Submissions for the NASCC Corps Awards Are Due by September 2Nd

The Corps Network  Project of the Year “SAMPLE Exemplary Nomination”

This section may be expanded, as needed, up to three pages total.

Corps: Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps (LCC)

Project Name: The CORPS Program (Career Opportunities Reached Through Participation in Service) Cal Vets Fresno Veterans Home Project

Staff person submitting entry - Name: Shawn Riggins Title: LCC Director Email: [email protected] Phone: (559) 264-1048

In addition to your written responses, please attach three (3) electronic photos. High-resolution photos are preferred. Please contact Leslie Wilkoff [email protected] if you need assistance sending large files. Note: If chosen you will be asked to submit up to 12 more high resolution electronic photos or a brief video about the project. Criteria will be sent to selected projects.

1. Description (Please address why your project fits the Conference Theme):

The Fresno Local Conservation Corps, serves young adults, ages 18-25, and operates under the umbre lla of Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (Fresno EOC), among the largest Community Action Agencies in the nation. The motto of our corps is Training Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today! The CORPS Program (Career Opportunities Reached through Participation in Service) Cal Vets Fresno Veterans Ho me Project clearly represents the 2014 Corps Network Conference theme of “Work That Matters”.

In September of 2012, Fresno EOC and its Local Conservation Corps were one of 21 grantees nationwi de (only program in California), to receive a Federal Department of Labor, Employment and Training Ad ministration Training and Service Learning grant. We were awarded a two-and-a-half year, $1.5 million d ollar grant, with the second cohort nearing completion in November 2013. During the 26 month performa nce period, our goal is to serve 96 young people, (ages 18-21) with a background in the juvenile justice system (re-entry). Each young person will be enrolled in the CORPS Program for a 7 month period wher e they will participate in vocational training, pursue their high school diploma, earn industry recognized c redentials and serve their community through many training and service learning projects.

One such training and service learning project was a recent project started through a partnership with th e California Department of Veterans Affairs, Cal Vet Fresno Veterans Home. The Fresno Veterans Hom e was a collaborative effort of various agencies and after over a decade of trying to bring a Veterans Ho me to Fresno, it was completed in July 2012. Due to budgetary constraints in California, the beautiful 30 acre campus sat empty without staff to maintain the vast landscape until the summer of 2013. In the su mmer of 2013, one (1) groundskeeper was hired to start the maintenance of the property and one (1) cu stodial staff was hired to maintain the 300 unit facility. Clearly, this was not enough staff to restore the f acility to the original condition as the facility was in need of some large-scale maintenance.

LCC staff was informed of this need by the Fresno Veterans Home staff in July due to a planned visit fro m United States Congressman Jim Costa. Unfortunately the facility, as is, would not present well. The facility needed hundreds of hours of work to get it back into prime condition for the grand opening which would be in October 2013. Prior to meeting with us, the Fresno Veterans Home was unsure of how they were going to accomplish such a huge task. After meeting with Veterans Home staff, we knew it would b e a perfect project for the CORPS Program to invest in. One of the key aspects of this grant is for youn g people who have taken from the community, to give back to the community through service. What bett er way to give back, than honoring those who have sacrificed so much for all of our freedom.

Beginning in June 2013, CORPS Program participants began working at the Fresno Veterans Home ap proximately 25 hours a week. One of the first tasks was assisting the custodial staff by dusting, vacuum ing and performing general clean up inside of the facility. Due to the lack of staff, there were dead bugs on the carpet and dirty windows. In addition to cleaning, corpsmembers helped build new furniture for th e rooms inside of the facility. Inside cleanup was the first step. Our major investment was in helping mai ntain the $5 million landscaped area that had grown out of control at the facility for over a year. LCC cor psmembers trimmed hundreds of trees, removed hundreds of ornamental grass plants (it was unsightly and was a fire hazard), weeded, hedge trimmed, planted new flowers, fixed irrigation problems and did general beautification/landscaping.

Through the efforts of LCC CORPS corpsmembers throughout the summer, including the installation of 54 United States flags that will surround the facility and the setting up of 2,000 chairs and tables, the Vet eran’s Home is positioned for its grand opening, October 18-19, 2013. Governor Brown will be in attend ance for the event as well as many high-ranking military officials. Corpsmembers will attend the event a nd represent the LCC as well as complete the tear down afterwards.

The Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps plans to continue its involvement at the Fresno Veterans Ho me following the grand opening. Not only will the CORPS Program continue to help with landscape mai ntenance, but will also become a major part of the volunteerism efforts with the veterans that live at the f acility. LCC corpsmembers will also have the opportunity to apply for landscape positions as the facility begins hiring staff. The LCC will be providing all recycling services to the entire facility including picking up as well as providing the recycling bins. The LCC will also focusing its Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service project in January 2014 on the Cal Vets Fresno Veterans Home. The CORPS Program l ooks forward to a long-term partnership with the home and our military veterans that was initiated with th e cleanup project.

The theme of the 2014 Corps Network Conference is “Work That Matters”. Veterans are a very importan t subset of our population. Many veterans struggle with various health issues (physical/mental), homeles sness, substance abuse and general instability after their service to our nation. One of the needs for vet erans is a home that is long-term, can meet their health needs and provide resources they deserve after their sacrifice. This project has allowed corpsmembers to invest in their community by helping make the Fresno Veterans Home a special place for 300 disabled or elderly veterans to live. Without the help of t he Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps, the home would simply not have been ready to open and be a place of pride for local veterans. CalVet Home Lead Groundskeeper Mike stated, “Without the help of t he Local Conservation Corps, I simply do not know what we would have done. There is no possible way that we could be where we are today without you.” This project and the future of this project is clearly “Work That Matters” and deserves to be recognized for the unique nature of the project and investment i nto the lives of veterans.

