“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
This week (April 18th - 24th) is Volunteer Appreciation Week. The Goodman Center is lucky to have so many AMAZING volunteers who make a difference in our community every day. We value each and every one of you who have engaged with the Center through volunteering, whether you're a weekly volunteer, have come for Thanksgiving Baskets and everything in between. We are especially grateful for everyone who has volunteered and donated during this past year. GCC's mission to strengthen lives and secure futures has been more important than ever.
The past week has been difficult as communities process the death of Daunte Wright at the hands of police. Daunte Wright should still be alive. Our Black neighbors should not have to wake up - time and time again - to more news of a Black man, woman or child killed, injured or harassed by police. It is critical that we all continue to learn about ways in which we can further educate ourselves and do more to create a livable world for all people. Use your voice to advocate for change and remember to lift up others' voices too. Our work toward achieving social justice is never done, and we all need to learn, listen and change. The Goodman Center is here to support volunteers, staff and community members in our collective effort to create a socially just world. Thank you to everyone who has engaged in and continues to engage in this work, especially as it connects to your volunteering at Goodman.
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Chrissy
Chrissy Ramakrishnan
MCHS AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator
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WHAT'S GOOD AT GOODMAN
Summer at GCC
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It feels early to be planning for summer, but in reality, those hot, sunny days will be here before we know it. GCC has summer camp and programming for children in preschool through high school, as well as employment opportunities for high school students. Sliding fee scale and scholarships are available for preschool and elementary school. Middle and high school are free!
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Knitting a Business Together |
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Malyki Dean started knitting in third grade, and now this Goodman Center sixth grader has started his own knit shop. “I really like knitting, and making money doing something I like is super good,” said Malyki. With the help of GCC CLC Club Coordinator Ben Pate, Malyki designed and printed business cards and set up an email address and Instagram account for his business. And Malyki doesn’t do the knitting alone. He has employed the other members of the GCC Middle School Knitting Club to make hats, scarves, blankets, bags and more, all available for purchase.
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Our TEENworks crew has been hard at work, helping in the food pantry, prepping and distributing Preservation CSA shares and more. And earlier this month, they added another successful Pop-Up Dinner test run to the books. The menu featured pesto garlic bread, biscuits and gravy and cake pops – all made from recipes that were submitted by and meaningful to our teens. TEENworks Career Coordinator Tara and the teens selected the recipes, prepared all the food and greeted and served customers drive-thru style. The night was a success, and they plan to do it again in May.
Stay tuned for more information!
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The Goodman Center is hiring! Join our incredible team (we’re not kidding when we say our staff are the BEST around). Will you help us spread the word?
Current open positions:
- Dishwasher
- Assistant Director of Event Management
- Manager on Duty
- Catering/Event Coordinator
- Fitness Center Assistant
- Development Associate
- Elementary Summer Camp Teacher
- PASS AmeriCorps Summer LOFT Youth Programs
- PASS AmeriCorps Elementary Programs
- Program Cook
- Executive Assistant (to CEO)
- Girls Inc. STEM Coordinator
- Elementary Childcare and Programming Teacher $250 Sign-on Bonus
If you or someone you know is interested in one of the positions above, visit our website.
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Natalie Al-Oboudi - Elementary Classroom Volunteer since February 2021
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My name is Natalie, and I’m a new resident to both Madison and Wisconsin. I moved here last summer from California with my husband Jassim and our dog Snoop. I graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Biology in 2018 and worked in a wheat genetics research lab before moving to Madison. I love to spend my time reading, hiking, kayaking, gardening and listening to music. Since moving to Madison I have been enjoying my first experience of actual seasons and am looking forward to seeing spring in full bloom.
I have a lot of experience working with young children as a full-time nanny, so being able to volunteer with school-age kids in a more formal setting has been very rewarding. I’m currently participating in the Partners in Afterschool Childcare Training 2021 course so that I can start working in childcare professionally. I’ve been having a blast getting to know the students of the Gold room and helping them enjoy their math assignments more. This volunteer experience has helped me see some of what students have been going through during the pandemic and has highlighted how important having a space like Goodman is.
