Keyword: MLK
Driven to Help Homeless Vets
By
Greg Tucker
Helping homeless veterans get off the streets feels like work Duane Magee was made to do, and his tireless quest puts him behind the wheel for thousands of miles each year to find them. He is living proof to vets that recovery from homelessness and incarceration is possible because their story is his story, and his quiet mission to assist them led to his nomination for a 2012 Martin Luther King Drum Major for Service Award.
According to a 2011 report from the Department of Veteran's Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 67,495 veterans were homeless at the beginning of 2011. Even though the government has committed to lowering the level of homelessness among this group and is making progress, the job can't be done without boots on the ground. That's where Magee comes in.
Magee, an Army veteran, works at California's Loma Linda Medical Center in the Homeless Outreach Program, and is well-known for his ability to spot a veteran among the homeless, even while driving down the street.
Continuing a quest he began after his recovery when he worked with incarcerated veterans, Magee searches the shelters, streets and parks of Riverside and San Bernardino counties for vets who have fallen through the cracks of the system and does everything he can to help them get back on track.
For many of the veterans he meets, a little knowledge goes a long way.
“What really hurt me the most was that I didn't know my VA benefits, “said Magee, speaking about his personal story where he pulled his life together and eventually earned his master's degree in divinity. He said that about 90 percent of homeless vets don't even know what benefits they are entitled to receive. But when they learn, they begin to have hope.
“It takes a little while to get through, but I have the patience to sit with them and talk,” Magee said. Once he breaks down their walls, Magee can get the vets access to health care, counseling, housing, and even reunite them with their families. His tenaciousness and one-on-one attention has touched vets of every generation and from every branch of the military. But he reaches them because he is one of them and can tell veterans why they are important to this country.
“I retell the story to them,” said Magee, noting that sometimes he relates how World War II veterans returned home and the same kind of assistance that was available to them to get an education and housing are available to veterans today. He adds that if they follow the same path, they can help rebuild America, just as those vets did.
Magee speaks modestly about his work and gives credit to other staff members who support his efforts to get these veterans back into the system. And because they help him, he can get back in his VA car and continue looking for more homeless vets.
“I'm out every day – every single day,” he said. “And even on my time off, I'm out there searching.”
The Martin Luther King Drum Majors for Service program gives organizations and groups an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate those volunteers who perform extraordinary everyday acts of service with reliability and commitment, but who seldom receive recognition. Drum Major awardees receive an award from Corporation for National and Community Service designating that person as a “Drum Major for Service” with the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
Keywords:
Veterans   
MLKDay   
Homelessness   
California   
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Posted on
2/6/2012
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The Service News Digest is a regular feature on the Serve.Gov blog. In this series, we showcase news highlights that feature national service and Corporation for National and Community Service programs. Take a look at some of the great stories that had people talking recently.
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MLKDay   
UWS   
ServiceNewsDigest   
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Posted on
1/27/2012
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Today, President Obama, the First Lady, and Malia Obama volunteered at a local elementary school as part of a national day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King, who devoted his life to helping others, once said that “everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”
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MLKDay   
WhiteHouse   
Volunteer   
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Posted on
1/16/2012
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Monuments are built to those who change the course of history. It is right and fitting that a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. now stands in the heart of our nation's Capital. Even as we renew our understanding of Dr. King's legacy by visiting this beautiful monument; we can honor the legacy of Dr. King by following his example, by serving and volunteering in our communities.
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MLKDay   
UWS   
WhiteHouse   
Volunteer   
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Posted on
1/16/2012
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On March 16, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his last visit to the city of Los Angeles. He used that occasion to deliver a speech calling for an end to poverty, and to build support for a Poor People's Campaign to demand jobs, health care and housing for the country's poor.
Keywords:
UWS   
MLKDay   
AmeriCorps   
City of Service   
Los Angeles   
VISTA   
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Posted on
1/16/2012
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As residents returned to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, a group of young black Catholics from the Archdiocese of New Orleans formed the IMANI Team (IMANI meaning “faith” or “belief” in Swahilli), a youth group from black Catholic parishes and schools that united to serve the African-American community of the archdiocese, to encourage and to help rebuild a sense of spiritual community and renewal across the Crescent City. The efforts by this group of young leaders are being recognized with a 2012 Martin Luther King Drum Major for Service award.
Keywords:
MLKDay   
Drum Major   
New Orleans   
Disaster   
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Posted on
1/13/2012
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Thanks to so many of you, the momentum of the 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is building and the results will be extraordinary! The MLK Day of Service shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge economic and social divides - today and throughout the year.
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MLKDay   
Social Media   
Video   
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Posted on
1/13/2012
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Hurricane season is an anxious time for Americans living along the coastal regions of the United States. But when Tropical Storm Lee spread its destruction inland last September, volunteer leaders like Bruce Barney and Sharon Early made a difference in their community's recovery efforts. Their commitment led to their selection as 2012 Martin Luther King Drum Major for Service award recipients.
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MLKDay   
Drum Majors   
New York   
Disaster   
Floods   
Faith-Based   
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Posted on
1/12/2012
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In 1960 when she was just six years old, civil rights leader Ruby Bridges was one of four children to integrate the public school system in New Orleans. Every day, she crossed a screaming mob to enter her classroom.
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MLKDay   
Video   
New Orleans   
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Posted on
1/12/2012
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James “Major” Adams was raised on Chicago's Westside and served in the Army during World War II. When he completed his military service, Adams returned to Chicago and worked for various agencies including Jane Addams' Hull House, one of the city's oldest social and human services programs.
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MLKDay   
UWS   
Drum Major   
Illinois   
Chicago   
Mentor   
Youth   
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Posted on
1/10/2012
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In this video, Reverend Lowery remembers his friend “Martin” and urges us to “look around and see who's not enjoying all the benefits that they should.” Reverend Lowery asks us, “How can we fill the gaps? How can we meet the needs of those who need the most?”
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MLKDay   
Video   
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Posted on
1/10/2012
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In this video, Wofford talks about his memory of Dr. Martin Luther King and the origin of MLK Day.
Keywords:
MLKDay   
Video   
CEO   
   
