Haas Evening Weekend MBA Community Service

Pakistan Flood Relief

2010-08-22T21:53:00.001-07:00

Dear Fellow Students:

The floods in Pakistan that began over the summer have impacted more people than the 2005 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2005 South Asia Earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake combined. However, the funding so far is nowhere near the levels raised during those emergencies.

The crisis is not over. Currently, 20% of the country is underwater and the rains will continue until at least September. In addition to the 1,500 people who've lost their lives and the more than 5 million who've lost their homes, millions more are being impacted by cholera and other waterborne diseases, skin infections, and respiratory infections. The recovery will take time.

The EWMBA Association would like to invite you to help if you are able. There are a large number of organizations that are working to help meet the immediate needs of the survivors. We've selected just a few to simplify the list. Please see the links below.

To all of our students with friends and family in Pakistan, please know that our thoughts are with you and yours.

Sincerely,
Monika Matthews
EWMBAA Community Service Committee Co-Chair
Relief Organizations:

CARE
http://www.care.org/
Distributing shelter, tents, non-food items, and operating health clinics.

Hidaya Foundation
http://www.hidaya.org/
Distributing food, tents, and household supplies. Complies with Zakat distribution requirements.
Islamic Relief
http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/pakistan-floods
Coordinating medical shipments, refugee camps, and distribution of food and household supplies.

World Food Programme USA
Text "AID" to 27722 to give $10 via your cell phone bill
Using helicopters to transport food to people in isolated communities across the Swat Valley.
For more information about various aid organizations, visit the following links:
http://www.chowrangi.com/donation-links-and-relief-resources-for-pakistan-flood-victims.html
http://www.chowrangi.com/mgive-mobile-donation-campaigns-to-assist-flood-victims-in-pakistan.html
http://www1.networkforgood.org/support-flood-relief-pakistan

Relay For Life!

2010-07-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

JOIN the Haas SF Relay For Life Team!
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/haas

It's NOT a race! You don't have to run! Just come have a great time hanging out with other Haasies under the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge in support of the American Cancer Society!
Our very own Shelby Chin is the Chair of this amazing event that takes place every year in San Francisco. Over the past couple of years, we've gotten more Haas students out, and this year we have a team that's already been generously sponsored by a local foundation.
What is Relay For Life?
It’s the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, one like no other. It’s an overnight team event that raises awareness of cancer in the community and raises funds to fight cancer. Throughout Relay For Life, teams of friends, neighbors, families, and co-workers commit to keeping at least one member walking the track…because cancer never sleeps.

This year’s San Francisco Relay For Life will take place August 21th-22nd (10am-10am), 2010.

JOIN the Haas SF Relay For Life team: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/haas

Visit http://www.relayforlife.org/sanfranciscomarinaca

Back to School Backpack Drive

2010-07-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

Remember those days as a kid on your first day of school with new pencils, clothes and a backpack....ready to tackle cursive, novels and your first 'real' science class??!!

Unfortunately, not all are that fortunate to have the same feeling and why our Haas Back to School EWMBAA Project is donating ready-to-go backpacks and gift cards to families of the Battered Women's Shelter of San Jose.

Our goal is to collect 75 backpacks and to collect $2000 in Target Gift Cards so that ever family gets backpacks and a $50 Target Gift Card to go back to school shopping for new clothes and shoes.

Here's the project starting 7/16 until 8/6:

Open the following Google spreadsheet and sign up to make a backpack or donate a Target Gift Card. When dropping off backpacks, please label outside with what age you made the bag for....

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0At4ZFICJtrTxdEkxMTJEUmtSbkh2bnZSa1VGYmZpdlE&hl=en&authkey=CJqNiXQ

For backpacks, please purchase a new backpack and fill it with age relevant school supplies:

PreK-K: Pencils, wide ruled paper and notebooks, pencil cases, markers
Grade School: Pencils, wide ruled paper and notebooks, pencil cases, markers, folders, etc
Jr High and High School: Pens & pencils, binders, folders, notebooks, etc.
Drop Off sites for backpacks and gift cards from 7/16 to Friday 8/4:

1) Haas EWMBA Office during summer office hours.

