http://www.serve.gov/stories_all.asp Serve.gov is the most comprehensive clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities ever created. Americans can enter geographic information about where they want to get involved, such as state or ZIP Code, and areas of interest ranging from education to the environment, to access volunteer opportunities offered by a range of partner organizations across the country or around the world. Formerly the website for the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House (under President Bush), Serve.gov is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service on behalf of the White House. en-us Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST 0 http://www.serve.gov/images/common/logo_servegov.jpg http://www.serve.gov 204 28 http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=422This April, the Central Park Recreation Center in Atlanta was uninhabited and in disarray. Light fixtures were hanging from the ceiling, the Center had a stale smell, and brown water trickled from the faucets. Now, thanks to a partnership between Operation REACH's Gulfsouth Youth Action Corps and the City of Atlanta, the Center has reopened its doors to the community. Gulfsouth Youth Action Corps (GYAC) AmeriCorps Members began their summer of service preparing for the six week intensive youth leadership and service learning summer camp they staff. United We ServeFri, 27 Aug 2010 12:23:32 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=421Youth Service America and UnitedHealth Group are tackling childhood obesity from a new direction: by asking children and youth across America to take action and address this critical issue. The UnitedHealth HEROES Service-Learning Grants, launched two years ago to support youth-led programs, have supported the initiatives of more than 360 schools and community organizations. Asking young people to have a meaningful impact on communities by implementing innovative ideas is an important part of service-learning, a teaching and learning strategy that makes connections between community service and curriculum.Healthy FoodsThu, 26 Aug 2010 13:42:38 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=420It's time for us to rally around our parks and playgrounds. Every child has the right to a safe, well-maintained, inspiring place to play, and with a little elbow grease and community energy, we can improve our play spaces, strengthen our neighborhoods, and ensure the happiness and health of our children. A simple enhancement project can go a long way. ExerciseMon, 23 Aug 2010 15:38:40 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=419Childhood obesity is a growing, yet often overlooked issue within Hispanic households. Families, including my own, often dismiss childhood obesity with terms like 'gordito' or 'llenito,' to overlook the fact that a child might be overweight. Healthy FoodsMon, 23 Aug 2010 15:38:29 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=418This post is a special guest blog post by a staff member at the Corporation for National and Community Service. While on a family vacaction abroad, Stu and his family took a little time to do a service project involving gleaning. This past May I traveled to Israel for an extended family Bar Mitzvah celebration. June, my wife, and 14 other family members and I participated in a Leket project. Leket is the Hebrew word meaning to glean, a practice documented in scriptures dating back thousands of years. Leket, also known as Table to Table, is Israel's largest charitable 'food rescue' and 'food bank' organization. Healthy FoodsMon, 23 Aug 2010 15:38:21 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=417According to a 2009 study, more than 40 million American grow fruit, herbs and vegetables in home gardens - and that number is increasing. These gardeners, given good soil, access to water, lots of sun, and a little bit of luck, typically wait for months for their crops to start bearing fruit. Once they start the harvest, they use, preserve and share the bounty... but the squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other fruits and vegetables keep on coming, and from personal experience, I can tell you that there are only so many cucumbers you can give to friends if you still want them call you a friend. While some gardeners compost the excess produce, many others simply let it rot in the garden or worse, throw it into the trash.Healthy FoodsThu, 19 Aug 2010 14:13:09 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=416In the past few months, a 50 x 50 ft. organic community garden in Ames, IA called the Service Patch has hosted over 567 volunteers donating nearly 800 volunteer hours and 230 pounds of food to Iowa food pantries and shelters. Healthy FoodsWed, 18 Aug 2010 13:14:47 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=415People across the nation are reading and moving this summer. Following the lead of United We Serve and the First Lady, Americans are dedicating themselves to becoming active and engaged mentally and physically. Some are joining and creating summer learning programs, others are getting involved in summer sports activities, and many are planting and growing gardens.Healthy FoodsWed, 