| First National Arab American Day of Service Through the common goal of community service, Arab-Americans are joining together in new partnerships, with over 1000 individuals throughout the US to participate in this historic day of service. The first annual national Arab-American day of service was held on September 24th 2005. In the spirit of community service and assisting those in need, the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) and The National Network for Arab-American Communities have organized the first ever National Arab-American Service Day on September 24, 2005. Arab-American community organizations in thirteen cities (Anaheim, Brooklyn, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Dearborn, Flint, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC) will engage in a community in an effort to build bridges and assist those in need. The National Service Day was spearheaded by members of our national Americorps program who are serving in these community organizations. It is the only national AmeriCorps program offering Arab Americans and non-Arabs the opportunity to serve at Arab-American community organizations. Often referred to as the domestic Peace Corps, AmeriCorps is a federal service program in which individuals commit to an intensive year of service to meet the critical needs of our country. AACCESS-Ohio had around forty volunteers who were enthusiastic to help and willing to give up their time to give back to the community. The sites scheduled for that day included, participating in the African American Women's Wellness Walk, The Ronald McDonald House, The Malachi Home, and The Youth Advocate Program. All of these sites were an immense success. Some of the tasks done by volunteers on this day include light landscaping and creating a meal for the residence of the Ronald McDonald House. This gave the volunteers the opportunity to learn more about the residents and to create special bonds with them as well. Another site enjoyed by volunteers was the picnic at St. Herman Park located on the West Side of Cleveland where volunteers and a local orphanage teamed up and had a wonderful time playing kickball, basketball and also creating crafts. As a result of these sites, AACCESS-Ohio touched a lot of communities and created new ties to carry on to future generations. |
