergenvolunteers.org, or call (201) 489-9454, ext.114. Register on-line here!