AmeriCorps Alums You Should Know: Isabel Thottam

AmeriCorps Alums You Should Know: Isabel Thottam

Student, Volunteer, Writer, Entrepreneur, Runner

 

-AmeriCorps VISTA at Hard Hatted Women in Cleveland, OH June 2010 - August 2010

-Currently serving as a Student Leader in Service at Emerson College

 

I started getting involved with AmeriCorps after having such a wonderful experience working with members in the field in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was in Iowa on an alternative spring break trip through Emerson College. I was unaware of AmeriCorps, but learned about the mission and work they do when in Iowa. I was so moved by the people we worked with and how committed they were to helping others - it really inspired me to want to work with AmeriCorps and become more active in my communities back home in OH, and in my new home in Boston!

 

I served with Hard Hatted Women (HHW) in Cleveland, OH because I was interested in learning about women in the workforce. Though I didn't have much experience, I knew a bit about grant writing and writing press releases, which HHW needed help with. I also was interested in working with the Rosie's Girl's camp, but there wasn't an opening. However, since I am a film student, I was able to help the camp out by recording a short promotional video for them. This was my most memorable moment - I went to a few of their camp activities and filmed the girls working together - I watched a young girl change the tire on a car, it was incredible and so inspiring!

 

Currently, I'm a second semester senior at Emerson, so I'll be graduating in December 2012. I run my own for-profit business, Hold On Another Day, which works with non-profit organizations to translate their cause into a positive, compilation CD. The music on our CDs is composed and donated by independent artists, so we also offer rising musicians the chance to use their music for good while simultaneously gaining exposure. My company follows a one for one business model, so for every CD sold, we donate one to someone in a stressful situation in need of a pick me up. In this case, hope comes in the form of a mixtape.

 

I am also applying for a Fulbright Grant to travel to Bangalore, India in August 2013 where I would work to educate underprivileged children about the power of music and help raise awareness for an orphanage by producing a mix CD with these children.

 

I am working on a documentary crew called The Strong People, which tells the story of a native American tribe, the Kllalm, and their connection to the Elwha Damn Removal project in Port Angeles, WA.

 

I also oversee Emerson's Alternative Spring Break Program and help students plan and organize a week-long trip of service in various communities.

 

Learn more and connect with Isabel here:

http://linkd.in/AmeriCorpsWorks

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/isabel-thottam/26/ba4/708

http://adventuresofachildlikewonder.wordpress.com/

https://twitter.com/ithottam

 

Lutheran AmeriCorps Honored at the White House

Last Friday the White House held an appreciation event for 150 AmeriCorps alumni leaders from across the country. These 150 alumni, out of more than 700,000 nationally, represented their home AmeriCorps and Community HealthCorps programs for a special day-long briefing that highlighted the importance of national service. Howard Liebers (http://about.me/liebers), MPH, and Neal Gorman both represented Lutheran HealthCare. Howard was a standout Lutheran Family Health Centers Community HealthCorps member and is now director of policy for the DC Primary Care Association. Neal Gorman, LHC VP of Public Relations, served two terms in Buffalo, NY and is a chapter leader of AmeriCorps Alums NYC.

Neal Gorman Invited to The White House for AmeriCorps Convening

[This is fun – I get to post my own press release. That doesn’t happen often!]

 

Neal Gorman Invited to The White House for AmeriCorps Convening

Gathering to Highlight AmeriCorps and National Service as Path to Opportunity

 

WASHINGTON, DC -- On Friday, August 17, The White House welcomed Neal Gorman along with more than 150 AmeriCorps Alumni leaders from 25 states. Gorman represented AmeriCorps Alums during a day-long briefing highlighting national service as a pathway to opportunity and career advancement.

 

"President Obama has always been a strong supporter of the AmeriCorps program and the role members play in strengthening communities across our country," said Jon Carson, deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Engagement (http://www.whitehouse.gov/engage).

 

The event included breakout sessions for AmeriCorps Alums to share their stories with leading officials including Wendy Spencer, chief executive officer, Corporation for National and Community Service;  Bill Basl, director, AmeriCorps; Jon Carson, director, White House Office of Public Engagement; Jonathan Greenblatt, director, White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation; and Mayor John Fetterman of Braddock, PA.

 

In addition, 12 AmeriCorps Alums were honored as “Champions of Change." These extraordinary leaders demonstrate how AmeriCorps alumni have leveraged their national service experience to become influential in their careers and leaders in their communities. Please take a minute to meet the White House AmeriCorps Champions of Change here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/Champions.

