C i t y Y e a r Annual Report 2 0 0 5 future leader, future leader, l e a d e r. MISSION City Year’s mission is to build democracy through citizen service, civic leadership and social entrepreneurship. City Year seeks to unite people on the common ground of service, as a way to inspire the active citizenship vital to a strong and vibrant democracy. VISION City Year’s citizen service vision is that one day the most commonly asked question of a young adult will be: “Where are you going to do your service year?” City Year’s civic leadership vision is that one day every citizen will have the skills, values and inspiration to be a leader for the common good. City Year’s social entrepreneurship vision is that one day human inventiveness and compassion will be unleashed to solve the pressing social problems of the day. Dear Friends, City Year was founded in 1988 to tap the idealism of young people to meet pressing public needs and to demonstrate that national service works. We believed then, as we do now, that service could be the meeting ground for young people of diverse backgrounds to make a difference in their communities and that service could be a training ground for developing the leaders essential to a strong democracy. Now, nearly 18 years later, we are humbled by the accomplishments of each class of City Year graduates. Not only have they served more than 13 million hours working with more than 900,000 children and engaging more than 900,000 citizens in service, but also through their efforts on behalf of community and country, they have become leaders for life. A recent landmark study of City Year alumni reveals that the men and women who served with City Year are much more likely to vote, volunteer, lead others, and be involved in their communities. Statistics are only part of the story. The alumni profiles included in this report – seven of the more than 8,000 City Year alumni – also demonstrate that the impact of a City Year goes far beyond a graduate’s year of service. In addition to the completion of this important study, we are excited to share with you other major accomplishments of the past year: the launch of our 15th U.S. site in Little Rock, the launch of our first international site in South Africa and the completion of a four-year fundraising campaign to strengthen the organization’s capacities to serve, The City Year Challenge. We thank our donors, more than 5,400 this year, for making all of this possible. We are so grateful for the unwavering support from our champions, the ongoing dedication of our alumni, and the hard work of our corps and staff. Thank you for your continued commitment to City Year and the citizen service movement. Yours in service, Alan Khazei Michael Brown CEO President 1 IMPACT OF A CITY YEAR City Year corps members serve full-time in schools, community DEVELOPING YOUNG LEADERS centers and neighborhoods to address local needs and national City Year corps members engage more than 3,300 elementary, priorities. middle and high school aged youth in service and leadership development activities to promote and inspire lifelong In 2005, 1 , 0 3 4 City Year commitments to active citizenship. Participants in the Youth Leadership Corps programs are deployed in diverse teams led by corps members corps members and volunteer team leaders. Served 7 1 , 0 0 0 youth Participants 3,340 Making Friends and a Difference Providing 1.4 million A recent study of the Young Heroes and City Heroes programs hours of service and indicates that: − More than 95% of Young Heroes said they learned something Engaging 5 8 , 0 0 0 citizens about their community that they didn’t know before and made friends with people from different backgrounds. − More than 90% of City Heroes said they were more likely to With the support of 2 9 5 corporate participate in community service on a regular basis in the next sponsors and 8 9 0 service partners few years. In 1 5 U.S. cities and Johannesburg, South Africa 2 “Our goal in Chicago is to make the Chicago Public Schools the best urban public school system in America. I really see City Year in the forefront of this revolution.” – Arne Duncan CEO Chicago Public Schools “Last semester our school was 63rd out of 63 elementary schools in attendance. After one semester we are 18 out of 63. I attribute that gain to City Year.” – Janet Perez Principal Brackenridge Elementary School San Antonio TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS, INSPIRING STUDENTS At every site, City Year partners with schools, deploying teams of corps members to tutor and mentor students, coordinate extracurricular activities, and organize service and leadership opportunities where they are needed most. When School Is Out, Camps Are In City Year corps members organize and run Camp City Year, a full-day, school-based educational program for nearly 5,000 elementary school students held during winter and spring vacations. The camps provide a valuable outlet for many working parents and are geared toward creating a safe, structured and positive learning environment for children when they are not in school. Filling a Critical Need in Schools Evaluations from more than 115 schools served by City Year reveal that more than 90% of principals with City Year corps members in their classrooms believe corps members “fulfill a critical need for our school.” 