Serve Well Blog

Day of Prayer | 5.20

Each year, the KF marks May 20th as a special day of prayer for the life of The Krista Foundation extended community. We pause to remember the young adults accompanying people around the world in mutual service and learning. Krista Colleagues serving around the globe send in celebrations and prayer requests.

In Spokane: Join a gathering from 3-5PM at the Hearth for afternoon tea in the garden.
(9115 N. Mtn. View Lane, Spokane, 99218)
Elsewhere in the world: Join in prayer at 12 noon where you are.

To request the full Prayer Guide in PDF, please email jonathan@kristafoundation.org (we will email it to you on the 18th).

Due March 20th

Dear Krista Colleague Nominators and Foundation friends!

DO YOU KNOW A GRADUATING SENIOR OR ALUM BEGINNING OR CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN SIGNIFICANT VOLUNTEER SERVICE?

Please nominate young adults heading out or currently engaged in long-term volunteer or vocational service to become a 2012 Krista Colleague, including a $1,000 Service and Leadership Development Grant.

Nominations are due March 20th. Click here for Nomination criteria, Online Nomination form, Downloadable form in Doc or PDF.

• Every year, we welcome a new cohort of "Krista Colleagues". Each joins a multi-year ecumenical Christian mentoring community and receives a $1,000 Service and Leadership Development Grant.
• New Krista Colleagues engage in supplemental training as they begin extended volunteer or vocational service with the service organization of their choice (examples include PeaceCorps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteers, AmeriCorps, etc.)
• After concluding their assignment, Krista Colleagues participate in a debriefing retreat, and engage in ongoing peer-mentoring and leadership development through the Foundation.

Please complete online nominations, or download the Doc or PDF and email to our office.

Questions?
Call 206-382-7888 or email our office if you have questions regarding a candidate's eligibility (acceptable income range for vocational or volunteer pay, duration of service, Pacific Northwest ties, etc.)

Please click the "share" button below and forward this to community members who may know potential nominees.

"Transforming service experiences into lives of service leadership."

Related Documents

2012 Colleague Cohort nomination ad Download (743Kb, pdf)

The Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship announces the selection of Sharon London to be honored as Global Citizen Award recipient for embodying a life of service leadership in the area of Environment.

Sharon London, Strategic Initiatives Director at EarthCorps, is a leader in the pioneering field of "citizen science." Drawing upon global service experiences that shaped her understanding of environmental and economic disparities, London empowers community leaders and young adults from the United States and more than 75 countries to do scientifically grounded environmental education and restoration. London's service leadership inspires local citizens to become active stakeholders in local parks and natural areas. Their efforts are making a ripple effect with communities across Puget Sound becoming equipped to assess, advocate for and care for their local natural areas.

"Whether training young adult Corps members, partnering her Jewish faith community with EarthCorps to plant trees, or opening her home to international volunteers, Sharon London embodies the Krista Foundation values of service leadership to create a sustainable Puget Sound and planet," says Krista Foundation Executive Director Valerie Norwood. "Sharon's service journey is an example to the Krista Foundation's young adult Colleagues of leveraging service experiences into a life of service leadership."

London is one of three mid-career professionals from the Puget Sound region to be honored by the Krista Foundation for exemplifying the qualities of Global Citizenship: service leadership that creates community and sustainable futures for people and the environment.

The 2012 Krista Foundation Global Citizen Award recipients will be formally announced and honored at a public event on Sunday, March 4th, 7:00 pm in the Campion Ballroom at Seattle University. The three honorees demonstrate the event theme: "The Ripple Effect: Service changes you. Service changes the world." Tickets for the event are available by contacting The Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship at 206-382-7888 or nissana@kristafoundation.org. RSVP required for this event.