 

“AmeriCorps service instilled in me the desire to keep on volunteering and trying to do good things in my community. It helped me jump start my career in public relations after college and lead me to some wonderful organizations like AmeriCorps Alums, American Red Cross and Lutheran HealthCare,” said Gorman. “I’d recommend AmeriCorps service 100 percent.”

 

Gorman is a communications and public relations professional in New York. He is committed to giving back to his community and highly recommends answering the call to service by supporting and volunteering with local hospitals and non-profit organizations. Connect with Gorman at http://twitter.com/NealGorman, http://www.linkedin.com/in/nrgorman, and http://linkd.in/AmeriCorpsWorks.

 

After serving two terms of AmeriCorps in Western New York, Gorman became the media relations and communications lead for the American Red Cross in Rochester, New York. After the tragic events of September 11, he specialized in developing and executing crisis communication plans and assisted with relief operations in Rochester, Washington, DC, and finally in New York City for the Greater New York Chapter of the American Red Cross. Gorman is currently vice president of public relations for Lutheran HealthCare in Brooklyn (http://lutheranmedicalcenter.com/News/) and is a chapter lead for the AmeriCorps Alums in N.Y.C.

 

• See the Twitter Highlights from hashtag #WHAmeriCorps (https://twitter.com/#!/search/?q=whamericorps&src=typd).
• Watch the Google+ Hangout moderated by CNCS CEO Wendy Spencer and Macon Phillips (http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/08/17/white-house-hangout-americorps-alumni).
• Share your AmeriCorps Alums stories with your fellow Alums and AmeriCorps on Facebook.
• Register with AmeriCorps Alums (http://www.americorpsalums.org/) to join our network!

 

 

George R. R. Martin & Jonathan Harr Served as VISTA

Famous and Popular People That Have Served in AmeriCorps, NCCC, VISTA
I'm reading a great book called The New New Journalism by Robert Boynton and just came across a great entry where writer Jonathan Harr (best known for A Civil Action) talks about serving in Appalachia as a VISTA volunteer. I also just saw that George R. R. Martin (I'm hooked on Game of Thrones on HBO) was also a VISTA! Since this blog focuses on services and volunteerism I'm hoping we can build a list of popular, famous type people that have served in AmeriCorps, NCCC, VISTA, etc. Let me know! THX!

I'll also post this in my LinkedIn AmeriCorps group as well. Feel free to join in and let us know who you find!

@NealGorman

http://www.linkedin.com/in/nrgorman

http://linkd.in/AmeriCorpsWorks

NYC Alums Events

Happy AmeriCorps Week, Alumni!

AmeriCorps Week is March 10 through March 18!

 

Here are the events we have going on in March.

 

Wednesday, March 14^th 6:30-8pm – Non-Profit Professional Mixer

This month, AmeriCorps Alums NYC Chapter has partnered with Public Allies of New York and Young Nonprofit Professionals Network in sponsoring a professional mixer March 14 at Sutton Place. Admission is free but please sign up on the Public Allies website here: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=8tlgvjfab&oeidk=a07e5nva4sz2af5556b&oseq Hope to see you tomorrow!

 

Saturday, March 17^th 12:00pm – Volunteer Opportunity

Sent to us from Matthew Malina a volunteer at Achilles: "I volunteer with Achilles, a club that helps disabled athletes exercise. We are looking for volunteers to ride tandem bikes with blind athletes. We will have training on Sat March 17 at noon in Central Park. " Check out the Facebook invite: 
http://www.facebook.com/events/201018543335329/

 

Thursday, March 29^th 6:00pm – Happy Hour Fundraiser - $10

Did you miss last month's Turtle Bay happy hour? We're having another on March 29^th! Come out and mingle with fellow alumni, take advantage of half-price drinks (with a $10 wristband) and learn how to get involved with the NYC Chapter. RSVP here: http://www.americorpsalums.org/events/event_details.asp?id=222844

 

Interested in becoming an AmeriCorps Alumni Leader?  Come to next month's Leadership meeting Thursday April 5^th. For more information about the Leadership team, e-mail Neal Gorman via the alums site.

 

Also, as you may have already heard, AmeriCorps alums everywhere are participating in the AmeriCorps Week Photo project, click here for more: http://www.americorpsalums.org/default.asp?page=ACWeekPhotoProject

 

Still Getting Things Done.

 

 

#election2012 and #election2012quotes

More fun w/ #election2012quotes #3 "a little bit of Richie Cunningham wouldn't be a bad thing for our society right now." 

#election2012 and #election2012quotes

#2 in #election2012quotes "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there." #election2012 keep it going! (Feb 1) @NealGorman