2) Dinner for 2013 admits at DoubleTree (drop off with Kimberly) on Friday August 6th

3) Send gift cards in mail to Kimberly Petska at (please email Kimberly when you mail...checks made out to Kimberly Petska for me to buy GCs are also accepted):
Kimberly Petska
2007 Pacific Avenue #3
San Francisco, CA 94109

4) Fellow EWMBA classmate houses. Soon we will be announcing drop off sites at fellow classmates houses on the weeknight evenings and weekends through out the Bay Area.

5) And finally....we will be having a drop off pizza party at Pauline's Pizza (RSVP to be sent soon) in the SF Mission on Wednesday August 4th at 7pm. Stop by and drop off your backpack/gift card and eat a slice of infamous SF pizza.

Any questions, please email Kimberly Petska.
kimberly_petska@mba.berkeley.edu

Thanks for your support and lets hit our goal of 75 backpacks and $2000 in Target Gift Cards. Feel free to go in with fellow classmates, friends, co-workers and family!!

Thanks!

Haas Community Day

2010-04-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

It's National Volunteer Week and the EWMBA Community Service Committee has lined up two exciting events. Reach Beyond Yourself and take part in the HAAS Community Weekend!

**Both events are kiddo friendly! Bring your families!**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SATURDAY

HAAS Community Weekend - Hemophilia 5K Walk!

Hemophilia is a genetic bleeding disorder that prevents the blood from clotting normally. The main symptom is uncontrolled, often spontaneous bleeding. Internal bleeding into the muscles and joints can result in pain, swelling and, if left untreated, can cause permanent damage.

We will have teams representing the FTMBA, EWMBA, and Alumni. The Cesar Chavez Park is a hidden gem in Berkeley. Bring your kids and walk along the shoreline overlooking the Golden Gate bridge. Support us by joining a team or donating to us!

When: 4/17/2010 @ 9:00 AM

Location: Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley

Sign up: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/LOXXSROWWDJETFLCSENR/hemo

Contact: Vikas Meka (vikas_meka@mba.berkeley.edu)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUNDAY

Haas Community Weekend - Urban Sprouts!

Join your fellow Haas MBA students while helping SF kids learn about healthy eating! We'll work on a school garden helping build a compost area, worm bin, and new garden bed. Make sure to wear long pants and closed toed shoes. They will have all the tools and supplies that you will need but bring your own water bottles! If you have gardening gloves, bring those as well.

Afterward we'll treat you to lunch nearby!

When: 4/18/2010 @ 9:00 AM

Location: Urban Sprouts at Martin Luther King Academy - 350 Girard St. in San Francisco

Sign up: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/ABKTNZBVARTTDDIZECUH/communitydaysf

Contact: Monika Matthews (monika_matthews@mba.berkeley.edu)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember both events count toward hours required to graduate as a Haas Community Fellow!

Eggster Easter Egg Hunt - April 3

2010-03-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

Every year a group of dedicated Berkeley students organize Northern California's largest Easter Egg Hunt to benefit higher education causes. This is a great chance to bring your family up to campus for a fun day of outdoor activities.

What: 16th annual Eggster Hunt and Learning Festival
When: April 3, 2010
Where: North side of the Valley Life Sciences Building (VLSB) on the UC Berkeley campus (Please refer to the map of campus, upper part of grid C3.)
What to bring: The Eggster Hunt and Learning Festival is an outdoor event, so we suggest that you bring:
Plenty of water
Sunscreen
Hats
Sunglasses
Layered clothing for changing weather
***We do not serve any food at our event (other than the candy in the eggs), so we recommend that you also bring a snack or even a picnic lunch for your family to enjoy.

