JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
The Joint Base San Antonio Military & Family Readiness Center Volunteer Program is organizing an effort to get units and volunteer organizations throughout JBSA to participate in a nationwide day of service Oct. 28.
Units and volunteer organizations that want to host a community service project for Make A Difference Day, one of the largest annual single days of voluntary service nationwide, have until Oct. 6 to submit a form of their project to the JBSA Volunteer Program.
Project forms can be downloaded at http://www.jbsa.mil/Resources/Military-Family-Readiness/Volunteer-Resources/. Completed forms can be emailed to usaf.jbsa.502-abw.mbx.502-fss-volunteer@mail.mil or brought to the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Military & Family Readiness Center, 3060 Stanley Road, building 2797.
Sally Gonzalez, JBSA volunteer coordinator, said units and volunteer organizations at all JBSA locations, including JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Randolph, JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Camp Bullis, are encouraged to participate in the national day of service.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to give back to the JBSA community in a one-day project,” Gonzalez said. “I think this is a way to unite our community and build camaraderie.”
Gonzalez said getting JBSA members to participate in Make A Difference Day, which started in 1992 and is held on the fourth Saturday of October each year, has been a priority of hers since becoming the volunteer coordinator last year.
“My hope is it will become a tradition for JBSA in hosting Make A Difference Day projects so the community can get involved in a one-time, one-day project and then be convinced to continue serving,” she said.
After units and volunteer organizations have submitted their community service projects, Gonzalez said she will put together a list of the projects for volunteers to choose from that will include contact information. The project list will be posted on the JBSA Military & Family Readiness Center Facebook page, key words “mfrcjbsa”, and at http://www.jbsa.mil/resources/militaryfamilyreadiness .
JBSA members, including active duty, military family members, Department of Defense civilians and retirees, can volunteer for a service project.
Gonzalez said her goal is to have 10 community service projects in place and 200 volunteers helping throughout JBSA on Oct. 28.
JBSA units and volunteer organizations that participate in the day of community service will benefit from the efforts of volunteers, who will be saving the unit or organization in work hours by giving of their free time to a project, Gonzalez said.
She added the estimated value of the average volunteer service hour is $24, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service.
“It’s a win-win situation all the way around,” Gonzalez said. “JBSA benefits and the volunteers and our nation benefits.”
In addition, units and volunteer organizations that participate in the day of community service can register at http://www.makeadifferenceday.com to have a chance to qualify for one of 14 $10,000 grants that will go towards service projects nationwide.
For information about Make A Difference Day activities at JBSA and how to volunteer, send an email to at usaf.jbsa.502-abw.mbx.502-fss-volunteer@mail.mil or call 210-221-2418.