Global Citizen Award recipients are selected for demonstrating the Krista Foundation values: intercultural competence, adaptive leadership, young adult empowerment, respect for spiritual values, global-local connection, and service as a way of life. The other 2012 Global Citizen Award recipients to be honored are:

Trise Moore, Family and Community Partnership Advocate, Federal Way School District (Urban United States)
Joseph Whinney, Founder & CEO, Theo Chocolate (Developing World)

About the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship: Founded in 1999, The Krista Foundation honors the life and vision of Krista Hunt Ausland who died at age 25 while volunteering with her husband in rural Bolivia. Through mentoring, a colleague community and re-integration services, the Krista Foundation helps young adults fully understand and employ the learnings from their service experience. A service year, when nurtured, becomes a life of service leadership. The Krista Foundation provides ongoing program connections for more than 200 Krista Colleagues and offers program development resources and services, including The Global Citizen journal, for local universities and volunteer service organizations.

Link to the Ripple Effect Event Page

Link to the KF Facebook Event Page

Reflection by Krista Colleague Allie May

"When I came to Seattle from my corporate desk job in Nashville, TN 4 years ago this month, it was honestly not with the intention of building up my "life resumé." I thought, I'll take a break from looking at a computer screen to plant some trees with EarthCorps, then I'll go back to my graphic design career having done good and feeling refreshed. Only looking back now do I recognize that EarthCorps, which connected me to the Krista Foundation, was going to be the place where I learned that doing good (aka service) and feeling refreshed (aka being inspired!) would become constants in my personal and professional life that could not be switched on and off.

Doing 14 months of environmental service, which at times simply looked like crawling in circles under blackberry bushes in the rain, became my way of understanding how good intentions were turned into good actions. I learned that actions, big or small, were the key to moving forward. This model was not something for me to start and stop when convenient; service was meant to be a way of Iife (Krista Foundation, you're on to something!). We can initiate change, and become leaders, by participating on diverse teams and teaching our skills to others along the way.

I recognized that a necessary piece of leadership was the ability to connect with others, and it is people like my coworker Sharon London who have shown me how time spent with others is always an opportunity to know their unique gifts and experiences. And that by knowing ourselves and others we can form connections in new and unknown ways, allowing for mutual inspiration and action to take place. There were times in my own service journey when my good intentions were not enough to keep me going, but as soon as I became connected to a greater community of peers, resources, teachers, and mentors, I found I was being held up, inspired and carried along.

I am thankful for the perspectives that the Krista Foundation and my peers at EarthCorps like Sharon have opened my eyes to. Service will continue to spread through every part of my life, and by connecting myself with others, our stories and inspirations will spread and spread until we are all linked and moving forward together."

After 2 years as an EarthCorps service volunteer (Corps Member and Crew Leader), Allie May is now Development and Communications Coordinator at EarthCorps in Seattle. She is an active participant and volunteer with the Krista Foundation's mentoring community.

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The Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship announces the selection of Trise Moore to be honored with a Global Citizen Award for embodying a life of service leadership in the area of Urban United States.

Moore leads the increasingly diverse Federal Way School District's community partnership initiatives to improve student achievement. Implementing innovative strengths-based approaches, Moore navigates intercultural and adaptive challenges, dismantling barriers and empowering parents to become effective partners in student academic success. Moore, who became Family and Community Partnership Advocate for the Federal Way School District in 2003, previously received national honors as chair of the City of Federal Way's Diversity Commission.

"The Krista Foundation is delighted to honor Trise Moore for her service-centered leadership in the diverse urban context of Federal Way," says Krista Foundation Executive Director Valerie Norwood. "Service that transforms communities is not a one-way path of giver to receiver. It must be mutually transformative. Trise leverages the insights of parents and other key stakeholders, together creating a model of family engagement that is gaining national recognition and making a positive ripple effect in Federal Way and beyond."

Moore is one of three mid-career professionals from the Puget Sound region to be honored by the Krista Foundation for exemplifying the qualities of Global Citizenship: service leadership that creates community and sustainable futures for people and the environment.