Tents for Haiti

2010-02-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

A message from a fellow student:

Hi! My name is Kate Hanpachern and I am a first year EWMBA student. One of my friends, an American aid worker in Haiti, was killed in the January earthquake. Through this tragedy I have been in contact with some aid workers in Haiti. They have said that their immediate need is tents because the rainy season is coming very soon (and has even started). Tents will allow the people of Haiti to stay dry, warm, and healthier so they can continue the necessary work of rebuilding their county.

I am trying to raise money to buy tents. I am working with an organization in Atlanta that handles the logistics of getting tents to Haiti and distributing them to various aid groups. This group in Atlanta, www.ahomeinhaiti.com, has worked out a deal with Coleman (the outdoor company/tent-maker) to buy tents in bulk for a very reduced price. The minimum order quantity is $2,000. My goal is to raise at least that much in the next week.

If you each donate $10, then we raise $2,000. If others get involved too, we can make a significant difference. Please help! And we are happy to take donations larger than $10!

For more information, please see the presentation I created: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBPmibXUkTw

You can also find more information on the Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=335653484736

To donate:

-You can give me cash or check.

-You can donate to my PalPal account so we can track our progress: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YEFGTV85658WL

-Or, if you feel more comfortable going direct: http://ahomeinhaiti.org/ (If you donate directly, please send me a note letting me know the amount so I can keep track.)

Thank you very, very much!!!

Kate

Haas Community Fellows - Logging Volunteer Hours

2010-02-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to remind all of you that the deadline to submit your hours for the Haas Community Fellows Program is April 15th of your graduating year. This is especially important for those of you who are graduating this May! Don't forget!

If you're wondering how to log your time, it's simple. We've worked with Beth and the IT team to create a new and easy way for you to submit your hours. Just sign into the Haas student directory at https://studentdirectory.haas.berkeley.edu/ and click on the "Service Hours" link at the top of the page to start recording your hours!

To fill out the form you'll need dates of service, amount of time spent volunteering, and contact information for the organization. If you volunteer through a Haas event, you can just put the Community Service Committee as your contact. Click Save and you'll see a list of all of your events. No more keeping track of Excel spreadsheets!

If you want to know more about the Haas Community Fellows Program, guidelines and/or FAQs, you can always visit the EWMBAA Community Service Committee blog, or go directly to the info sheet: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddhfvn45_6f5h6p5fc

Haiti Fundraising Update

2010-01-24T20:15:00.000-08:00

Haas EWMBA students have given over $1,700 to various charities helping in the earthquake relief efforts. Thank you to everyone who is helping!

Donating to the Right Cause

2010-01-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

The EWMBAA Community Service Committee chose to raise funds to support Yele Haiti. The CSC chose Yele because it has been in operation in Haiti since 2005 and will continue to do so long after the relief efforts are completed. They know how to utilize local resources, they get through local government issues more quickly and efficiently, and the money will be spent on long-term recovery rather than only immediate needs.

We believe in Yele Haiti. So, it was rather shocking to see an articles contending that founder Wyclef Jean personally profited from donations to Yele. (Nonprofit tax experts found no serious wrongdoing.) Upon thorough review, we found the allegations to be based on a superficial understanding of how nonprofits utilize resources and report business transactions. Given greater information stemming from the power of national press, however, we have to acknowledge that Yele may not have always handled things properly in the past. With the current scrutiny, what is clear is that earthquake relief donations will go to help those in need. If you have any questions or would like further data, please contact Monika.

Putting all legal matters aside, what matters most is helping the victims of the earthquake. Port-au-Prince is in ruins. The destruction and loss of life from the earthquake and multiple aftershocks is beyond anyone's imagination. We ask that you give what you can to an organization that you feel proud supporting. Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors posted a brief guide to disaster funding that includes a list of organizations with strong ties to Haiti.

