People Making A Difference Through Community Service Inc

PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE (PMD) PROMOTES INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE VOLUNTEERISM BY ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS IN MEANINGFUL, HANDS-ON, REMOTE, OR VIRTUAL WORK THAT MEETS LOCAL NEEDS AND HELPING OTHER CHARITIES AND BUSINESSES DEVELOP SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS. IN 2021, DESPITE THE CONTINUED COVID-19 PANDEMIC, PMD DIRECTLY HELPED 19 CHARITIES AND THEIR CLIENTS IN 13+ COMMUNITIES. PMD PARTNERED WITH THESE CHARITIES TO PLAN AND TO COMPLETE 22 PRODUCTIVE, HIGH QUALITY SERVICE PROJECTS INVOLVING 278 MOTIVATED VOLUNTEERS IN-PERSON, REMOTELY, AND VIRTUALLY.

2021 PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE, INC. (PMD) PROMOTES INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE VOLUNTEERISM BY ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS IN MEANINGFUL, HANDS-ON WORK THAT MEETS LOCAL NEEDS AND BY HELPING CHARITIES AND BUSINESSES DEVELOP THEIR OWN, SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS. DURING THE CONTINUING COVID-19 PANDEMIC PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE DIRECTLY HELPED 19 CHARITIES AND THEIR CLIENTS. PMD PARTNERED WITH THESE CHARITIES TO PLAN AND TO COMPLETE 22 PRODUCTIVE, HIGH QUALITY SERVICE PROJECTS INVOLVING 277 MOTIVATED VOLUNTEERS IN-PERSON, REMOTELY, AND VIRTUALLY. PMD RECRUITED 177 NEW VOLUNTEERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SERVICE PROJECTS DESCRIBED BELOW. TOGETHER WITH 100 PMD VOLUNTEERS WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN PRIOR PMD PROJECTS, THEY GAVE 2,709 HOURS TO COMPLETE NEEDED WORK IN 19+ COMMUNITIES. 88% (17) OF THE CHARITIES THAT PMD ASSISTED HAD NO STAFF DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS OR RELIED ON PART-TIME STAFF, WHILE THE OTHER 11% (2) RECEIVED PMD ASSISTANCE DUE TO SPECIAL NEEDS. IN 2021, PMD'S COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM ADDRESSED THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: 45% LITERACY (SCIENCE, BRAILLE), 26% ENVIRONMENT/CONSERVATION, 13% POVERTY/HUNGER, 9% ELDERS, AND 7% YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. FOR FIVE COMPETITIONS, PREPARE AND OFFICIATE FOR REGIONAL COMPETITIONS OF THE NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL (NOSB) AS RULES JUDGES, TIMEKEEPERS, SCOREKEEPERS, SCIENCE JUDGES, SCIENCE GRADERS, MODERATORS, AND RUNNERS. THIS NATIONAL COMPETITION TESTS OCEAN KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING THE BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, GEOLOGY, PHYSICS, HISTORY, AND ECONOMICS OF THE OCEAN AS WELL AS OCEAN-RELATED CURRENT EVENTS IN A FAST-PACED, QUIZ-SHOW STYLE. ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS IS TO EXPOSE TALENTED AND ASPIRING STUDENTS TO THE WONDER OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ASSOCIATED CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. PMD VOLUNTEERS CREATED A DEMONSTRATION VIDEO TO HELP COMPETING TEAMS AND VOLUNTEER OFFICIALS UNDERSTAND HOW MATCHES WOULD BE PLAYED VIRTUALLY. THEN PMD RECRUITED, TRAINED AND SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERS WHO OFFICIATED FOR FOUR REGIONAL BOWLS, BLUE LOBSTER (MA), QUAHOG (RI & CT), TROUT (CO+), AND TSUNAMI (AK) BOWLS. OFFICIATING PMD VOLUNTEERS ENABLED 14 TEAMS COMPOSED OF 80 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS/COACHES FROM MASSACHUSETTS HIGH SCHOOLS, PLUS 13 TEAMS COMPOSED OF 74 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS/COACHES FROM RHODE ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT HIGH SCHOOLS, TO COMPETE. PMD RECRUITED, TRAINED, ASSIGNED, AND SUPPORTED ALL 66 (BLUE LOBSTER) AND 55 (QUAHOG) VOLUNTEERS, PLUS RECRUITED AND SUPPORTED 15 (TROUT) AND 1 (TSUNAMI) VOLUNTEERS. (IN 2012-13, PMD ASSUMED BLUE LOBSTER