Tuesday, November 9, 2004:
Volume #2, Issue #53
The VERB Weekly Email Digest
Edited by Sophy Pich, VERB Project Associate
Note: Documents on this page or in this section may be in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. In order to read them, you require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is downloadable free from Adobe.
In This Week's Issue
- Announcements
- Attorney General to Offer SB 1262 Workshops
- Bay-Friendly Gardening
- US Department of Labor
- Promising Practices
- 6 Tricks for Mastering Your Voice Mail Technique
- News
- Voting Made Easy by Following Rules, Asking Questions
- New Museum Remembers Victims of Cambodia's Killing Fields
- Last Battle for Pa.: Grassroots Engines Work Door-to-Door
- Immigrant Women Call for Change
- Vietnamese TV Show Put Back on Schedule
- Voter Turnout Sets Record
- Tran on Way to Assembly Win
- Southland Elects First Vietnamese-American to State...
- Anderson and Blount County Briefs
- First Vietnamese-American Lawmaker Is Object of Pride...
- Asian Americans Climb US Political Ladder
- Home, Land, Security
- Tran's Step Up to Assembly Is a Community's Giant Leap
- Hmong Refugees in Need of Winter Clothing
- Hmong Voices' Films
- Election Aftermath Former Vietnamese Refugee 'Muddles...
- Us Election: Minorities Backed Kerry
- New Hmong Director Focusing on Refugees
- A Cambodian Pilgrim's Progress: Back to a Bitter Sea
- Vietnamese-Americans Rejoice
- a Congregation's Changing Face
- East Meets West
- Hmong Join Hunters across State in Pursuit of a Trophy
- New Cambodian Museum Provides a Sobering Look at Horrors...
- Health Focus of Hmong New Year Bash
- Asian-Americans Are Changing Face of Area Elections
- Funding Opportunities
- Hitachi Foundation
- PacifiCare Foundation (CA)
- The James Irvine Foundation (CA)
- The Allen Foundation
- Resources
I. Announcements
Attorney General to Offer SB 1262 Workshops
With the January 1st effective date fast approaching, the California
Attorney General's office has scheduled three workshops in November to
answer questions and assist with compliance with the Nonprofit Integrity
Act (SB 1262), the state's precedent; setting new law regarding nonprofit
governance and fundraising.
Tuesday, November 16
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
State Building
1300 I Street, Sacramento
Wednesday, November 17
9 a.m. to noon
State Building Auditorium
300 So. Spring Street, Los Angeles
Thursday, November 18
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
State Building Auditorium
455 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco
Limited seating is available. R.S.V.P. to Crystal Spencer at
crystal.spencer@doj.ca.gov and provide the following information:
Organization/participant name; Address; Phone number; E-mail address. The
Attorney General has posted an SB 1262 summary at
http://caag.state.ca.us/charities and assigned Charitable Trust Staff to
answer questions by e-mail: belinda.johns@doj.ca.gov—Deputy Attorney
General Belinda Johns; james.cordi@doj.ca.gov—Deputy Attorney General
James Cordi.
***
The Alameda County Area Agency on Aging is conducting a county-wide needs
assessment. The agency would like to hear from as many Alameda County
seniors as possible; the survey results help the agency make funding
decisions. The survey is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog and
Farsi. If you are over 55 years of age or know of someone who is, download
a copy of the survey from www.jeanquan.org or call 510-577-1970.
***
With autumn leaves falling, it's a great time to start composting—recycling your leaves to create a "gardener's gold" that will improve the
soil, supply nutrients to plants, retain moisture, and reduce plant disease
and erosion, according to the Alameda County Waste Management Authority.
The waste group has created the "Bay-Friendly Gardening" program and is
offering discounted compost bins to Alameda County residents, as well as
free workshops, videos, brochures, and answers to composting questions. To
order a bin or receive more information, go to www.bayfriendly.org or call
510-444-SOIL (7645).
***
US Department of Labor Invites Your Participation
TLC 2004 Virtual Forum: "Dreams, Stories and Opportunities"
Community and Faith-Based Solutions for the 21st Century Workforce
November 8-19, 2004
Opens Today at www.dol-tlc.org
The Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) at the U.S.
Department of Labor (DOL) will host a two-week online forum to engage
stakeholders in government, business, faith and community-based nonprofit
in creating solutions for the twenty-first century workforce. This
virtual forum is part of the Touching Lives and Communities Technical
Assistance Project (TLC).