CARE - With an active presence in Haiti since 1954, CARE's work there focuses on HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, maternal and child health, education, food security, and water and sanitation.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - CRS has more than 50 years of experience in Haiti and currently serves some 200,000 of the poorest and most marginalized Haitians in the areas of health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation, HIV/AIDS, agriculture, peace building and migration.
Oxfam - With a staff of 200, including a 15-member emergency response team, Oxfam International brings expertise in water, sanitation and public health in Haiti, as well as local knowledge and community networks established over the past decade.
PLAN - Having worked in Haiti since 1973, the organization currently implements child-centered community development programs featuring Health, Education for Girls and Boys, HIV/AIDS, and the Rights of the Child.
Save the Children - Having worked in Haiti since 1985, primarily in Port-au-Prince and the Central Plateau region, Save the Children provides health, education, protection and food security programs to vulnerable children.

In addition to Arabella's list, we'll continue to add Haiti-based charities here as we identify them:

Haitian Health Foundation - improves the health and well-being of the poor, the sick, and the infirm of Jeremie to break the bonds of poverty, which tie so many Haitians to a life of great deprivation
Hope for Haiti - improves the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly children, through education, nutrition, and healthcare
Lambi Fund of Haiti - assists the popular, democratic movement in Haiti to help strengthen civil society in as a necessary foundation for democracy and development
St. Bonafice Haiti Foundation - helps the people of the desperately poor rural region of Fond des Blancs
What If? Foundation - feeds and educations impoverished children in Port-au-Prince to provide hope and opportunity for a brighter future

Partners in Health has been providing health care in Haiti for over 20 years and is currently working to address the needs of those injured in the quake.

Regardless of which group you choose to support, we'd love to track participation. Please email Monika Matthews to let tell us about it (monika_matthews@mba.berkeley.edu). We've already raised over $1,200!!!

Thanks!
The CSC Team

Earthquake Relief

2010-01-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

In light of the devastating impact of the earthquake in Haiti, we would like to unite as a student body to show our support. While there are a multitude of organizations you can support, the EWMBAA Community Service Committee has elected to raise funds for Yele Haiti.

www.yele.org

Yele was founded in 2005 by notable Haitian, Wyclef Jean. It is a grassroots movement that brings global awareness to Haiti while providing programs in education, arts, sports, the environment. Yele focuses on manageable projects that promote long-term progress, which in the past have included rebuilding schools, sports programs for youth, and food distribution. Currently, Yele Haiti is dedicating 100% of its efforts to earthquake relief.

The CSC chose Yele Haiti because of its strong and long-lasting ties to the people of the country. Just as with Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the India Ocean Tsunami in 2004, nature has brought to the public eye already dire economic conditions. And as we can see now looking back on those disasters, it will take a great deal of time to help this region recover. Yele Haiti has been active in tnhe country and will continue to work toward progress long after the major recovery organizations are gone.

You can help by donating to Yele Haiti in one of two ways:

1. Text YELE to 501501 to donate $5. The amount will be added to your cell phone bill.

2. Donate more by visiting the Yele Haiti website. www.yele.org

Please make sure to let us know you donated so we can tally results! Email Monika Matthews (monika_matthews@mba.berkeley.edu) with the amount you donated to have it added to the total.

Thank You!!!

December Blood Drive

2009-12-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Guess what? The EWMBA Community Service Committee is co-sponsoring the last blood drive of the semester and we need your support!

This event is during finals week, so take a break from studying or come to campus, EARLY before class to donate blood!!!

It's not too late to sign up. Remember every donation can save lives!

You can make an appointment at BEADONOR.COM, drop by the American Red Cross table on Sproul during the week or just show up on December 8th!

As if giving isn't enough, any organization (that's us!) that brings in 75 or more donors will win a free pizza party! But of course, we're not doing it for the pizza.

If you can't donate, but you know someone who can, please forward this message to them!!

Here's another way you can get the word out. Post this event to your Facebook wall and let everyone in your Berkeley network know about this important event!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186350317803

Read some Quick Facts about donating blood.

If you have any questions, please contact me or Emily Ma.

Thanks! See you there!

