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W. Franklyn Richardson Call For Consciousness Awakening

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:25:44 +0000

Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson calls for consciousness awakening.

New York, NY – The Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, pastor of the 4,000 member Grace Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, NY, called for a consciousness awakening to focus attention on the need to apply Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy to current context. In a keynote message on January 16, 2011 at New York City’s Riverside Church, Rev. Dr. Richardson said, “…If all we have come here to do today is to reflect and sing and pray and rehearse speeches, this occasion will fall short of relevance. The only way that this gathering, this celebration can be relevant is if we take time to apply the message and life and values of Martin Luther King, Jr. to our present context; to our present dilemma in America, to our present challenges that we face as a nation…” Change, like the change Dr. King’s life represents, will not come he warned, “If we come simply to bow at the altar of Martin Luther King’s life without picking up an interpretation of how to apply his life to the circumstances and conditions that we face in the present moment.”

Forty-four years earlier on April 4, 1967, recounted Riverside Church in its written Festival Service program, Dr. King “gave one of his bravest and most important speeches,” at the church. A speech, the church wrote, that “broadened his scope from civil rights to economic rights, from domestic policy to voicing his conscience on foreign affairs. It is sobering to think what he might have accomplished.”

Grace Baptist Church children share what they have learned in Children Church with Pastor Richardson

What is even more sobering, Dr. Richardson pointed out, is the 2011 Children’s Defense Fund Report on The State of American Children. “In that report it says 40% of black children will be born in poverty, 85% of 4^th graders cannot read or count and half of them will drop out of school before they graduate. Forty-three percent of black men are unemployed and boys born in 2001 are one to three times more likely to spend time in prison, black boys. So there is much that must be done. We cannot pause to celebrate our accomplishments, for two reasons, because there are those who are busy and bent on retarding progress and turning the clock back and taking away the gains. So we cannot pause long to celebrate.”

Reverend Richardson has been pastor of Grace Baptist Church for almost 36 years. He is chairman of the boards of National Action Network, The Conference of National Black Churches, Virginia Union University and President Emeritus of United Black Clergy of Westchester, Inc.

Click link to view full message. NonProfitpal – Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson 2011 MLK Message at Riverside Church

Grace Church School Children Share the History and Spirit of Thanksgiving

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:33:59 +0000

Church school students share the significance of Thanksgiving. Photo by Gwynne Youngs

New York – Training up children was in progress again at Grace Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon, NY during its Church School Thanksgiving Presentation. The children reenacted the Pilgrim’s celebration of their first bountiful harvest and feast with native Indians. They related later treatment of the Indians to the struggle of African Americans to emphasize that the spirit of the religious day of giving thanks, that we now celebrate as Thanksgiving, is more important than the feast.

Wanda Michael Peters commends participants. Photo by Gwynne Youngs

Church school superintendent Wanda Michael Peters commended teachers, students and parents for the children’s presentation and continued participation in church school. Children church school, like many other ministries at Grace, provides age appropriate religious training, a consistent developmental environment for congregant instruction in praise and worship, stewardship, leadership and community outreach.

The church’s Freedom School, founded by senior pastor Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, provide summer programs for church and community children at three locations in Mt. Vernon.

W. Franklyn Richardson Triumph Awards Leadership Recipient

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:50:00 +0000

Presenters, Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson(L), Mayor Dwight Jones(R), listen as Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson accepts 2010 National Action Network Triumph Award for Leadership. Photo by Gwynne Youngs

New York, NY – National Action Network (NAN), one of the nation’s leading Civil Rights organizations, launched its first annual Triumph Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center Rose Hall, Allen Center, on Monday, November 15, 2010. An intimate audience of about 500 guest watched honorees receive their awards from a stage with one of New York City’s most dramatic backdrops, Manhattan’s skyline over looking E. 57^thStreet and Central Park at Columbus Circle.

MSNBC TV Ed Schultz and Mara Schiavocampo hosted the event. NAN founder Rev. Al Sharpton said “the artists, entertainers and athletes being honored have made a mark in their professions and have recognized the need to remain connected to something bigger and greater than any individual achievement. They have remained connected to the people, have supported their growth and development and realized that together we are a better world.”