3 BUILDING COMMUNITY Throughout the year, corps members lead monthly physical Through more than 2,000 physical service projects, such as converting a vacant lot into a community service projects, City Year corps garden and replacing graffiti-covered walls with vibrant street murals. These team-based projects make dramatic community members: transformations possible and offer opportunities for citizens of all backgrounds to join corps members in service. – Revitalized 435 neighborhoods On October 23, 2004, in Boston and Philadelphia, City Year held Serve-a-thon fundraisers, an annual community event that brings – Built 30 playgrounds together diverse groups of people for a day of high-impact service. In Boston, more than 2,400 volunteers came together to complete – Planted 150 gardens 55 physical service projects throughout Boston and Cambridge, while in Philadelphia more than 800 volunteers came together to – Painted 320 murals refurbish the city’s Kensington neighborhood. 4 5 HIGHLIGHTS OF A CITY YEAR Bono Visits City Year “I Pledge to Serve” A D a y O n ! July 27, 2004 Opening Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day October 1, 2004 Young Heroes Opening Day U2 lead singer Bono visited City Year’s January 17, 2005 headquarters in Boston, speaking in From the Alamo to Boston’s historic front of a crowd of 300 guests including Faneuil Hall, from the shadow of the Across America, every City Year site the First Lady of California, Maria U.S. Capitol to the Rocky Steps in recognized the birthday of Dr. Martin Shriver. The well-known rock star and Philadelphia, idealistic corps members Luther King, Jr. with a Day On. anti-poverty activist shared his belief raised their right hands and pledged to Thirteen sites also held Young Heroes in the power of young people and his serve America through a demanding year Opening Day ceremonies, and then commitment to changing the world, of full-time citizen service, leadership spent the afternoon in service to their especially through the organization development and social entrepreneurship. communities. DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa) that he co-founded with Bobby Shriver. This year’s Young Heroes Opening Day marked the 11th year of the program, which is designed for youth in grades “When I think of six through eight and teaches them how what America should to be active citizens for the rest of their lives. be, this is it, right here. City Year.” – Bono 6 Voices for National Service Career Service Award: City Year South Africa February 8, 2005 Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) Opening Day February 21, 2005 City Year is a proud member of Voices Citizen Service Award: for National Service, a coalition Jeff Coolidge, Coolidge Family Fund City Year proudly launched its first dedicated to promoting citizenship, (awarded posthumously) international site with 120 young leaders patriotism, and service by expanding serving in Johannesburg, South Africa. high-quality opportunities for citizens to Distinguished Service Award: City Year South Africa had been four serve community and country. Senator Christopher Bond (R-MO) years in the making, beginning with a Representative James Walsh (R-NY) call from President Mandela to President Voices for National Service celebrated Clinton and their idea to champion the the 10th anniversary of AmeriCorps National Service Lifetime development of City Year South Africa as in Washington, D.C. with a 10-hour Leadership Award: a model national youth service program. citizens’ hearing, hosted by more than Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) With the leadership of Board Co-Chairs 100 organizations. A Capitol Hill awards Representative Augustus Hawkins Rick Menell and Murphy Morobe, City reception followed, sponsored by CSX, (D-CA; retired) Year South Africa opened its doors to a and hosted in partnership with the diverse group of idealists ready to serve. National Association of Service and Outstanding National Conservation Corps. Highlights of the Service Advocacy Award: evening event included the acceptance President George W. Bush speeches of eight Members of Congress and remarks by Corporation for National Outstanding New Member Award: and Community Service CEO David Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) Eisner, who accepted an award on behalf Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) of honoree President George W.