The 2012 Krista Foundation Global Citizen Award recipients will be formally announced and honored at a public event on Sunday, March 4th, 7:00 pm in the Campion Ballroom at Seattle University. The three honorees demonstrate the event theme: "The Ripple Effect: Service changes you. Service changes the world." Tickets for the event are available by contacting The Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship at 206-382-7888 or nissana@kristafoundation.org. This is an RSVP-only event.

Global Citizen Award recipients are selected for demonstrating the Krista Foundation values: intercultural competence, adaptive leadership, young adult empowerment, respect for spiritual values, global-local connection, and service as a way of life. The other 2012 Global Citizen Award recipients to be honored are:
Sharon London, Strategic Initiatives Director, EarthCorps (Environment)
Joseph Whinney, Founder & CEO, Theo Chocolate (Developing World)

About the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship: Founded in 1999, The Krista Foundation honors the life and vision of Krista Hunt Ausland who died at age 25 while volunteering with her husband in rural Bolivia. Through mentoring, a colleague community and re-integration services, the Krista Foundation helps young adults fully understand and employ the learnings from their service experience. A service year, when nurtured, becomes a life of service leadership. The Krista Foundation provides ongoing program connections for more than 200 Krista Colleagues and offers program development resources and services, including The Global Citizen journal, for local universities and volunteer service organizations.

Link to KF Ripple Effect Event Page
Link to KF Ripple Effect Facebook Page

Krista Colleague endorsement for Trise Moore by Carmetrus Parker

As a former AmeriCorps volunteer and Krista Colleague, I am so happy to see that Trise Moore is being honored with the Krista Foundation's 2012 Global Citizen Award in the area of Urban United States. I value the tremendous work Trise Moore is doing in Federal Way as a Family Partnership Advocate and I applaud Federal Way School District for taking steps in engaging parents.

As an AmeriCorps volunteer in the urban setting of Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, I provided in class assistance to students and coordinated an after school program focused on literacy development in early readers. The after school program was housed at Trinity Presbyterian Church and the primary focus was of the program was on students reading below grade level. It became apparent to me that my students needed more than just an after school reading program and I soon found myself in the uncomfortable position of being an advocate.

I did not understand what being an education advocate meant. I was confronted by frustrated parents that truly wanted the best for their child. Some parents felt they were not getting their concern heard, let alone addressed. Others didn't see school as a safe place and turned to the "girl at the church" as a confidante. Many more respected the program and viewed the church as a place of integrity. Whatever the reason, parents came to me. I soon began having conversations with teachers and principals that ended in uncomfortable eye and leg shifting.

I began to ask hard questions. It seemed the more questions I asked, the fewer answers I received. I began to research and seek answers independently. I discovered resources that I never knew existed! As a parent, I soon realized how ill equipped I had been to advocate for my own children. I was not only ill equipped, but ill informed. I began sharing information on student and parent rights and responsibilities. I requested information and brochures from the Education Ombudsman. I referred parents to advocacy trainings and encouraged them to contact their assigned school director when a situation could not be resolved at the school level.

In AmeriCorps, my primary function was to serve when and where I was needed most. I never imagined that I would become an advocate for families, yet I am proud and honored for being called into this role. I recognize that there was a deficit within the system and a need that was not being fulfilled.

It is obvious that Trise Moore has a heart for families and a true desire to serve her community through her role as Family and Community Partnership Advocate. Her vision for family engagement resonated with me because it shifts from blaming parents to empowering them. I have often felt that I was not a partner in my children's education. Trise Moore is committed to ensuring that all parents have an opportunity to participate and, ultimately, become partners in educating their children. In a society focused on individual achievement it is refreshing to see a collective approach to ensuring success for all. Focusing on family engagement in our schools is an approach that is often not a priority in public education. The benefits are countless, as issues of the ever-widening achievement gap can be more readily addressed, and increased parental involvement is an invaluable resource to students and teachers alike.

Hats off to Trise Moore and her colleagues in Federal Way for prioritizing and focusing on family engagement, and recognizing the ripple effect it has on student achievement.