The ceremony opened with a riveting dance performance by the cast of Triumph Award recipient “Fela” who showed why their Broadway play won three 2010 Tony Awards for Best Choreography, Costume Design and Sound Design for a Musical.

Honoree Phylicia Rashad, currently starring in the movie “For Colored Girls”, accepted her award on behalf of her mother from NAN executive director Tamika Mallory who expressed her admiration for Ms. Rashad’s body of work. Six-time Grammy Award winner and education activist John Legend received the Triumph Education Award. Other honorees included TV One founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes, the family of the late George Steinbrenner and television commentator and activist Julie Menin. Rev. Sharpton surprised Governor David Paterson, who thought he was there to make remarks, with an award for his life as a community servant. Mayor Dwight C. Jones, Richmond, Virginia and New York State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson presented Grace Baptist Church senior pastor and NAN chairman, Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, with the Triumph Award for leadership. Rev. Dr. Richardson accepted his award on behalf of his wife Inez Richardson and Grace Baptist Church.

Music Minister Derrick James directs Grace Baptist Church choir performance during 2010 National Action Network Triumph Awards. Photo by Gwynne Youngs

The awards ceremony closed with musical performances by Grace Baptist Church Choir and the National Action Network Choir.

5 Ways To Pay For Help Without Money

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:38:04 +0000

Volunteers Help You Stay Grounded Until You Are Ready To Jump To The Next Step!

Money is not the currency of volunteerism. Volunteers are compensated when you notice their contributions and sacrifices with a sincere thank you. Most nonprofit organizations are fortunate enough to have volunteers that help provide some of the manpower they need to carry out their missions.

Here are 5 ways to compensate volunteers without money.

1. Personally thank volunteers with a written note. A hand written note from someone whom they will recognize tells volunteers that you personally noticed their contribution.

2. Publicly recognize volunteers for their contributions. Announce the importance of their contributions to the success of your endeavor whenever you have an opportunity. Volunteer recognition encourage people to continue volunteering and show potential volunteers that you will value their contributions and recognize and appreciate their sacrifices.

3. Offer to spend time with your volunteers through an annual event or with an invitation to lunch or to have a cup of coffee or tea. Invite volunteers to sit with you during church or job annual outings.

4. Talk to volunteers to learn who they are and what their interests are outside of the area they are assisting you in.

5. Help connect volunteers to resources that you have access to that can benefit them.

Michelle Obama Launch LetsMove.gov

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:40:26 +0000

New York — First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled today “a nationwide effort to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation” through the launch of LetsMove.gov. Mrs. Obama describes Let’s Move as a “new and improved…online resource for parents, teachers and community leaders to help our children eat better and become more active.” The launch includes an invitation to link to Let’s Move on Facebook and join her tomorrow, Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 10 AM EDT for a special, live web chat on LetsMove.gov. “We’ll talk about this important issue and I’ll answer some of your questions.”

2010 Volunteering and Service National Conference Underway in Manhattan

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:19:17 +0000

Mayor Welcomes, NCVS, largest Conference of Volunteering and Service

Manhattan – Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomed the world’s largest gathering of volunteer and service leaders from nonprofit, government and corporate sectors to Manhattan for their June 28-30, 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service. “It is fitting that New York City will host the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. New Yorkers have proven time and time again that they step up and do even more during times of crisis. Service is ingrained in our city’s DNA,” said Mayor Bloomberg, who this year launched NYC Service to dramatically increase volunteerism in the city.

Conference organizers will webcast live, parts of the conference, for those who can not attend the three day event. http://www.volunteeringandservice.org/plan/sessions.cfm

Recruit Techs and Geeks To Volunteer

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:05:04 +0000

MeetUpNYC - WordCamp, November 2009

Manhattan – Nonprofit organizations willing to step out of their traditional volunteer recruiting box can tap in to pools of techs and geeks where they gather and meet potential volunteers. The newest technology is often unavailable to nonprofit organizations struggling to continue their missions with diminishing contributions. Many do not have funds to hire or contract persons with skill sets to help create or improve their online presence. They do not benefit from technologies that add to fund raising efforts and successfully advance visions and missions.

