Field Guide to Community Service 2.0 We believe in the power of community Compass Collective is excited to present the award-winning Field Guide to Community Service 2.0. We revived this publication to help motivate you to get involved, give back and make a difference! Compass Collective has a grassroots mindset, a high-touch approach and a genuine, long-held belief that we all have an opportunity to make every day better through service to our community. The Field Guide is designed to be a “starter kit” for individuals who crave deeper engagement in our community but are not quite sure how to begin. It’s intended to be a useful, up-to-date resource with relevant information that is easily accessed. It’s simple Community engagement can sometimes feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, we make it easy. If you’re new to a city, or if you’ve felt out of the loop for a while, we’ll show you how to get started, dig deeper or go all in. The good news is, getting connected has never been easier, and the Field Guide can help. It’s all of us By holding this publication in your hands, you’ve already taken the first step. And with each step you take on this journey to community service, you’ll be accompanied by the doers, the joiners and the activists. The truth is that we are all in this together and there is strength in numbers. Ready? Come on, we’ll show you the way. “Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.” — Mother Teresa The cover The cover photo of “Hands” was donated by Kymberli Brady, sanjosestock.com. Thanks to her generous spirit for supporting The Field Guide to Community Service 2.0. “Hands” by Christian Moeller, 2009 Approaching the Mineta San José International Airport from the east, the hands of 53 Silicon Valley residents greet the world and reach for the skies from a mural created with 400,000 plastic pixels snapped onto architectural metal mesh, spanning 1,200 feet and standing seven stories high. Christian Moeller is an artist and professor in the department of Design Media Arts at UCLA and operates his studio in Silverlake, Los Angeles, California. His large scale site specific works interrogate and explore the synergies between architecture and sound, technology and moving image. Over the past two decades, his work has been increasingly focused on the field of public art and surveillance art. Table of Contents 1 Social Services 1 2 Arts 9 3 Environment 15 4 Animals 20 5 Education 25 6 Youth 30 7 Seniors 37 8 Health Care 41 9 Community Activism 47 No Excuses 10 Get the Kids Involved 53 Vote. 11 Someone Needs Your Stuff 60 Pick up trash. “Sometimes the smallest things Use your local library. take up the most room in your heart.” — Winnie the Pooh Learn about CSA.* Turn off your TV. *Community Supported Agriculture SOCIAL SERVICES | 1 Social Services “One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes … and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.” 1 — Eleanor Roosevelt Social service organizations are the vital agencies ♦ Participate in YWCA Silicon Valley’s annual that focus on basic needs — food, shelter, clothing Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to raise aware- — as well as other human services. From homeless ness about sexual assault and domestic violence. shelters and food banks to empowering women and ♦ Host a “Gathering For Garments Party” for protecting children, there are endless opportunities The Grateful Garment Project by bringing your to make a difference. friends together to gather essential items to be provided to victims of sexual violence. Get started ♦ Celebrate your birthday differently by partici- pating in Second Harvest Food Bank’s “Share ♦ Donate your extra theatre or sporting event tick- your Birthday.” All the tools are there and 95¢ ets to Child Advocates for a foster child to enjoy. of every $1 they receive goes directly toward ♦ Print and pass out Village Harvest’s flyers so programs that feed our local neighbors in need. friends and neighbors with fruit trees know how to donate extra produce to local food banks. All in ♦ Make a donation of food, clothing, hygiene ♦ Organize a drive as part of Family Giving Tree’s items or warm blankets to StandUp for Kids Back-to-School Drive to deliver backpacks filled and help homeless youth in our community. with essential school supplies to K-12 students who qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Dig deeper Lunch program. ♦ Spend a weekend morning volunteering with ♦ Get involved with Sacred Heart Community Sunday Friends: sundayfriends.org. Service’s La Mesa Verde, which plants gardens in the yards of families struggling to meet their ♦ Audition as a reader for Books Aloud and share nutritional needs. the magic of books with those who “read by ♦ listening.” Recovery Cafe — which believes that every ♦ human being is precious, worthy of love and Conduct a used cell phone drive for Next Door So- deserving of opportunities — needs teachers to lutions to Domestic Violence and help them raise share their yoga or cooking skills with members money that pays for used, unwanted cell phones. re-entering the community. 