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Welcome Susan! - Volunteer Manager
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Warm hello to you - I’m Susan Ramspacher (sounds like the two football teams - the Rams & the Packers). I’m so excited to join you all on the Goodman Community Center team as the new Volunteer Manager as of April 12! I’ve worked for almost 25 years in community-based nonprofits focused on supporting families in Madison and throughout the state. In the first years of my work, I focused on fighting oppression against women and youth in domestic and sexual violence programs at Domestic Abuse Intervention Services and End Abuse Wisconsin. This work welcomed me into organizing and partnership efforts with people from around the state especially BIPOC women fighting for justice. It was exhilarating and often daunting work. Most recently I worked with the tremendous team of folks at the Lussier Community Education Center, a neighborhood center on Madison’s westside. There I met so many tremendous community members, volunteers, and staff - it made me fall in love with neighborhood centers.
Originally from New York with a stint in Virginia for college, have called Madison home for more than two decades and yet still feel deeply connected to my New York roots. I love to knit and garden and have more projects started than hours in the day to finish. Traveling pre-COVID was high on my list of good times and hopefully I’ll be able to get back to it soon.
I can’t wait to meet as many of you as possible and realize that COVID might mean that will take more time than usual and might be electronic rather than in person. Volunteers are such a critical part of any organization, and I know I will learn so much from you and hope to share ideas and offer growth to you as well.
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Thanks for Your Feedback! |
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Thank you to everyone who filled out our volunteer survey that was shared in the last newsletter. The raffle has now closed, but you can still respond if you haven’t had the chance to yet. Feedback from the survey is being analyzed and the volunteer department will be thinking about ways to integrate feedback into Goodman’s Volunteer Program. Some items we want to focus on as a result of feedback are:
- Identifying and providing appropriate trainings for volunteers in a variety of formats
- Communicating key information on programs to volunteers in a timely manner
- Creating a volunteer website specific to GCC volunteers with schedules, resources and training
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All Wisconsin residents aged 16 and over are eligible to be vaccinated now. Wisconsin Department of Health Services has a great webpage with links for an array of places to look for available vaccine appointments. Check out their website.
Many area pharmacies have become sites for vaccination including Costco, Walgreens, Hy-Vee, and Pick-n-Save as well as independent pharmacies around the area. Links to their appointment websites are listed on the DHS site. And the Alliant Energy Center has become a mass vaccination clinic supported federally by FEMA in partnership with our local health department, UW, WDHS and the State of WI.
- Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI - Register online or call 1-844-684-1064
The general guidance is to sign up for several different registries such as an area pharmacy and at the Alliant Center. Then check their sites at the beginning of the day and any other point you can to find available appointments.
Public Health of Madison and Dane County reports that almost 50% of eligible residents have received at least one vaccine dose. With every appointment this number grows and we get closer to herd immunity and safer community engagement for all.
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MILESTONES
Happy anniversary to these individuals who continue to commit to putting their best foot forward to strengthen lives and secure futures! We're glad you're here!
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Lawrence Baker, 8 years
Megan Barry-Luglio, 9 years
Carol Johnson, 3 years
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Carey Karabis, 5 years
Carol McCann, 3 years
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Wishing you all a very happy birthday! |
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Natalie Al-Oboudi, 4/16
Etas Carria, 4/28
Keeley Crowley, 4/13
Phyllis Davis, 4/28
Tom Howes, 4/13
Paul Ketterer, 4/2
Brian Langtim, 4/22
Sunita Murthy, 4/1
Derek Peterson, 4/1
Amanda Purcell, 4/12
Andrea Ripberger, 4/20
Philip Rozwadowski, 4/25
Patrick Rynes, 4/22
Krystal Sanchez, 4/11
Geneva Sergenian, 4/16
Alexandra Shaw, 4/21
Michael Tenamore, 4/20
Christopher Villanueva, 4/27
Kevin Welch, 4/7
Destiny West, 4/14
Christine White, 4/17
Pam Wilson, 4/26
Emma Woods, 4/2
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We are looking for volunteers who are technologically savvy who would be willing to come to the center and provide technology training for our older adults. We have pandemic procedures in place to maintain the sanitation of our space and provide our volunteers and older adults a safe and socially distant space to be in during these trainings.
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Where: 149 Waubesa St, Goodman Center's Ironworks Building
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When: Mondays & Wednesdays 1 hours slots between 10am and 2pm
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GOODMAN COMMUNITY CENTER
214 Waubesa Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53704
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