Go Where They Gather: Three places to start

Meetups, WordCamps, social media and blog conferences attract large numbers of technology fluent persons to events open to anyone with an interest in participating in Manhattan and cities all over the world.

Mashmeet is mashable.com, the world’s largest Web 2.0 and social media blog, meetup.

Look for open source content management and blog meetups for WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.

Attend a WordCamp. WordCamps are open to wordpress.com and wordpress.org users and anyone interested in learning how to use WordPress.

Encourage An Easter Bunny To Be A Doctor

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:01:36 +0000

One of my favorite pictures is of my nieces and nephews, Kelsey, Jeannine, Nelson and Erica, in Halloween costumes. Erica, the Easter Bunny, is holding the tail of her cousin Cat woman. Three year old Erica wanted to be an Easter Bunny and her support system, directed by her mother, took action to make it happen in the same way they took action to help her become a doctor.

Erica’s godfather, after learning she wanted to be a doctor, had her name, Dr. Erica Patrice Ruger, carved into a 3 feet wooden name plate for her 13th birthday. Dr. Ruger still has her name plate and will complete her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, June 2010. Clearly Erica was a good student and is a good doctor but she needed her support system to encourage her possibilities.

Encourage Someone’s Possibilities For Erica’s Birthday!

There are many other children who will begin their lives with aspirations to be an Easter Bunny but will never fulfill their true possibilities to become doctors, nurses, lawyers, ministers, scientists or web engineers unless we encourage their possibilities.

Happy Birthday Erica!

Love you, Auntie Velma

Unlimited Source of Volunteers For Nonprofits

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:20:57 +0000

Technology, specifically the internet, is a direct path to unlimited volunteers for nonprofit organizations. It is filled with people from all over the country, dare I say all over the world, willing to use their skill sets, computers and internet connections to help organizations with missions that appeal to them. This online hookup provides a much needed resource, manpower, for organizations experiencing reduced revenue in an environment of economic decline and less charitable giving. More importantly this manpower is willing to work free.

Here are six steps to start accessing this wellspring of volunteer support.

1. Be sure your organization is ready to work with volunteers whether online or face-to-face. Nonprofit organizations should have basic computer knowledge and an understanding of good volunteer management standards to provide meaningful involvement for volunteers through input, feedback, guidance and appreciation.

2. Determine what your organization, specifically, need online volunteers to do before contacting a volunteer group or individual. Select tasks from strategic plan already in place for your organization. If you do not have strategies, a things to accomplish list already in place, create one. It can be that simple, a list of things that the organization need help to accomplish. Once your list of goals are identified and recorded, begin searching for volunteer organizations to work with and/or gain information to find volunteer(s) suited to help your organization accomplish its goals.

3. Do due diligence to learn more about using online volunteers. Research to determine which volunteer(s) you are comfortable working with. Look to people you trust and reputable organizations like SCORE. “A resource partner that provides mentoring and training for entrepreneurs and free and confidential advice to small businesses: face-to-face counseling, online counseling, online workshops and more.” Check out volunteer myths to learn more about what holds nonprofits back from success.

4. Create measures to protect and keep your organization and volunteers safe. Don’t forget what children are told or why President Barrack Obama announced, May 28, 2009, the creation of a Cyber Czar in his administration. Not everyone using the internet want to do good. Some users are looking to scam and victimize unsuspecting and sophisticated users alike, even the United States of America. But don’t let that stop you, anymore than you would stop children from using this resource.

5. Use websites like VolunteerMatch. Learn how other organizations are achieving success with their volunteer programs and how to design a compelling volunteer opportunity to list with VolunteerMatch and/or other online sites.

6. Design a compelling listing to recruit volunteers with short crisp sentences that convey your organization’s positive impact and community appreciation. Include your commitment to volunteer support through training and direction.

Go get started, volunteer help is only a click away.