2. How was this project new or different for your Corps?

This project was unique for the Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps on several levels. First and fore most, this project is focused completely on serving veterans at the Fresno Veterans Home. While the L CC is involved in many, many community service projects, this one stands out because of the target foc us. Secondly, this project has spanned over 4 months and will transition into a long-term partnership wit h corpsmembers volunteering to serve the veterans on top of continuing to provide landscaping mainten ance at the facility, recycling services and future events. The ability to match re-entry youth who have ta ken from the community in the past, with veterans whose lives have been distinguished by their sacrifice for the community, makes this a compelling project.

3. If replicable, how could other Corps apply lessons learned to similar project?

The CORPS Cal Vets Fresno Veterans Home Project began as a quick clean-up day and progressed int o much more than that. Longer term relationships with partners such as these promote important values to corpsmembers such as consistency, commitment and long-term investment. One lesson learned that other Corps could replicate would be looking at some of their short-term partners and see if there would be potential for longer term investments. Many partners are thrilled about agencies wanting to partner w ith them longer term.

As far as focusing on the veterans is concerned, there are many organizations that exist to serve vetera ns. There are larger ones such as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, American Legion a nd the California Department of Veterans Affairs and many community based groups as well. Dependin g on where the Corps is located, there are numerous opportunities to partner with groups such as these and they are always looking for volunteers! 4. What impact has this project had on Corpsmembers who participated? Please include any meas ures or indicators of success. (i.e. As a result of the project, XXX Corpsmembers have received s ervice/training resulting in a job.)

 31 Corpsmembers (CORPS Program participants) have worked on the Cal Vets Fresno Veterans H ome Project.  LCC crews spent a total of 239 hours gaining valuable vocational training experience in the areas of landscaping maintenance and general labor (as of 10/19/13).  Approximately 1,314.5 total community service hours have been invested into the Cal Vets Fresno Veterans Home Project.  Numerous organizations have recognized the importance of having at-risk/opportunity youth involve d with veterans. The Cal Vets Fresno Veterans staff members, who worked directly with our 31 cor ps members, were veterans. One staff person shared his story of being a former gang youth himself that after enlisting into the United States Marine Corps had a decorated 25 year career and now con tinues to work within the Cal Vets system. This type of mentoring can be pivotal in a young person’s life and has been an invaluable piece of this project.  2 Corpsmembers have been approached by the Fresno Veterans Home staff about applying for full- time positions.  All 31 Corpsmembers who have worked on the project are enrolled in The Corps Network AmeriCorps Educational Award Program and earned hours towards their educational award of $2,175. This award promotes post-secondary education and assists young people with paying for their future education.

5. What impact has this project had on your community? Please include any measures or indicator s of success. (i.e. As a result of the project, XXX community members volunteered with the Corp s, the value of community support is XXX dollars, XXX feet of boardwalk were constructed, XXX t rees were planted and the ecological value can be seen in XXX.)

 Over 1,500 flowers were planted around the Fresno Veterans Home beautifying a high crime, low-in come area in South West Fresno, home to the Fresno Local Conservation Corps.  Over 250 ornamental grasses were uprooted and removed from the grounds beautifying the facility and removing a serious fire hazard from the Fresno Veterans Home community.  2,000 chairs set-up and torn down for the Fresno Veterans Home Grand Opening event.  300 disabled, homeless or elderly veterans will benefit from the beautification of their new long-term home.  The overall value of the volunteer service invested into the Cal Vets Fresno Veterans Home Project is $28,077.72 (based on an independent sector value of a volunteer hour at $21.36, HandsOn Centr al California).  54 in-ground flag brackets installed which hold 54 flags from families of fallen soldiers during their m ilitary service; this brings a sense of pride to the facility and honors the veterans staying at the home.

6. How has your Corps been strengthened as a result of this project? (i.e. This project has allowed our Corps to increased its capacity to do XXX. We have applied lessons learned to other project s including X, Y, and Z)

 For the 31 Corpsmembers who have participated in the project it has strengthened our Corps’ ability to expose Corpsmembers to military service opportunities and to invest into the lives of those that h ave sacrificed for their own freedoms.  Our Corps was strengthened by expanding our opportunities to provide unique vocational training o pportunities such as; basic janitorial skills, furniture assembly, irrigation maintenance, tree trimming.  This project has allowed our Corps to increase our investment into our immediate community which is in South West Fresno. South West Fresno is a resource-depleted community where the LCC bas e is located. Many of our Corpsmembers are from this area and this has allowed for them to invest i nto a foundational part of revitalizing this neighborhood.  The project will be recognized by the Governor’s office for our commitment to the state’s veterans.

7. If chosen as a Project of the Year, are you willing share tools and practices during a workshop at National Conference? If our CORPS Program (Career Opportunities Reached Through Participation in Service) Cal Vets Fresn o Veterans Home Project is chosen as a Project of the Year, we would be honored to share our experie nces at the National Conference. This project is important on various levels from vocational training; to u nderstanding the importance of veterans and to building strong community relationships.