The goal of the TLC Virtual Forum 2004 is to help participants identify
and develop solutions that will help people thrive and succeed in the 21st
century workforce and economy. The participating leaders will develop
solutions by learning new practices, hearing stories and sharing visions
with other people from around the country.
This free conference will be taking place entirely online from November
8-19, 2004. You can register and participate by visiting www.dol-tlc.org.
(If you have not visited www.dol-tlc.org before, you will need to register
as a new user. Otherwise, you can register or ask for your password if you
forgot it.) The TLC 2004 Virtual Forum is designed for everyone connected
with workforce objectives- leaders from workforce investment boards and
One-Stop Centers, faith-based and community organizations, government,
academia as well as other interested individuals.
DOL will host a kickoff call today at 1:00 pm EST (10:00 am West Coast)
with Brent Orrell, director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives and author Robert Putnam who wrote Bowling Alone and Better
Together. Details are available when you logon to the site.
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II. Promising Practices
6 Tricks for Mastering Your Voice Mail Technique
Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor
Do you remember the days when a real, live person used to answer the phone?
When there were no "phone trees," no push-button menus, and people actually
used the telephone to talk to each other? These days, it seems that we
spend more time speaking to voice mail than to real people. Most of us now
see voice mail as a necessary evil, something we breeze through and give
little thought to. But if you think voice mail messages you leave don't
matter, you need to think again.
According to Renee Grant-Williams, author of Voice Power: Using Your Voice
to Captivate, Persuade and Command Attention, (AMACOM, New York), voice
mail is an important first impression of your professionalism, but is
something that leaves many of us trembling. "Voice mail is something that
will always be on our permanent record," she says. "Once you leave that
message, you can't take it back."
Putting thought into the messages you leave can do wonders for you, and
Grant-Williams says you should approach voice mail as a golden opportunity.
"Use this moment of undivided attention to advance your cause," she says.
She points out that voice mail can be a great time saver and a good way to
tie up loose ends. Grant-Williams offers the following six steps to use
voice mail to your advantage.
- Prepare. Preparation is the key to every professional task.
Grant-Williams suggests jotting down one line about what you would like to
see accomplished with the voice mail message. What is your overall goal?
What do you hope to get out of this call? How can you get the most mileage
out of this brief moment?
- Gather your ammo. Pull together any information you need for the call
before you dial. This means getting out your schedule, your contact
information or anything else you might need to rely on while leaving the
message. This will save you from fumbling through a stack of papers and
stalling with a message full of "ums."
- Put your message in order. Grant-Williams says you need to "organize
your message into a well-planned sequence of topics in the order of their
importance." Since you never know how long you will be able to talk, make
sure you know the most important information and present that information
first. For example, it is a good idea to lead with your name and contact
number. That way, if the voice mail recipient only hears 10 seconds of your
message, he or she will at least be able to call you back.
- Ask for a specific action. It is important that you don't leave the
other person scratching his or her head after your call wondering what you
wanted. Make your request specific and clear to ensure there is no
confusion on the other end.
- Plan to call back again. Some people leave one voice mail message and
think that their work is done. This is a mistake. "The reality is that many
people don't respond to every message in a timely fashion," says
Grant-Williams. She suggests letting recipients of your messages know that
you understand their busy schedules. For example, try to conclude your
message by saying "I know that you are very busy, so if I do not hear back
from you by Wednesday I will call you again." This eases the other person's
guilt when they are not able to call back, and gives you an opening for
calling again.
- Come to a conclusion. If there is a way to wrap up your business with a
voice mail message, take advantage of it. That way, you and your
acquaintance can cut down on the time spent playing "phone tag." Are you
calling to set up a meeting? Try this approach: "I will meet you at 3:30 on
Thursday at the City Cafe coffeehouse. If I do not hear from you, I will
assume that this meeting is confirmed." This approach can save everyone a
lot of time.
Grant-Williams adds that attitude is important when leaving a message. If
you are conducting business, make sure your voice conveys the right image.
Smile when you are talking, stand up or get dressed up and do anything else
you can to put yourself in the proper frame of mind. Doing so will make you
feel more confident and increase your overall voice mail success.
