Critical Blood Shortage: Type O negative

This just in from our community partners at American Red Cross Blood Services.  We will be hosting blood drives on the Portland and Gorham campuses on April 27th, but if you are en eligible donor who can respond to this immediate need, please consider making the short trip a few blocks up Forest Avenue from the Portland campus to the Donor Center at 45 Ashmont, just behind the Great Lost Bear.  -ATM

 

 

• The community blood supply of Type O negative blood has recently dropped to critical levels.

 

• O negative blood donors are encouraged to make an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible.

 

• Since Type O negative blood can be used for all patients in need, it is crucial that there is a sufficient supply.

 

• Each day the Northeast Division needs to collect 3,500 units of blood for patients in need.

         

• We ask you to increase your outreach to donors, especially Type O negative donors to ensure the success of the drive.

 

• It is important that all blood drives meet their planned collection goal during this time. Blood must be available for patients in need.

 

Actions you can take to help ensure your drive meets your goal:

 

• The most effective way to recruit donors is one-on-one. 

 

• Personally remind donors of their donation appointment!  Do so a day before the drive then call scheduled appointments on the day of the blood drive as well.

 

 

Jennifer Goldman

Donor Recruitment Representative

American Red Cross

524 Forest Avenue

Portland, ME  04101

(207)775-2367 (t)

(207)699-6028 (c)

Goldmanjr@usa.redcross.org

 

Watch this inspiring video to discover the Perfect Gift this holiday season.

 

 

 

Andrea Thompson McCall

 Director of Community Service Learning

 University Interfaith Chaplain

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

 

Phone 207-228-8284

FAX 207-228-8403

Register Today for the Day of Service

Projects for the Day of Service are filling up so register today

 

Make sure to register for the Day of Service, April 15th by going to:http://www.usm.maine.edu/studentlife/dos11/. Do not miss out on a wonderful opportunity to engage in community service learning in a comfortable group setting. Some projects that are still open include Rippling Waters Organic Farm, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, and Partners for World Health.

 

 

Amanda Claire Drapcho

 

Community Service Coordinator

Office Of Community Service Learning

University of Southern Maine

(207) 780 4209

adrapcho@usm.maine.edu

Funding for AmeriCorps

The future of the Corporation for National and Community Service is at stake as Congress struggles to reach agreement on a budget for the reminder of this fiscal year.  That means all AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs, without which we could not do the work we do to connect student learning with community need here at USM.  Please read the following message from Liz McCabe Park, Director of Maine Campus compact, and make a phone call TODAY to urge support for these critical programs!  -ATM

 

Dear Friends and Colleagues,   Thanks to many of you who made calls to Congress last month to voice your support for national service programs, INCLUDING AMERICORPS and VISTA, the only federal program dedicated to service-learning. To date: --Over 2,700 people visited their local congressional office on District Day --Over 10,000 calls were placed to the Senate on Make the Call Day --Over 160 articles and op-eds have been published in support of service in papers across the country. --Over 300 Campus Compact presidents signed a support letter distributed to Congress --Over 200 Mayors, 350 University Presidents, 220 Private Sector CEOs have signed onto letters of support --Over 110,000 people signed onto an online petition  There is less than one week until the current continuing resolution expires on April 8, and the threat of a government shutdown is looming. Congress and the White House are working around the clock on a bipartisan compromise that will fund the federal government for the remainder of the year. We only have a few days left to convince Congress that funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service is an essential priority for communities and constituents. That's why we need to pick up the phones one more time and call the U.S. Senate TODAY,  April 4.  Please take a few minutes out of your day to call the offices of Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.  The message: " "I am calling to ask Senator Snowe/Collins to vote for a budget that funds the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Learn and Serve America Program."   1. Olympia Snowe: (202) 224-5344 2. Susan Collins: (202) 224-2523   Thank you for your support for National Service. PLEASE pass on this message to as many other people as possible!  For additional information, please visit: http://www.saveservice.org   With thanks, Liz 

--  Liz McCabe Park, Exec. Director Maine Campus Compact 220 College St., #2 Lewiston, ME  04240 207-786-8216 www.mainecompact.org 

Andrea Thompson McCall

 Director of Community Service Learning

 University Interfaith Chaplain

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

 

Phone 207-228-8284

FAX 207-228-8403

Preble Street Resource Center this FRIDAY

Help serve a meal at Preble Street Resource Center this Friday, April 1st, from 4:30pm-7:30pm. Preble Street Resource Center provides accessible barrier-free services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty, and to advocate for solutions to these problems.

 

For more information or to sign up for this project please contact Amanda Drapcho, Community Service Coordinator at adrapcho@usm.maine.edu

 

 

Amanda Claire Drapcho

 

Community Service Coordinator

Office Of Community Service Learning

University of Southern Maine

(207) 780 4209

adrapcho@usm.maine.edu

Sanford Prom Event-Donate your old prom dress(es)

Have a old Prom Dress? Donate it to the Sanford Prom Event

 

The Sanford prom Project is an event sponsored by Circle K they are in the process of collecting gently used formal dresses to be given to local girls who cannot afford the cost of a prom dress. Local High Girls will be invited to the Sanford High School on April 9th from 10am-2pm where they can choose from a selection of prom dresses. At the event there will be door prizes with gifts ranging from gift cards to salons, to make up kits. So far the Sanford prom Project has collected over 80 prom dresses, lets help them reach 100. If anyone is interested in working the event and/or donating dresses please contact Nicole Gagnon at nicole.gagnon1@maine.edu

 

 

Amanda Claire Drapcho

 

Community Service Coordinator

Office Of Community Service Learning

University of Southern Maine

(207) 780 4209

adrapcho@usm.maine.edu

Help with NanoDays at Southworth Planetarium!

Our own Southworth Planetarium (one of the Portland campus' best kept secrets!) needs volunteers to support their NanoDays event on March 28th, 4-6 pm.  Volunteer roles include: 

1. Hand out the free, previously solicited tickets for the events on the first floor near the stairs to the Planetarium.
2. Collect the tickets in the Planetarium and direct the attendees to the NanoDays activities. 
3. Help with the NanoDays activities with the K-8 students and their accompanying adult.

More about the 10 - 12 different activities can be found at http://www.nisenet.org/nanodays-physical-kit-contents They are not complicated and we anticipate that one person can supervise 2-3 activities at the same time.

 

If you can help, please contact Gail Fletcher, 780-4377 or by e-mail at gfletcher@usm.maine.edu.

 

 

 

 

Andrea Thompson McCall

 Director of Community Service Learning

 University Interfaith Chaplain

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

 

Phone 207-228-8284

FAX 207-228-8403

Pre-Register Now for the Day of Service

Pre-Register NOW for the Day of Service and pick the project of your choice

 

 

The USM Day of Service is a campus-wide initiative to engage students, faculty, staff, and alumni in community service. Volunteers can sign up for one-time projects with local organizations and learn all about the wonderful work that happens on a daily base in the Greater Portland area. It is a great opportunity for first time volunteers to experience community service learning in a comfortable group setting.  This year some projects include Partners for World Health, Preble Street Resource Center, and Rippling Waters Organic Farms. To see the complete list of projects and to register for the day, go to:http://usm.maine.edu/studentlife/dos11/ 

 

For any questions please contact Jill Santamore at jsantamore@maine.edu 

 

 

 

 

Amanda Claire Drapcho

 

Community Service Coordinator

Office Of Community Service Learning

University of Southern Maine

(207) 780 4209

adrapcho@usm.maine.edu