Carmetrus Parker is a 2009 Krista Colleague, Program Coordinator at Tacoma Urban League, and Director of Community Relations and TAP at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

The Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship announced the selection of Joseph Whinney to be honored with a Global Citizen Award for embodying a life of service leadership in the Developing World.

Joseph Whinney, Founder and CEO of Theo Chocolate, is a leader in fair trade business. As young adult conservation volunteer, Whinney recognized opportunities to improve the environmental and economic livelihood of farmers in the cacao industry. Through Whinney's service leadership, Theo Chocolate is making a ripple effect: improving conditions for farmers, educating chocolate consumers, and gaining recognition as leading model of conscious capitalism.

"A global citizen recognizes, nurtures and strengthens constructive relationships between local communities and their global impact," says Krista Foundation Executive Director Valerie Norwood. "Joseph Whinney not only understands the global-local interconnection, he lives out an ethic of mutuality through Theo Chocolate. He is inspired both by farmers seeking education and basic quality of life, and also by Theo customers. Together they create a movement of healthy stewardship globally and locally. For the young adult service volunteers across the world connected to Krista Foundation programs, Whinney's example shows how business offers creative and effective tools to transform social and environmental challenges."

Whinney is one of three mid-career professionals from the Puget Sound region to be honored by the Krista Foundation for exemplifying the qualities of Global Citizenship; service leadership that creates community and sustainable futures for people and the environment.

The 2012 Krista Foundation Global Citizen Award recipients will be formally announced and honored at a public event on Sunday, March 4th, 7:00 pm in the Campion Ballroom at Seattle University. The three honorees demonstrate the event theme: "The Ripple Effect: Service changes you. Service changes the world." Tickets for the event are available by contacting The Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship at 206-382-7888 or nissana@kristafoundation.org. This is an RSVP-Only event.

Global Citizen Award recipients are selected for demonstrating the Krista Foundation values: intercultural competence, adaptive leadership, young adult empowerment, respect for spiritual values, global-local connection, and service as a way of life. The other 2012 Global Citizen Award recipients to be honored are:

Sharon London, Strategic Initiatives Director, EarthCorps (Environment)
Trise Moore, Family and Community Partnership Advocate, Federal Way School District (Urban United States)

About the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship: Founded in 1999, The Krista Foundation honors the life and vision of Krista Hunt Ausland who died at age 25 while volunteering with her husband in rural Bolivia. Through mentoring, a colleague community and re-integration services, the Krista Foundation helps young adults fully understand and employ the learnings from their service experience. A service year, when nurtured, becomes a life of service leadership. The Krista Foundation provides ongoing program connections for more than 200 Krista Colleagues and offers program development resources and services, including The Global Citizen journal, for local universities and volunteer service organizations.

Link to KF Ripple Effect Event Page

Link to KF Ripple Effect Facebook Page

Krista Colleague endorsement for Joe Whinney by Joe Tobiason

As a Krista Colleague, and a former international service volunteer, I'm so impressed with what Joe Whinney is doing with Theo Chocolate. I'm also excited he was recently selected by the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship to receive a 2012 Global Citizen Award in the area of Developing World.

Theo, located in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, is making a ripple effect in so many important ways. Theo is the first and only organic fair trade chocolate maker in the United States. The words "fair trade" get tossed around a lot, but I learned through my volunteer experience in Lima, Peru, that those words have the power to break the cycle of poverty and change lives.

Working alongside women in the Bridge of Hope Fair Trade Organization opened my eyes to how good trade practices can lift entire communities out of abject poverty and into a life that is healthier and safer. Over my year of service I built deep connections with an artisan community called El Mercurio in the town of Huancavelica. The group was begun by a woman named Jodi (pictured second from right- J Tobiason Photography). During my visit, I had the privilege of translating her story for a group of international visitors.

