Personal Reflections

As with the rest of the country, and quite possibly the world, I find myself reflecting on the events that happened ten years ago on 9/11. That date and that year in particular changed a lot of people's lives in dramatic ways and also changed our country. We became much more aware of our vulnerabilities and our impact - both positive and negative - on the world stage. We began to question what, exactly, does freedom and democracy mean? What is the USA's role in world affairs? And, we as citizens gained much more insight and transparency into the affairs of our government.


For me, personally, September 2001 changed my life. Not only did I live outside of Washington DC and witness what the attacks did to that area, but my brother had just moved to New York City one week before the World Trade Center was hit. It took half a day just to reach him to find out that he was ok.

In September 2001, I also met the man who would become my future husband. In the past ten years I have become a wife and a mother to two beautiful children. As the anniversary of 9/11 draws near, I find myself thinking about how the world was when I was growing up and how the world will be as my children grow. During my life, I witnessed the creation of the space shuttle, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. I witnessed the U.S. become a major player on the world stage. To me, the country seemed invincible and full of ambition, achievement and promise.

But things have changed now and I'm wondering what the future holds for our country and what legacy I'll be handing off to my children. Change can be good - it can bring new ideas, new directions and improvements. But, change is also unsettling for a lot of people because of it's uncertainty.

As an advocate, I try to create awareness of the importance of investing in children so that they can thrive and succeed. But personally, because I hope to give my children those opportunities, I also want to instill in them a sense of personal and global responsibility. I want to make sure that they understand that it's not enough just to be successful, but that we need to share with others who are less fortunate. We need to give back to our community so that others may have opportunities. And, most importantly, that respect for our fellow human beings is paramount to our success as a society.

I truly hope that all of the conflicts and global strife that my generation is seeing is creating a sense in our young people that we, as a country, are not one, but that we are all. We are not just Hoosiers or Americans, we are global citizens. I hope that the next generation will understand that with freedom and democracy also come respect and responsibility. Freedom is not just for one group or ideology, but freedom for all. Democracy is not just the right to vote, but also about being an informed citizen.

I look forward to seeing what the next decade holds and I will continue to try to do my part to ensure that the upcoming generations are equipped to take over where we leave off. I

Labor Day Activities for the Whole Family

Indianapolis has much to offer to you and your families over the Labor Day weekend. There are fairs, festivals, concerts, parades, and numerous other events to keep you and yours happy and busy over the weekend. The following is a listing of events that are happening in Indy. Learn more about these events and specific details at: http://www.aroundindy.com/fairs or http://visitindy.com.

Friday, September 2, 2011:
16^th Rib America Festival at Military Park – Award winning BBQ and live music featuring The Doobie Brothers, KC and the Sunshine Band, Jennie DeVoe, Rev. Peyton, and many more.
Fall Festival at St. Joseph Parish – Parish festival with good food, rides, games and more!
First Fridays – Visit more than 25 downtown galleries and art venues that are participating in the First Friday Art Tours to promote visual art in a manner similar to walking tours in cities across the United States. Patrons are encouraged to walk or drive throughout the downtown culture districts, and visit the city’s diverse visual art offerings. Find out more: http://visitindy.com/indianapolis-events-idada-first-friday.
Food Con – Build around the concept of food “biomes”, attendees will move through the building an courtyard to experience each of 5 biomes, (the Dessert, Prairie, Wetlands, Forest and Tundra) as they are interpreted by artists and others involved in the local food movement. Learn more: http://butlerfoodcon.com/.
Inaugural Aviation and Autovation Fair in Noble County – Featuring the 75th anniversary of the 810 Cord automobile, vintage World War II aircraft, excursions, classic aviation, and memorabilia auction, and more.

Saturday, September 3:
4^th Annual Taste of Duneland in Chesterton – Highlighting the many fine cuisines in the Duneland area, with Butler Winery wines, live music, and more.
16^th Rib America Festival at Military Park – Award winning BBQ and live music featuring The Doobie Brothers, KC and the Sunshine Band, Jennie DeVoe, Rev. Peyton, and many more.
Fall Festival at St. Joseph Parish – Parish festival with good food, rides, games and more!
Inaugural Aviation and Autovation Fair in Noble County – Featuring the 75th anniversary of the 810 Cord automobile, vintage World War II aircraft, excursions, classic aviation, and memorabilia auction, and more.
Labor Day Parade – Parade of labor organizations, union members, elected officials, community supporters, bands and floats through downtown Indianapolis.
Old Time Music Festival – Free music, workshops, and demonstrations. Two stages, over 30 regional groups performing – free admission.