BOWL REGIONAL CO-COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MIT SEA GRANT. IN 2020-21, PMD ASSUMED ALL QUAHOG BOWL REGIONAL COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR NOSB, SO HANDLED EVERYTHING FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS, STUDENTS, AND COACHES.) PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE BLUE LOBSTER BOWL WERE ACTON-BOXBOROUGH REGIONAL, CHELMSFORD, FITCHBURG, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN-SUDBURY REGIONAL, NEWTON NORTH, AND NEWTON SOUTH. PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE QUAHOG BOWL WERE COGINCHAUG REGIONAL, CRANSTON EAST, EDWIN O. SMITH, LEDYARD, NARRAGANSETT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MAGNET, SOUND, WATERFORD, AND WOODSTOCK ACADEMY. PMD ALSO ENGAGED TWO MIT CODE FOR GOOD VOLUNTEERS AND MIT STAFF TO DEVELOP AND TO TEST NEW, WEB-BASED SOFTWARE (OSB.PMD.ORG) FOR VIRTUALLY HOSTING TEAM CHALLENGE QUESTIONS REQUIRING ONLY ONE, MINIMALLY TRAINED VOLUNTEER TO PROCTOR THEM FOR A TEAM OF STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER ONLINE TO ANSWER MULTIPLE-PART QUESTIONS IN A TIMED, SHARED, AND SECURE DOCUMENT, ENABLING REMOTE VOLUNTEERS TO GRADE COMPILED TEAMS' ANSWERS "SCHOOL BLIND," PLUS AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATING TEAMS' INDIVIDUAL SCORES FOR EACH QUESTION. PMD THEN RECRUITED VOLUNTEER OFFICIALS AND HOSTED TEAM CHALLENGE QUESTIONS SOFTWARE FOR TEAMS AND SCIENCE GRADERS FOR THE NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION HELD VIRTUALLY IN MAY. 2/20 OFFICIATE FOR THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE BOWL COMPETITION OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCES BOWL AS MODERATORS, RECOGNIZERS/SCOREKEEPERS, AND QUESTION JUDGES, CAMBRIDGE. THIS FAST-PACED COMPETITION ENGAGES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PREPARING FOR AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM LIFE SCIENCE, PHYSICAL SCIENCE, EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE, ENERGY, AND MATHEMATICS. ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS IS TO EXCITE STUDENTS TO STUDY MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGINEERING AND TO PURSUE RELATED CAREERS. OFFICIATING PMD VOLUNTEERS ENABLED 27 TEAMS COMPOSED OF 122+ MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO COMPETE VIRTUALLY. PMD RECRUITED, HELPED TRAIN AND ASSIGN, AND SUPPORTED ALL VOLUNTEERS. PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS WERE ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE AND DESIGN CHARTER SCHOOL (NH), BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL (MA), COLLINS MIDDLE SCHOOL (MA), ELM STREET MIDDLE SCHOOL (NH), FAIRGROUNDS MIDDLE SCHOOL (NH), GREELY MIDDLE SCHOOL (ME), JONAS CLARKE MIDDLE SCHOOL (MA), MONUMENT VALLEY REGIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL (MA), ROXBURY LATIN SCHOOL (MA), ST. ALBANS CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (VT), UP ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF BOSTON (MA), WILLIAM DIAMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL (MA), AND WORLD ACADEMY SCHOOL (NH). 3/20 MAKE SPRING GREETINGS CARDS WITH CANDY FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE ANNA BISSONNETTE HOUSE OF HEARTH, SOUTH END (VIRTUAL/REMOTE). HEARTH (FORMERLY CALLED THE COMMITTEE TO END ELDER HOMELESSNESS) STRIVES TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF HOMELESS ELDERS, TO REACH OUT TO, IDENTIFY, AND ASSIST HOMELESS ELDERS IN BOSTON, AND TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR THIS OFTEN NEGLECTED, VULNERABLE POPULATION. THE ANNA BISSONNETTE HOUSE IS HOME TO 41+ ELDERLY RESIDENTS WHO WERE HOMELESS OR AT-RISK FOR EVICTION/HOMELESSNESS. LONELINESS AND APPROPRIATE SOCIALIZATION ARE OFTEN CHALLENGING TO THE FRAIL RESIDENTS. 