Jeremy

Here are the vitals:

WHO: EVERYONE
WHAT: BLOOD DRIVE!
WHEN: DECEMBER 8, 12-6PM
WHERE: PAULEY BALLROOM, MLK
WHY: BECAUSE YOU CARE

Jeremy Fong
jeremy_fong@mba.berkeley.edu
(831) 261-7297

Emily Ma
ARC @ Cal Blood Services Co-Coordinator
emilyma.12@berkeley.edu
(916) 802-4616

Alameda Point Collaborative Cancelled

2009-11-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

But join us at Urban Sprouts instead!

Community Fellows

2009-11-13T15:18:00.001-08:00

Did you know that you can earn recognition at graduation by completing community service hours during your time at Haas? Read more about the Haas Community Fellows Program below (and you can always find this information linked in the sidebar!):

Haas Community Fellows Program

As a public business school, we must convey the truth that the creation of opportunity is meaningless unless we share the opportunity with others and that adhering to any fundamental ethical standard is not a luxury.

~ Tom Campbell, Former Dean, Haas School of Business

Purpose

UC Berkeley is built upon and for the express purpose of serving the greater community. The Haas School of Business is in the unique position of offering a top-ranked program within a public university. Incorporating this inherent relationship between business education and community involvement, former Dean Tom Campbell, with the MBAA and the EWMBAA, launched the Haas Community Fellows Program in 2003.

The program was developed to maintain and enhance a long-time tradition of Haas students giving back to the communities in which they live and work. The program encourages students to engage in community issues by formally acknowledging those who do so, reinforcing Berkeley’s reputation as a public school that builds its foundation in and for the community. A Haas Community Fellow can take pride in the title, as it showcases a necessary aspect of successful business leadership.

Qualification and Application Process

Any EWMBA student who completes 50 hours of community service over their three years of education at Haas qualifies to be recognized as a Haas Community Fellow. Any student who intends to apply for the program should register with the Community Service Committee when their volunteer hours begin. Registered students should then keep track of their community service hours by filling in the Haas Community Fellows spreadsheet. Students are responsible to submit the final application and spreadsheet to the Community Service Committee. The required number of community service hours and the final application are to be completed by April 15^th of the graduating year.

Recognition

All Haas Community Fellows will be recognized in the commencement program. The student in each graduating class who performs the most volunteer hours will receive special recognition on stage during the graduation ceremony, along with a plaque honoring this achievement.

Classification of Community Service

Students must receive no compensation for hours counted toward fellows status.
Beneficiaries of students’ service must be classified as non-profit organizations under the 501c3 guidelines. In special cases, other nonprofit organizations (501c4, 501c8, etc.) may qualify with pre-approval.
Time spent in service to Haas (committee service, club memberships, etc.) does not count toward volunteer time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I include volunteer work outside of Haas events?

YES! Students are encouraged to volunteer in whatever capacity is meaningful to them. Please record and report hours spent serving the community through any nonprofit organization that falls under the IRS 501c3 classification.

Do Berkeley Board Fellow hours count?

YES! As long as students receive no academic credit or compensation for board participation, service through any board, including the Berkeley Board Fellows program, is eligible.

What about nonprofit organizations that are not 501c3 classified?

Some organizations may be eligible even if they are not 501c3 classified. Examples include volunteer fire departments and fraternal organizations such as Elks Lodge. Volunteer hours with these organizations must be dedicated to charitable activities and must be pre-approved by the community service committee.

Who can participate in the Community Fellows Program?

The program is open to both the MBA and EWMBA students. Each program operates independently, but fellows will all be recognized at the joint program commencement ceremony. One student in each program will be recognized on stage for having the highest number of volunteer hours in their program and graduating year.

Can I include work in student organizations?

No. Serving in student government or organizations is part of the benefit of attending Haas. Service to the school is extremely valued, but does not emphasize the need for business leaders’ involvement in the greater community. Please do not include volunteer hours spent planning activities for Haas or attending club meetings or events.

On a sidenote: We are in the process of implementing an easier tracking system that will utilize the student directory interface. We're not quite there yet, so be sure to keep your hours for now, and we'll let you know as soon as it's up and running!

Upcoming Events!