Sunday, September 4:
16^th Rib America Festival at Military Park – Award winning BBQ and live music featuring The Doobie Brothers, KC and the Sunshine Band, Jennie DeVoe, Rev. Peyton, and many more.
Fall Festival at St. Joseph Parish – Parish festival with good food, rides, games and more!
Old Time Music Festival – Free music, workshops, and demonstrations. Two stages, over 30 regional groups performing – free admission.

Monday, September 5:
16^th Rib America Festival at Military Park – Award winning BBQ and live music featuring The Doobie Brothers, KC and the Sunshine Band, Jennie DeVoe, Rev. Peyton, and many more.
Labor Day Festival at St. Peter Parish in Brookville – Parish festival with country style chicken dinner, turtle soup, quilts, games, and more.
Labor Day Street Fair – Once a year, the Jazz Kitchen moves things outside the club. It all centers around the stage, which will host Clifford Ratliff, Sunset Stomp and Rob Dixon & Friends. Inside the Kitchen, Chuck Workman will host the second edition of his charity jazz garage sale, with a silent auction for rare jazz collectables.

Are there other events that we haven't posted here? If so, leave a comment and share with others. Now have fun, and be safeJ

The internship of a lifetime

The internship of a lifetime. It may sound extremely cheesy but that is exactly what MCCOY has given me. The summer of 2011 is definitely one of the best summers in my life so far which I am forever grateful for!

The reasons I choose to apply for this position are first, as an upcoming senior from Xavier University, I would like to know more about the non-profit industry and popular topics in this field by doing research and experiencing the work; second, even though I have been an intern for another non-profit, this position provides me the opportunity to truly experience what public relations work was like, including the world of social media. Now, at the very end of my summer internship, I have to say I am glad that I made a sound decision to work here which is an amazing life changing experience.

For me, a job cannot be a good one without delightful work environment, and MCCOY which is located near downtown Indy is a quiet, convenient and comfortable place to work in. I always enjoyed the regular meetings for all the stuff and interns. People share the exciting things happening in life and progress on their work. I believe this kind of communication is crucial to improve the interdepartmental cooperation as well as team building. I spent most of my free time getting to know my AWESOME mentor, Stephanie Freeman (who is amazing)! In these experiences I met some lifelong friends and mentors.

In all, I had a great experience working in Marion County Commission on Youth. I appreciate all the help and instructions which definitely have a positive influence on setting my career goal and obtain skills for working in non-profit organizations. I hope more people can know the excellent work of MCCOY on serving our youth and support this outstanding organization!

Blessings,

Shawna Bean

Serve 52!

Indianapolis has officially joined the Cities of Service coalition, a national group of Mayors who are dedicated to solving urban challenges through volunteerism.

On July 27th, Mayor Ballard announced this new initiative and challenged each Indianapolis resident to volunteer at least one hour a week, or 52 hours per year. The local campaign features a repository of local volunteer opportunities. Check it out!

Get involved in the life of a child,and make a difference. You can start with just an hour a week.

Some MCCOY partners:
Own Yours
Indiana Mentoring Partnership
Starfish Initiative
School on Wheels

MCCOY Kicks off the Attend To Your Future Pilot Program!

The last two Tuesdays in July were incredibly exciting for the MCCOY staff as we carried out the first round of workshops in the Attend To Your Future year-long pilot program. MCCOY teamed up with the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA) to provide academic success resources and training for families in two public housing communities. Residents of Laurelwood and Blackburn Terrace were invited to join us for dinner, presentations from school representatives, and discussion surrounding the issue of school attendance. The rich discussion within both community resident groups allowed for identification of barriers to children’s attendance and, as a result, we have developed a framework to provide resources and support to these communities throughout the year.



The first workshop in Laurelwood served about 60 children and their 43 parents while the second workshop in Blackburn Terrace served 50 children and their 30 parents. Each of the children in attendance received a school uniform polo shirt and every participant received a free dinner sponsored by Papa John’s Pizza. The parents who signed the release of attendance data consent form for their children are registered to participate in this pilot program for the entire year; they will be contacted monthly by MCCOY and IHA representatives via newsletters, surveys, workshops, and interventions. MCCOY will also collect children’s school attendance weekly, in an effort to provide support as soon as problems arise. Residents who signed up for this year-long program will also be entered into raffles for school supplies and other school-related prizes throughout the year, rewarding students who exhibit improved or excellent attendance.