She shared that she was just a normal housewife who needed to find a way to make some extra money. She had some friends who had heard about this fair trade. They got in contact with the Red Uniendo Manos and their Fair Trade branch. With access to export tools, they started their group, named after the chemical that continued to contaminate their town. They began to produce small stuffed animals and their most well-known llamas. To hear Jodi talk about how this fair trade organization had changed her life showed me the incredible value of tools for poverty relief. Not only did this give her family some extra money so that her kids could go to school, but it changed the way her house worked. Her husband was no longer the only money-maker and thus he had to shift the way he looked at her. The family became more equitable and she had never felt so respected. Her transformation is something that can only be truly understood by looking at the smile on her face every time she talked about Fair Trade.

Joe Whinney, Theo Chocolate, and the chocolate loving community are making a real impact. Consider the connections that his company has built with its growers. They use the Fair Trade principles because this is the middle way for commerce that honors the value in all parts of the process. The fair trade community seeks to provide wages that are equitable and fair for workers on the ground, while still providing the highest quality possible. Theo really exemplifies this as it is known throughout the Northwest for producing some of the best chocolates. But the fair trade principles don't end when the cacao beans are in shipment: Joe has ensured that it continues all the way through Theo employees. The company is known for helping its own people to grow in their skills and truly thrive in the community. Theo exemplifies how trade can benefit the growers, the sellers and the buyers and has made Fair Trade principles a reality in Seattle.

Just take their tour and you'll be buzzing about Theo too. Then come and celebrate Joe Whinney and Theo Chocolate when he receives the 2012 Global Citizen Award on March 4th at Seattle University. Learn more at: http://www.kristafoundation.org/index.cfm/page/therippleeffect.

Joe Tobiason is a 2008 Krista Colleague. He currently resides in Greenlake and works at Big Fish Games in Seattle. He has a serious passion for photography. (@JTobiasonPhoto on Twitter or J Tobiason Photography on Facebook)

 

 I used to think that being "globally minded" was the important thing. I would stress the need to open ourselves to other people and cultures, and discover our interconnectedness. I would encourage accepting our responsibility to care for and advocate for our brothers and sisters around the world.

I still believe global awareness, appreciation, and respect are important, yet over the past few years I've come to discover the importance of local. I mean, to be global without being local is to have your head in the clouds without your feet on the ground. In a pragmatic way, you can only be as global as you are local—doing real things with real people in real places while understanding their global implications. Becoming locally involved also provides insights on the elements of any healthy community around the world. (To clarify-- I don't see those insights or elements as a blueprint to be replicated exactly. Contextual and cultural difference should be honored in each community.)

In the spirit of the KF's August 20th event: Think Globally, Move Locally, I want to hear what your neighborhood celebrates and values: What are the unique local things that your neighborhood is known for? What are sources of pride for your neighborhood or city?

To get the conversation started, I'll speak to our Seattle KF Office in Greenlake...
A food or two? On a warm summer afternoon, our staff has indulged at Gelatiamo, the gelato shop around the corner. Beyond Greenlake, trekking to nearby Fremont to sample Theo chocolate at their factory is a worthy quarterly outing. : )
A geographic marker/hike/adventure? Greenlake itself-known for speedwalking moms with strollers, fancy Frisbee spinners in the park, and some of the most competitive outdoor basketball in the city. It's a place of meeting/play, and a nice 3 mile stroll. We had a wonderful picnic a week ago with Colleagues.

Something else? A type of music/band or instrument? / Something of historic significance?/ Something with cult-worthy appeal?

Whether your neighborhood is Brooklyn, Boulder, or Bombay... what aspects of local life are you loving? What are your neighbors most proud of?

To read one Krista Colleague's thoughtful consideration of being local while in global service, read Nathan Brouwer's article from The Global Citizen.

Aaron Ausland recently noted the surprising inverse relationship between unemployment and volunteering-that as unemployment rises, volunteerism rates go down. He stated that the number of volunteers in America dropped by 600,000 from last year, bringing the national volunteering rate down by a half a percentage point, to 26.3%. While it could seem logical to assume unemployed people have more spare time and would more likely fill that time with volunteering, the opposite appears true.

