November 2009 Themes for Community Outreach
National American Indian Heritage Month
Meet with local Native American Indian groups this month to discuss ways to reach out to the community. If there is a reservation in your area, work with local leaders to provide them with all the information their community might need in case of an emergency, as well as information about how they can get involved with Citizen Corps, including CERT and other safety training and volunteer opportunities.
November 1, 2009: Daylight Savings Time Ends
You might want to take this opportunity to host a local Citizen Corps recruitment drive. With the turning back of the clocks this month, citizens will now have an "extra hour" to tackle emergency preparedness initiatives. Reach out to local media to share this message with a list of safety measures that can be accomplished in just one hour!
November 11, 2009: Veterans' Day
Work with the Library of Congress' Veteran's History Program to highlight local veterans involved in Citizen Corps. You might want to partner with a local news station to do a series of profiles leading up to Veterans' Day. And reach out to Citizen Corps affiliates the Veteran's of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, and The American Legion Auxiliary, and others to honor veterans and include them in your preparedness outreach. Have veterans visit schools to teach children about the importance of service and giving back to the community.
November 26, 2009: Thanksgiving Day
Families and communities traditionally come together in November for Thanksgiving. This provides a moment for reflection and discussion regarding personal and family preparation. With this in mind, you might reach out to local media to encourage citizens to put together a family emergency plan this Thanksgiving, to include meeting and contact information for local and extended family.