Major Leaguers Andrew Bailey, Craig Breslow, Rajai Davis and Brad Ziegler Team with the Bay Area Action Team® Student Leaders to Enrich the Lives of Local Children   

Hayward, Calif. Aug 17 – Today, Major Leaguers Andrew Bailey, Craig Breslow, Rajai Davis and Brad Ziegler of the Oakland A’s and high school student leaders from the Bay Area Action Team joined together for a day of games and other fun activities for local low- and moderate-income children.

The event was aimed at enriching the lives of children and their families living at Volunteers of America’s Lord Tennyson Apartments, (2191 Tennyson Road, Hayward, Calif.) which provides homes to more than 250 low- and moderate-income working families who would otherwise have difficulty finding an apartment in the Bay Area that fits their budget.

The ballplayers and high school volunteers organized and participated in activities for children ages 7-12 who live at the apartment complex, including games, story time, face painting and a book giveaway.

Administered by Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Trust, the Action Team® program encourages young people throughout the United States to volunteer in their communities. Action Teams, consisting of Major League baseball players and student Team Captains from more than 145 high schools in 30 states and Puerto Rico, are working together to encourage young people to get involved in their communities by volunteering. To date, Action Teams across the country have inspired more than 25,000 high school students to help over 100,000 people in need by volunteering in their communities.

 Making a Difference for Seniors

Volunteers of America Bay Area, East Cliff Village Apartments resident Charles “Chuck” Recknagel wanted to attend the local County Fair. No public transit or para- transit was available. Despite being wheelchair bound, with problems speaking due to a stroke, he wanted to contact the Metro Board of Directors to request that service be provided so that he and other seniors and disabled riders could attend.

With the help of the Volunteers of America Bay Area Service Coordinator, Lisa J. Arthur, he connected with the Central Coast Center for Independent Living and the Metro Accessible Services Coordinator, created a proposal and presented it to the Metro Board of Directors. Despite this being a time of budget cuts, the Board of Directors decided to exceed his request for one day of public transit to the fair, and approved public transit to the fairgrounds for the entire duration of the County Fair.
          
This Volunteers of America Bay Area resident asked for the support he needed and took positive action despite his limitations. His efforts resulted in extended services for all public transit riders, including seniors and disabled riders, throughout the county who can now attend the County Fair. We can all make a difference.

Oakland – California

On Dec. 1, 2009, World AIDS Day, the Alameda County Public Health Department, Office of AIDS Administration awarded the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education Award to Ms. Sharyn Grayson, Manager of the Volunteers of America Bay Area Health Services Program. 

The award is given to a highly respected member of the HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention community to honor their work in the prevention and education of the spread of HIV/AIDS.  Grayson, who has worked diligently in the HIV/AIDS community since 1985, is being recognized for her outstanding service, leadership and advocacy in the community around prevention and education for HIV/AIDS. 

Grayson serves as a board member on Alameda County Planning Body which makes recommendations on funding for Ryan White dollar allocations.  She has served on the People Living With HIV/AIDS Committee since 2007 and is its current Chair.  Since 2008, Grayson also serves with the California Health and Planning Group a consortium of service providers and academics in the HIV/AIDS field. 

Grayson and the Health Services Program at Volunteers of America Bay Area, help to reduce the viral load in the community by reducing the number of individuals that are unaware of their infection through a 20 minute rapid results test, and then help to counsel clients through a positive result.  The program staff then refer clients for treatment and continue to educate and counsel clients with a positive result to prevent the further spread of the disease.  The Health Services Program serves an average of 1,700 unduplicated clients per year. 

The NonProfit Times ranked Volunteers of America Inc. #19 out of the top 100 nonprofit organizations of 2009 in the nation based on revenues.  Volunteers of America Inc. was also ranked as part of The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 2009 annual Philanthropy 400 list, and ranked 221 out of 400 in over-all standings.  

Major Leaguers Andrew Bailey, Craig Breslow, Rajai Davis and Brad Ziegler Team with the Bay Area Action Team® Student Leaders to Enrich the Lives of Local Children   

Hayward, Calif. Aug 17 – Today, Major Leaguers Andrew Bailey, Craig Breslow, Rajai Davis and Brad Ziegler of the Oakland A’s and high school student leaders from the Bay Area Action Team joined together for a day of games and other fun activities for local low- and moderate-income children.

The event was aimed at enriching the lives of children and their families living at Volunteers of America’s Lord Tennyson Apartments, (2191 Tennyson Road, Hayward, Calif.) which provides homes to more than 250 low- and moderate-income working families who would otherwise have difficulty finding an apartment in the Bay Area that fits their budget.

The ballplayers and high school volunteers organized and participated in activities for children ages 7-12 who live at the apartment complex, including games, story time, face painting and a book giveaway.

Administered by Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Trust, the Action Team® program encourages young people throughout the United States to volunteer in their communities. Action Teams, consisting of Major League baseball players and student Team Captains from more than 145 high schools in 30 states and Puerto Rico, are working together to encourage young people to get involved in their communities by volunteering. To date, Action Teams across the country have inspired more than 25,000 high school students to help over 100,000 people in need by volunteering in their communities.

 Making a Difference for Seniors

Volunteers of America Bay Area, East Cliff Village Apartments resident Charles “Chuck” Recknagel wanted to attend the local County Fair. No public transit or para- transit was available. Despite being wheelchair bound, with problems speaking due to a stroke, he wanted to contact the Metro Board of Directors to request that service be provided so that he and other seniors and disabled riders could attend.

With the help of the Volunteers of America Bay Area Service Coordinator, Lisa J. Arthur, he connected with the Central Coast Center for Independent Living and the Metro Accessible Services Coordinator, created a proposal and presented it to the Metro Board of Directors. Despite this being a time of budget cuts, the Board of Directors decided to exceed his request for one day of public transit to the fair, and approved public transit to the fairgrounds for the entire duration of the County Fair.
          
This Volunteers of America Bay Area resident asked for the support he needed and took positive action despite his limitations. His efforts resulted in extended services for all public transit riders, including seniors and disabled riders, throughout the county who can now attend the County Fair. We can all make a difference.

Oakland – California

On Dec. 1, 2009, World AIDS Day, the Alameda County Public Health Department, Office of AIDS Administration awarded the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education Award to Ms. Sharyn Grayson, Manager of the Volunteers of America Bay Area Health Services Program. 

The award is given to a highly respected member of the HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention community to honor their work in the prevention and education of the spread of HIV/AIDS.  Grayson, who has worked diligently in the HIV/AIDS community since 1985, is being recognized for her outstanding service, leadership and advocacy in the community around prevention and education for HIV/AIDS. 

Grayson serves as a board member on Alameda County Planning Body which makes recommendations on funding for Ryan White dollar allocations.  She has served on the People Living With HIV/AIDS Committee since 2007 and is its current Chair.  Since 2008, Grayson also serves with the California Health and Planning Group a consortium of service providers and academics in the HIV/AIDS field. 

Grayson and the Health Services Program at Volunteers of America Bay Area, help to reduce the viral load in the community by reducing the number of individuals that are unaware of their infection through a 20 minute rapid results test, and then help to counsel clients through a positive result.  The program staff then refer clients for treatment and continue to educate and counsel clients with a positive result to prevent the further spread of the disease.  The Health Services Program serves an average of 1,700 unduplicated clients per year. 

The NonProfit Times ranked Volunteers of America Inc. #19 out of the top 100 nonprofit organizations of 2009 in the nation based on revenues.  Volunteers of America Inc. was also ranked as part of The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 2009 annual Philanthropy 400 list, and ranked 221 out of 400 in over-all standings.