Overall, we were surprised to see the downward overall trend in volunteering (broadly defined). It makes me ask: which primary demographic is volunteering less? In our work with year long service volunteer programs, millenials seem to be bucking this trend. We're still hearing from service organizations that record numbers of young adults are applying to serve (JVC-Northwest, for example, had a 50% increase in applicants).

Unfortunately, Congress recently took the wind out of these sails, which threatens the quantity and quality of service volunteerism. Congress made drastic cuts to AmeriCorps ($22.5 million in cuts to AmeriCorps Education Awards). Catholic Volunteer Network, which has 1300 AmeriCorps- funded volunteers at 900 sites, is facing a $5 million gap from the cuts. See article on CVN. In spite of debt and budget challenges, prioritizing funding for young adult service volunteerism has critical economic and social implications.

In a report on unemployment I heard on NPR last week, young adults 25 and under have an unemployment rate near 17%. Reihan Salam, a policy advisor at e21 (an economics think-tank) was saying how much this statistic particularly hurts the economy in the long run. Getting a good job early, to build skills and move up into better paying jobs, ultimately builds a stronger economy and leads to more revenue into the tax system. Instead, many young adults are being stalled out of the starting gate, or starting in the "loser's bracket," and our economy will never fully catch up. Cutting AmeriCorps funding kicks this younger generation when it's already down, when it should be offering an essential way to build marketable skills while promoting civic engagement and fostering commitment to the common good-not to mention meeting real needs in our struggling communities.

Under-funding AmeriCorps is one sure way to speed the decline of current volunteering and depress future numbers. Squeezing service volunteer organizations threatens not only the quantity of volunteers, but also the ability of organizations to provide quality service volunteer care (including proper training and debriefing).

At a 50th anniversary event for the Peace Corps, I heard National Director Aaron S. Williams say that, more than ANY other program we have, Peace Corps volunteers (and I would say AmeriCorps volunteers too) represent our highest ideals and values as a nation.

We are in a challenging economic climate that disproportionately affects opportunities for young adults. Whether motivated by economics, idealism, or common sense, shouldn't we be investing in young adult service programs, rather than cutting them?

Excitement is building for the KF's Annual Memorial Weekend Conference! This conference brings together Krista Colleagues, spouses, and invited guests.

Guest Day (Sunday) is open to the public who want to celebrate or learn more about our mentoring community-including mentors, parents, and other friends of the Foundation. Register if you'd like to come!

TO REGISTER click http://kfconference2011.eventbrite.com/

A Beautiful Struggle: Recognizing Hope, Embracing Tension, Living Grace

Troubles produce endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. -Romans 5:3

Keynote Speaker: Ron Ruthruff has worked for the past 26 years with homeless and street-involved youth and families as Director of Ministry and Program Development for New Horizons Ministries. He and his wife, Linda recently opened a nonprofit Seattle café that provides job training and employment for young adults working to exit street life. Ron serves as adjunct faculty at Bakke Graduate School and guest lectures at a variety of seminaries and colleges.

Save-the-Date:
Memorial Day Weekend, May 27th - 30th 2011
(Lodge open on Friday evening, the 27th)
Clearwater Lodge, outside of Spokane, Washington
Krista Colleagues, spouses and children are welcome!

GUEST DAY is Sunday, May 29th. Come for Brunch, the Keynote & Krista Colleague Commissioning. Guests are welcome to sit in on afternoon workshops and share a festive dinner.

A special 10th anniversary welcome back to our Krista Colleague Class of 2001!

Come and reconnect with old friends, make new friends, be encouraged and encourage others as we continue to learn what it means to be a "Global Citizen"!