2 | Field Guide to Community Service Resources Asian Americans for Community Involvement aaci.org (408) 975-2730 ACT for Mental Health Inc. AACI serves the Asian American community by actmentalhealth.org (408) 287-2640 improving the health, mental health and well-being ACT empowers and rehabilitates people who are of individuals and their families by providing an ar- socially, mentally, economically and/or situationally ray of human services. disadvantaged. Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center Abilities United defrankcenter.org (408) 293-3040 abilitiesunited.org (650) 494-0550 The Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center Abilities United supports children and adults with strives to be the community’s premier resource disabilities, their families and the community, and hub and a recognized leader in promoting health, champions a culture in which all members of society strength, diversity and inclusiveness. are included and appreciated for their distinctive contributions. Books Aloud Inc. booksaloud.org (408) 808-2613 AbrahamicAlliance International Books Aloud works to improve the quality of life for abrahamicalliance.org (408) 728-8943 the blind, visually impaired, physically and learning Uniting Jews, Christians and Muslims for active disabled of all ages through the “Reading by Listen- peacebuilding and poverty relief. ing” program. African American Community Service Agency Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County sjaacsa.com (408) 292-3157 catholiccharitiesscc.org (408) 468-0100 AACSA is one of the only African American Catholic Charities serves and advocates for families cultural centers in Silicon Valley. It provides quality and individuals in need, especially those living in educational, cultural, social and recreational pro- poverty. It works to create a more just and compas- grams, services and activities in order to perpetuate sionate community in which people of all cultures and strengthen African American identity, culture, and beliefs can participate. values, traditions, knowledge and family life. Center for Employment Training American Red Cross cetweb.org (408) 534-5360 redcross.org/local/ca/san-jose (877) 727-6771 CET is dedicated to fighting poverty and depen- The American Red Cross helps our community pre- dence on public aid by making hands-on job train- vent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. ing available to youth and adults of all educational levels, especially to those most in need. SOCIAL SERVICES | 3 Charities Housing charitieshousing.org (408) 550-8300 No Excuses Charities Housing develops, preserves and manages Bring muffins to a neighbor. high-quality affordable housing for low-income individuals and their families. Host a neighborhood watch meeting. Child Advocates of Silicon Valley Find out who your local elected officials are. cadvocates.org (408) 416-0400 Child Advocates recruits and trains Court Ap- Subscribe to the local newspaper. pointed Special Advocates (CASAs)who stand up for children in the foster care system. Prepare an emergency kit. CityTeam San Jose cityteam.org/san-jose (408) 232-5600 Employment & Community Options CityTeam provides hot meals, safe shelter, showers communityoptions.org (408) 423-9484 and clothing to San Jose’s homeless population. Employment & Community Options educates and empowers low-income adults with intellectual disabilities with the skills and knowledge to achieve Destination: Home their personal goals and optimum potential in life. destinationhomescc.org (408) 513-8700 A public-private partnership serving as the back- bone organization for collective impact strategies to Expandability end homelessness in Santa Clara County. expandability.org (408) 278-2000 Expandability (formerly TransAccess) helps youth and adults with disabilities achieve their goals Downtown Streets Team through individualized assessments, career and job streetsteam.org (650) 305-1174 placement assistance, adaptive technology and more. Downtown Streets Team strives to end homeless- ness by restoring the dignity and rebuilding the lives of unhoused men and women. Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley fcservices.org (408) 292-9353 Family & Children Services works to build strong, Dress for Success San Jose safe, and self-sufficient individuals, families, and sanjose.dressforsuccess.org (408) 935-8299 communities by offering a range of innovative, Dress for Success provides professional attire, a accessible, and integrated programs and services ad- network of support and career development tools to dressing critical health and human services needs. help disadvantaged women thrive in work and in life. 4 | Field Guide to Community Service Family Giving Tree, The Grateful Garment Project, The familygivingtree.org (408) 946-3111 gratefulgarment.org (408) 674-5744 The Family Giving Tree fulfills the exact holiday The Grateful Garment Project ensures that every wishes and provides backpacks filled with school victim of a sexual crime is provided with whatever supplies to children in the most need in our com- new clothing, toiletries, snacks, and other miscella- munities while inspiring the values of kindness, neous items that he or she may require.