2009-11-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

Due to a few too many conflicts in the weeks leading up to holiday season, we'll be postponing the Haas Community Day until Spring. Be sure to keep your eye out for information about the cross-program initiative next semester!

We do, however, have two amazing events this weekend! These events are a collaboration between the Full-Time and EWMBA programs, with one in Alameda and one in SF. This is an excellent opportunity to meet some Full-Time classmates while doing something to help the community.

Keep in mind these also count toward the 50 hours of volunteering required to graduate as a Haas Community Fellow!

The Events:
(Both on Sunday, November 15)

Alameda Point Collaborative, Alameda (10am-1pm)
Volunteers will work with APC to help prepare rooms for the Thanksgiving brunch and in the Ploughshares Nursery preparing the demonstration garden.
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/VAOGRSQQFJHYUQVAEGCD/alamedapoint

Urban Sprouts, San Francisco (9am-noon)
We'll work on a school garden helping build a compost area, worm bin, and new garden bed. Make sure to wear long pants and closed toed shoes. They will have all the tools and supplies that you will need but bring your own water bottles!
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/MXTSHQKXAFFGKNXMGCBM/urbansprouts

The events are open to both programs, but there's a limit on volunteers, so sign up ASAP!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Haas Habitat for Humanity Day

2009-08-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you mix a gorgeous Saturday day with an energetic group of motivated Haas students armed with power tools, hard-hats and a commitment to community? In this case you get a completed wall frame, weather-proofed house and a room finished with drywall. On Saturday August 3rd the Haas Community Service Committee successful participated in this school year's first Habitat for Humanity Event.

The site was a gorgeous hill side development in San Francisco’s Bayview district overlooking, well, the beautiful San Francisco bay. The day started early but everyone came wide eyed and excited. After registration and getting hold of the obligatory hard-hats, a stretching session, lead by a chartered Pilates coach, helped kick-off the event; there is really nothing better than a good stretch before getting started with manual labor.

After a brief rundown of the work scheduled for the day by site coordinator our fellow Haas students volunteered for the day's assignment. The work included framing the first wall of a new home, the weather-proofing of an already framed house and putting up dry wall in another. In total there were 5 homes under various states of completion.

After getting our instructions from habitat's leads everyone jumped right into work. For me, I volunteered for the work requiring the use of scaffolding which at first induced some vertigo especially with the realization that the floorboards are loose and tends to shift as you walk on them. It may not seem much till you realize you are reaching out over a three story drop to nail insulation onto the building exterior. In the end it all worked out and before long I was running around from floor to floor like it was a jungle gym.

At lunch time we were pleasantly surprising to be able to split lunch with another volunteer organization, Random Acts of Kindness that was also present. After consuming vast quantities of burgers, cookies and chips we all went back to the grind with full stomachs. And before we knew it the day was at an end and we were wrapping up.

After all the tools were put away and the day's dirt and grime was dusted off the group took a short trip to a local bar for a quick drink and celebration. Overall it was a fun and very satisfying event. Not only did we have a good start to the first Habitat for Humanity event, but we helped the families that bought those homes move in that much sooner. So stay tuned for the next scheduled event and we hope to see you there!

Los Altos Wine & Art Festival

2009-08-07T14:29:00.001-07:00

Haas students had a great time volunteering at the Los Altos Wine & Art Festival! The festival, coordinated by the Los Altos downtown small business association, brings together local businesses and the community for a weekend of music, food, and great shopping.

Half of the Haas students manned the entry booth, checking IDs, applying wristbands, and selling glasses. We learned pretty quickly that both asking for ID and applying those sticky wristbands are acquired skills. Marissa and Catherine were getting pretty good at it by the end of the day!

The rest of the students worked the beer booth. This group was in the midst of the concerts, taking care of the bands and the thirsty dancing patrons. Needless to say, they had a lot of fun.

We all got to meet a few new people and enjoy the beautiful weather. We'll definitely be looking to do this type of event again in the future.

Summer Events

2009-07-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Hope you're all enjoying your summers!