4/10 & 17 COLLECTED AND ORGANIZED BULK SEED ORDER FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY GARDENERS. CREATED THE ONLINE SYSTEM SO THAT GARDENERS FROM 49 COMMUNITY GARDENS COULD REQUEST 12,000+ BULK-ORDERED SEED PACKETS FOR THE TRUSTEES. PMD COMPLETED, ORGANIZED, AND HOSTED ITS 24TH ANNUAL COUNTING OF PACKETS AND FULFILLMENT OF REQUESTS OUTDOORS. 4/10, 7/31 & 12/12 AMASS & PACK NEEDED TOILETRIES, HAND SANITIZER, AND SNACKS FOR STREET OUTREACH BY PINE STREET INN, BOSTON'S LARGEST HOMELESS SHELTER. PINE STREET INN PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER, STREET OUTREACH, PERMANENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, JOB TRAINING, AND TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC (AND CORRESPONDING FEAR OF BEING CLOSE TO INFECTED PEOPLE INDOORS), MOST OUTREACH TAKES PLACE OUTDOORS, CONNECTING PEOPLE IN NEED WITH SERVICES AS WELL AS PROVIDING THESE ESSENTIAL ITEMS. 6/29 MAKE BLANK GREETINGS CARDS WITH POSTAGE FOR DISADVANTAGED ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENTS OF D'YOUVILLE LIFE & WELLNESS COMMUNITY, LOWELL (REMOTE). DURING THE PANDEMIC, ISOLATED ELDERS RECEIVED MANY GREETING CARDS FROM VOLUNTEERS, BUT MANY DID NOT KNOW THE SENDERS AND MOST LACKED THE MEANS TO REPLY OR TO SEND CARDS TO PEOPLE THEY KNEW, SO WE "FLIPPED THE MODEL" BY CREATING AND PROVIDING 200 BLANK GREETING CARDS WITH POSTAGE SO THAT DISADVANTAGED ELDERS IN LOWELL COULD CONNECT WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES USING GREETING CARDS. 7/10 PRUNE SHRUBS AND RAKE LEAVES TO RESTORE THE VIEW AND THE POND SHORE WITH THE FRIENDS OF SPY POND PARK, ARLINGTON. SPY POND PARK IS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PRESERVES AND ENHANCES COMMUNITY ENJOYMENT OF SPY POND PARK AND SPY POND. 8/4 & 10/18 ASSEMBLE MONOCULAR MICROSCOPES (5 CLASSROOM SETS) FOR BOSTON PUBLIC RICHARD J. MURPHY SCHOOL, DORCHESTER, TO IMPROVE SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS VIA HANDS-ON LEARNING BY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. THESE ARE PARTICULARLY NEEDED SINCE STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SHARE EQUIPMENT DUE TO INFECTION RISK MANAGEMENT. 9/19 HELP BOSTON LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL (BLFF) REDUCE WASTE, BOSTON. THE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS NETWORK OF MASSACHUSETTS (SBN) MISSION IS TO BUILD A MASSACHUSETTS ECONOMY THAT IS LOCAL, FAIR, AND GREEN. THE FREE BLFF FOCUSES ON HEALTHY FOOD AND FITNESS BY OFFERING UNIQUE AND INTERESTING EVENTS LIKE A SEAFOOD COOKING COMPETITION, CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES INFORMATION, FAMILY FUN, MUSIC, AND ENTERTAINMENT. VOLUNTEERS WORK 1:1 TO EDUCATE AND TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC IN REUSING EVENT PROGRAMS, COMPOSTING FOOD SCRAPS, AND RECYCLING PLASTIC CONTAINERS AND PAPER IN ORDER TO GENERATE LESS THAN 5% LANDFILL WASTE. 9/25 TRANSPLANT AND HARVEST BAMBOO FOR RED PANDAS AND OTHER ANIMALS IN THE CHILDREN'S ZOO AT FRANKLIN PARK ZOO, DORCHESTER. THE STRUGGLING, NONPROFIT ZOO RELIES HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEERS TO MAINTAIN ITS VAST GROUNDS AND EXHIBITS. OUR WORK MAKES THE EXHIBITS HEALTHIER FOR THE ANIMALS AND MORE INVITING TO THE PUBLIC. THE ZOO'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO PROTECT AND TO SUSTAIN THE WORLD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS BY CREATING FUN AND ENGAGING EXPERIENCES THAT INTEGRATE WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION. 10/2 REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES, PRUNE BACK BRUSH FROM TRAILS, AND REMOVE TRASH FROM MISSION HILL GREEN IN THE IROQUOIS WOODS, MISSION HILL. IMPROVE THE IROQUOIS STREET WOODS URBAN WILD, A 25,000-SQ-FT AREA OF UNDEVELOPED LAND, BY PARTNERING WITH NEIGHBORS TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES, PRUNE BACK BRUSH FROM TRAILS, AND REMOVE