18 Aug 2010 10:38:46 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=414United We Serve: Let's Read. Let's Move. is thrilled to be collaborating with CHEFs for Schools in the effort to combat childhood obesity! Created to address the growing problems of obesity, malnutrition and poverty in New York City, Cheap Healthy Eco-friendly Food (CHEFs) for Schools works to increase awareness of proper nutrition, meal preparation, and environmental consciousness in New York youth. Healthy FoodsTue, 17 Aug 2010 16:52:18 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=413We challenged YOU to get moving this summer and to take the Let's Read. Let's Move. Summer Fitness Challenge - it's not too late to sign up! Why not use the remaining days of sunny weather as an opportunity to challenge yourself and the kids in your life physically? ExerciseTue, 17 Aug 2010 11:01:19 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=412Last week CNCS CEO Patrick Corvington joined President Obama to honor thirteen outstanding Americans from across the country who have 'performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens' with a 2010 Presidential Citizens Medal. All of the recipients are remarkable; living examples of the importance of service in addressing our nation's most pressing challenges. Today, on Serve.gov, we wanted to highlight the work of one Presidential Citizens Medal recipient in particular who has dedicated his time to honor those who have served our nation. Veterans and Military FamiliesMon, 16 Aug 2010 11:39:51 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=411One Hen, Inc. is an innovative organization that helps children to become global citizens by equipping teachers with interactive resources that teach elementary school children about world issues and how they can make a difference. This summer, One Hen is teaming up with United We Serve: Let's Read. Let's Move to encourage summer reading and take on the problem of access to healthy and affordable food! Strong MindsThu, 12 Aug 2010 10:30:30 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=410Having the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints here at the White House this morning, there was a sense of hope and almost lightheartedness - nobody forgot that Louisiana is still in the midst of yet another tragedy, but it was reminder that New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast has seen the worst before and come out fighting. United We ServeWed, 11 Aug 2010 15:57:39 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=409United We Serve: Let's Read. Let's Move. is excited to be working with Family-to-Family in the effort to increase access to healthy and affordable food and promote literacy this summer. Healthy FoodsTue, 10 Aug 2010 11:48:12 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=408Summer Advantage USA is celebrating a successful summer of activity, encouraging over 3000 children in grades K-8 to replace lazy summer days with: ExerciseMon, 9 Aug 2010 14:32:07 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=407Imagine a young Soldier in Afghanistan walking into a tent, dropping his gear, and picking up a copy of Green Eggs and Ham to read to his daughter at home. Imagine, back home in base housing, his wife and daughter sit down to watch Daddy read a bedtime story from the other side of the world. At that moment, Daddy is home. Veterans and Military FamiliesThu, 5 Aug 2010 20:26:35 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=406CNCS CEO Patrick Corvington joined more than 2,100 college students in Chicago who gathered this past weekend to help bring change to the city's Englewood neighborhood. The student volunteers were in Chicago for the 2010 International Campus Ministry Conference hosted by the International Churches of Christ. They met with fellow leaders, attended conferences classes and joined with HOPE worldwide in a Day of Service.United We ServeThu, 5 Aug 2010 16:29:03 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=405The key to stopping summer learning loss is reading. If a child reads a minimum of five books between June and August, [he] will be on track for success next school year. We need every child to read at least five books this summer and every adult to help,' Secretary Arne Duncan noted earlier this summer at the launch of the U.S. Department of Education's 'Lets Read. Let's Move.' enrichment series. Today, five special guests demonstrated the importance of literacy and how simple it can be to meet Secretary Duncan's challenge by reading five books to local children on the Department's outdoor plazaStrong MindsWed, 4 Aug 2010 16:42:12 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=404Today, President Barack Obama and Patrick Corvington will announce the recipients of the 2010 Presidential Citizens Medal - and you can watch it live from the White House website.United We ServeWed, 4 Aug 2010 12:56:54 EST http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=403When a youth sports coach says 'run', kids run. That's because kids respect and listen to their coaches. That led us to a simple idea: when a coach says read, youth will do just that this summer.Strong MindsTue, 3 Aug 2010 15:13:27 EST