To register click http://kfconference2011.eventbrite.com/

 

In a small office on the campus of Indiana University, Kirk Harris stares out a small window. This is where he spends most of his time these days. He finds his life, starting a Ph.D. in Political Science, feels quiet--a "night and day" difference from the sounds and smells of the past five years. In 2006 Kirk sat at a table surrounded by the passionate voices of tribal and community leaders who shared stories of hardship and betrayal amidst a violent ethnic and religious conflict. Despite deep differences, they were gathered on common ground, to nurture peace and rebuild their countries. Kirk, a Krista Colleague who served in Kenya as a Young Adult Volunteer with the Presbyterian Church, served with an organization that facilitated Muslim-Christian dialogue between these competing ethnic and religious groups. He remembers and cherishes the friendship and solidarity of "being welcomed by people who are very different from me, of being drawn outside of myself in pursuit of a common calling."

At that time, he wrote to the KF: "By participating in these discussions I am now able to analyze violence and peace more comprehensively, taking into account country-specific obstacles to the resolution of conflicts as well as cultural and theological nuances that affect how they unfold." But the depth of complexity left him longing for an even deeper understanding.

To hone his thinking, Kirk wrote an article on reconciliation in The Global Citizen journal. He seized an opportunity at the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Liaison Office in New York, focusing on Congo and Sudan. After two years, Kirk moved to Khartoum to work for the Sudan Council of Churches in on behalf of MCC. In each position, Kirk was humbled by the issues the communities were facing. In his search of a better framework, Kirk applied to a Ph.D. program.

Graduate school has brought new opportunities and challenges for Kirk, whose goal is to reinvest his degree in service of the people he served in Africa. "I am continually reminded of what I was doing a year ago-working with Sudanese churches who are trying to heal their country in the wake of conflict and stave off new violence." As he seeks to integrate his experiences, cultivate community, and steward his education, Kirk has come to see that "balancing the tension of the mind and heart will take time, and that God's grace, which has sustained me through service, will also sustain me in learning." He reminds himself: "Only 5 and ¼ years to go."

Know someone who has wrestled with the culture shock of transitioning from service to grad school? Share comments or encouragements below.

Spring Into Bed | Seattle | May 14

Allie May, 08 Colleague and former EarthCorps volunteer and supervisor, recently wrote to the KF: "Since January I've had the pleasure of working with the Just Garden Project to design some graphics in preparation for their upcoming event, Spring Into Bed. The Just Garden Project (JGP) is a grassroots organization dedicated 'to building a just food system and a culture of gardening for all people.' On May 14 you can join in the building and celebrating of 30 gardens alongside low income families and communities across Seattle! The woman who started JGP is an AmeriCorps Alum, and extremely passionate about social and food justice...you will surely be touched by the excitement, gratitude and love behind every garden built!" -Allie email her to join this project.

Yank Ivy! | Seattle | April 23

Lydia Imhoff first volunteered with EarthCorps throughout 2009, and became a supervisor in 2010. Now, in her spare time, she continues to support their restoration projects. She writes "Come on out to Golden Gardens for Earth Day to beautify the park and connect with your neighbors. We will be pulling invasive English Ivy, learning about local habitats and working alongside about 100 volunteers from all over Seattle. You'll be glad you did!" EarthCorps involves local and international service volunteers in environmental restoration. "Contact Chris@earthcorps.org and tell them Lydia sent you!"

Music and Booths! | Spokane |April 23

Audra Krislock and her mother Evita are involved with the Faith and Environment Network in Spokane. Audra writes, "On Saturday April 23rd we have an Earth Day Event in downtown Spokane. Lots of great organizations come—there is live music and tons of great information. In the past I have volunteered with the Faith and Environment Network booth and plan to help out again this year." Check it out at: http://www.earthdayspokane.org/calendar-of-events/

Compost Fair! | Spokane | April 30

Audra also mentions, "Right now I am taking the class to become a Master Composter. At the end of the month we are hosting compost fair. It is April 30th from 10-3pm at Finch Arboretum. I will be there helping run the event. "Let me know if you need more information or have other questions." email Audra

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