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Posted on
1/6/2012
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At age 17, Congressman John Lewis was so inspired by Dr. King that he wrote a letter to King asking to meet him. Dr. King wrote back and sent Lewis a round-trip Greyhound bus ticket to meet with him.
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MLKDay   
United We Serve   
UWS   
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Posted on
1/4/2012
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New Year's resolutions are a great way to check in with ourselves and reflect on our priorities. Resolving to eat healthy, exercise more, or spend more time with our loved ones can all be a part of using the New Year as an opportunity to become better versions of ourselves.
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Velasco   
Resolution12   
MLKDay   
serve   
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Posted on
12/29/2011
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The Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday is a National Day of Service, and a time to re-commit ourselves to serving each other and our communities. This year, CNCS will shine a spotlight on the connection between service and economic opportunity, and promote the MLK Day of Service as the first of many opportunities throughout the year for Americans to come together and tackle critical challenges for the greater good.
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MLK   
Drum Majors   
PVSA   
UnitedWeServe   
MLKDay   
Video   
   
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Posted on
12/22/2011
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On the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service this January, President Obama will recognize unsung heroes around the country who have answered the call to service. Inspired by Dr. King's historic speech on the Drum Major Instinct, the MLK Drum Majors for Service program --facilitated by the White House and the Corporation for National and Community Service -- welcomes the nomination of people in organizations and businesses who are serving their communities, often without recognition.
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MLK   
Drum Majors   
PVSA   
Awards   
UnitedWeServe   
MLKDay   
Faith   
   
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Posted on
12/13/2011
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For several years now, volunteers from the Department of Transportation have observed the Martin Luther King holiday with "a day on, not a day off." And yesterday, many from DOT did so once again by working on a terrific beautification project at Ballou High School here in Washington, DC.
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MLKDay   
DOT   
DC   
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Posted on
1/19/2011 12:01:52 PM
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On Monday January 17th 2011 hundreds of thousands of Americans participated in service projects across the country. From painting schools to serving meals to writing letters to troops, these dedicated volunteers made a positive difference in their communities.
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MLKday   
Video   
MLK25   
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Posted on
1/18/2011 1:58:24 PM
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Today the First Family honored Dr. Martin Luther King with a visit to Stuart Hobson Middle School, where they took part in a mentoring project organized by Greater DC Cares’ Mentoring Matters Initiative. The President said a few quick words:
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MLKDay   
First Family   
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Posted on
1/17/2011 6:09:52 PM
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Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life to the work of building a more just and equal society. While we have made great progress, we still have work to do to realize Dr. King’s dream. As Americans, that is a job for all of us – not just on MLK Day but throughout the year.
Keywords:
MLKDay   
MLK25   
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Posted on
1/12/2011 4:41:29 PM
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This week we’ll be featuring a few of the stories of the MLK Drum Major for Service award honorees. MLK Drum Majors for Service are the helping hands who perform extraordinary everyday acts of service with reliability and commitment, but who seldom receive recognition. The awards were a chance for faith and community leaders to acknowledge and honor their service.
Keywords:
MLKDay   
Drum Majors   
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Posted on
1/12/2011 9:59:52 AM
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With the 25th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day fast approaching, the spirit of his work lives in the projects that you’re planning and the service that you’re doing. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make a difference in your community and share that experience with the world – just by playing a game? You can.
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MLKDay   
Interrobang   
Games   
MLK25   
Youth   
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Posted on
1/11/2011 12:25:12 PM
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Last fall, about 360,000 youth, educators, and community partners began a year-long campaign to demonstrate the potential of education powered by service. Through the Learn and Serve Challenge, they pledged to engage in service-learning activities to help more young people understand how their education is relevant in the real world.
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Learn and Serve   
LSA Challenge   
MLKDay   
Youth   
Education   
K-12   
Pennsylvania   
Water   
GYSD   
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Posted on
1/6/2011 8:02:14 PM
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During his lifetime, Dr. King set big goals, focused relentlessly on results, and achieved historic change. To meet today’s challenges, we need a new generation of citizens to take action to solve problems in their communities. Ten days from now, thousands of Americans will respond to that challenge as they serve their community on the 25th Anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service.
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UWS   
MLKDay   
Toolkits   
Volunteer   
Projects   
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Posted on
1/6/2011 7:37:19 PM
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In less than two weeks, thousands of volunteers will be mobilized as part of MLK Day 2011. The nonprofit, faith-based, education, and national service communities are just a few of the diverse groups of people organizing projects around the country.
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MLKDay   
UWS   
Education   
Youth   
Video   
Corporate   
NonProfit   
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Posted on
1/5/2011 5:34:04 PM
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Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life to advancing equality, social justice, and opportunity for all. He challenged us to build a more perfect union, and taught us that everyone has a role to play in making America what it ought to be.
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MLKDay   
Video   
CEO   
UWS   
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Posted on
12/21/2010 12:57:10 PM
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