MCCOY would like to give a big THANK YOU to all of our sponsors and volunteers for making the Attend To Your Future workshops possible:



- Papa John’s
- Vernon J. Petri & Associates
- Wal Mart
- M&I BankPeyback Foundation

A Call for Indiana Residents to be Mindful of Human Trafficking

Last week, Chinese authorities rescued 89 infants and arrested 369 people associated with two human trafficking rings. The infants were abducted from Vietnam, some drugged, and sold in China. The traditional preference for male children combined with the “one child” policy in China increases the human trafficking cases that occur, usually involving female adults and children. However, China is only one of the many countries where human trafficking is a major issue. 161 countries throughout the world are said to be affected by human trafficking (UNGIFT).

Human trafficking is considered to be one of the largest and fastest growing criminal industries in the world (Polaris Project). The numbers are difficult to determine exactly due to issues such as victim intimidation to step forward and lack of law enforcement standards on the issue.  According to the US Department of State’s 2010 Report on Human Trafficking, between 14,500 and 17,500 men, women, and children are trafficked into the US every year. Most of these victims are forced into the sex trade, domestic servitude, or agricultural labor (Leach). To distinguish human trafficking from other crimes, there must be a use of force, fraud or coercion. Women and children are most at-risk for human trafficking.

                                                          Origin & Destination Countries

Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery. It is illegal to be involved in such activities and Indiana Law states persecution of those knowingly involved in the trade, harbor, or promotion in any process of human trafficking can face felony charges. In order to provide protection, prosecution, and prevention, the Human Rights Watch Advocacy Director suggests that the state “should above all else, return control to the victims of human trafficking” as the victim’s lack of control is one of the main challenges to protection, persecution and prevention.  Further, authorities should be trained on victim protection procedures as well as how to identify services that victims may need in order to rebuild their lives.

The problem of human trafficking is not a new one, but the topic should strike a chord locally. There have been positive correlations between the demands for commercial sex services and large events, such as the Super Bowl. With Indianapolis hosting Super Bowl XLVI this winter, I hope Indiana residents and visitors are mindful of their surroundings and spread awareness about human trafficking. Contact local authorities if you suspect foul play: dial 911 for emergencies, contact local police departments, IN Trafficked Persons Assistance Program 1-800-928-6403 or National Human Trafficking Resource Center 1-888-3737-888. For more information, visit polarisproject.org.

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6497799.stm

LaFraniere, Sharon. “China: Officials Say They Have Saved 81 Babies from Child Traffickers”, The New York Times (July 28, 2011).

Leach, Susan Llewelyn. “Slavey is not dead, just unrecognizable,” The Christian Science Monitor (September 1, 2004).

Patten, Wendy. Statement give to US Senate about Human Rights Watch. “US: Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking & Slavery,” Human Right Watch News. http://www.hrw.org/news/2004/07/06/us-efforts-combat-human-trafficking-and-slavery .

UN GIFT: Human Trafficking, The Facts. United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns (Vienna, 2006).

Breaking Down Barriers So You Can Raise More Money

Fundraising shouldn't be treated as a necessary evil but as an opportunity to cultivate support for an important cause.

People enjoy giving to organizations that are making a real difference. It is the nonprofit's privilege and responsibility to make giving opportunities accessible and relevant to donors.

Accessible? Do you make it easy to donate - whether by pledge, check, credit card, or other giving vehicles? Do you force donors to provide lots of detailed information, or do you focus on the bare essentials?

Relevant? Do you ask for support in a way that depicts the need clearly? Does the mission seem like a string of related words, or do you articulate your critical role in the community?

Finally, do you pave the way for future giving? Tell your donors thank you, and then tell them again, again, and again. Show them the impact of their gift - by sharing a success story, giving a tour of the program, asking for their involvement in a critical decision, or reporting program outcomes.

How else can you break down barriers that inhibit financial support? Please leave a comment with your recommendation!

Read more from Guest Blogger Jessica Journey on her blog about nonprofits, fundraising, and marketing: www.jessicajourney.com