Read More
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III. News
Voting Made Easy by Following Rules, Asking Questions
Minnesota Public Radio News
November 1, 2004
***
New Museum Remembers Victims of Cambodia's Killing Fields
Alton Telegraph
November 1, 2004
***
Last Battle for Pa.: Grassroots Engines Work Door-to-Door
philly.com
November 1, 2004
***
Immigrant Women Call for Change
Pacific News Service
November 2, 2004
***
Vietnamese TV Show Put Back on Schedule
Los Angeles Times
November 2, 2004
***
Voter Turnout Sets Record
The Capital Times
November 3, 2004
***
Tran on Way to Assembly Win
Los Angeles Times
November 3, 2004
***
Southland Elects First Vietnamese-American to State Legislature
NBC4.TV
November 3, 2004
***
Anderson and Blount County Briefs
Knoxville News Sentinel
November 3, 2004
***
First Vietnamese-American Lawmaker Is Object of Pride and Threats
San Jose Mercury News
November 4, 2004
***
Asian Americans Climb US Political Ladder
Radio Singapore International
November 4, 2004
***
Home, Land, Security
Minneapolis Star Tribune
November 4, 2004
***
Tran's Step Up to Assembly Is a Community's Giant Leap
Los Angeles Times
November 4, 2004
***
Hmong Refugees in Need of Winter Clothing
Minneapolis Star Tribune
November 4, 2004
***
Hmong Voices' Films
Fresno State News
November 5, 2004
***
Election Aftermath Former Vietnamese Refugee 'Muddles Way' to ...
San Francisco Chronicle
November 5, 2004
***
Us Election: Minorities Backed Kerry
Inter Press Service
November 5, 2004
***
New Hmong Director Focusing on Refugees
Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
November 6, 2004
***
A Cambodian Pilgrim's Progress: Back to a Bitter Sea
New York Times
November 6, 2004
***
Vietnamese-Americans Rejoice
San Jose Mercury News
November 6, 2004
***
A Congregation's Changing Face
Seattle Post Intelligencer
November 6, 2004
***
East Meets West
Record-Searchlight
November 7, 2004
***
Hmong Join Hunters across State in Pursuit of a Trophy
San Jose Mercury News
November 7, 2004
***
New Cambodian Museum Provides a Sobering Look at Horrors Inflicted ...
Houston Chronicle
November 7, 2004
***
Health Focus of Hmong New Year Bash
Marshfield News Herald
November 7, 2004
***
Asian-Americans Are Changing Face of Area Elections
Houston Chronicle
November 7, 2004
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IV. Grants
- (National)
Hitachi Foundation
The Hitachi Foundation makes grants to enhance opportunity and quality of
life for economically isolated people through business-community
partnerships. The Foundation's Business and Communities Grants program
focuses both on the role of businesses and communities in addressing
economic isolation and on strengthening the field of corporate citizenship.
Support will be provided for business-community partnerships that enable
economically isolated people to retain and advance in their jobs, earn
living wages, and accumulate savings and assets. Proposals may only be
submitted at the Foundation's invitation. However, nonprofit organizations
throughout the United States may share initial information through the
Foundation's online inquiry system.
- (California)
PacifiCare Foundation
The mission of the PacifiCare Foundation is to improve the quality of life
for the disadvantaged or underserved in geographic areas where PacifiCare
Health Systems does business. The Foundation's five areas of focus are
children and youth, education, health, human/social services, and seniors.
Nonprofit organizations that have been in existence for at least two years
and that are located in the areas where PacifiCare Health Systems does
business in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma,
Oregon, Texas, and Washington are eligible to apply.
Deadline: January 1, 2005
- (California)
The James Irvine Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation welcomes grant applications to the New
Connections Fund from eligible organizations with projects that fit within
the Foundation's program priorities. Grants funded through this process are
for a maximum of $50,000, over one or two years, and requests are
considered three times per year in an open, competitive application process.
Deadline is December 1, 2004
- (National)
The Allen Foundation
The Allen Foundation supports projects that benefit programs for human
nutrition in the areas of health, education, training, and research.
Preference is given to projects that train children and young adults to
improve their health and development or that educate mothers during
pregnancy and after the birth of their children in order to foster good
nutritional habits at an early age.
The Foundation's other priorities are to fund the field of human nutrition
and relevant nutritional research; support the training of persons to work
as educators and demonstrators of good nutritional practices; support the
publication of periodicals and articles addressing sound nutritional
practices; encourage the dissemination of information regarding healthful
nutritional practices; and, in limited situations, to help solve emergency
hunger and malnutrition problems. Nonprofit organizations throughout the
U.S. and internationally are eligible to apply.
Deadline: December 31, 2005
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V. Resources
Great Website and Resource!
Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries
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If you wish to contribute to the VERB Weekly e-Digest, please send all
materials to sophy@searac.org
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