The Community Service Committee has some great events coming up, and we wanted to make sure you all knew about them.

VOLUNTEER:
July 12, Saturday
Los Altos Wine & Art Festival
12:15pm - 5pm

Help pour wine, beer, and margaritas for this celebration of small business in downtown Los Altos.

ALMOST FULL! We need 3 more people confirmed ASAP!
If you have signed up and can't make it, please let us know immediately, as they are counting on us to fill the booths.

Check the evite for details and registration:
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/ZHQPHYGIRCJHWJYWZPJK/losaltos

VOLUNTEER:
August 1, Saturday
Habitat for Humanity Build
8:30am - 5pm

Help build homes in the Bayview District of San Francisco
We'll provide lunch!

We need to get a few more people to help us out on this one. Please sign up as soon as you can. This event has been a favorite of past participants. Let's show off our building skills! NO Experience Necessary!

Check the evite to register:
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/TXJAWOIGLUFVZYDNOBFA/habitat

SOCIALIZE/PARTICIPATE:
August 15/16, Saturday/Sunday
San Francisco Relay For Life
10am Saturday - 10am Sunday

The Marcled Foundation has sponsored teams at this year's Relay For Life for the American Cancer Society. These spaces are reserved for Haas students, alumni, and guests who are interested in participating. THIS IS NOT A RACE! The event is an all day/overnight fundraiser/celebration dedicated to cancer research. This event is FAMILY FRIENDLY, with lots of activities for kids. You can join the team even if you only want to attend a small portion of the event.

For more details, or to join the Haas team, visit:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddhfvn45_8ftph4mhs

IN THE FALL:

Watch for Community Day in October, a Blood Drive, and more Family-Oriented events.

Any questions? Visit the blog: http://haasewmbaa-communityservice.blogspot.com/

Clothing Drive Success!

2009-05-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much to everyone who donated to the clothing drive. The Community Service Committee delivered over FIFTEEN bins of goods to BOSS on Friday. Incredible! BOSS Community Builder Janny Castillo told us it was one of the largest donations they'd received outside of the holiday season. If a bin holds $500 in donations (give or take, depending on the contents), we collected almost $8,000 for BOSS!

We barely had time to park our cars at the BOSS site in Berkeley before swarms of residents came out to help unload the donations. One tall guy immediately noticed a large pair of shoes I had donated and we compared shoe sizes. He was amazed to see a pair large enough for him, but shocked when he found they were from a girl! We bonded over our gigantic feet and scoured the piles for another pair. Everyone was so helpful and so happy to see us. The residents took control and moved and sorted donations to be distributed later. The residents actually do a lot of the work around the site, including sharing their skills in the kitchen and in classes for their peers. In fact, Janny herself was a resident 15 years ago, and several employees share that history.

We had the opportunity to tour the facility and learn a little more about the organization. BOSS hosts several community sites including emergency and transitional housing for homeless and disabled individuals and families. The site in Berkeley is a comprehensive home that offers loads of classes, a computer center, a library, a children's learning center, and a garden. As we walked through the site, we met residents and employees, and it wasn't always clear which was which. The entire time a man in a white t-shirt and a long gray ponytail was carting around supplies. Everytime we crossed paths he made sure to tell us about another opportunity for volunteering. He wasn't the only one! I don't think we passed a single person that didn't stop and thank us. I was actually kind of sad to leave, but drove off with a smile after I noticed that the guy from the beginning was already wearing his new shoes (that, and I was happy to be able to see out my rear window again!)

One of the things that surprised me was the sheer number of ways BOSS helps. They offer intake counseling for people looking for shelter, emergency housing to people to start in before moving through the program, transitional housing for people getting back on their feet, case management to help people accomplish their goals, preventative case management to keep low-income and disabled people from losing their homes or jobs, summer camp for the children to teach them sports, arts, music, and get them involved in productive activities, and all kinds of classes ranging from financial management to computer literacy to health and wellness.

There are so many opportunities to help! BOSS is always looking for people to mentor individuals and help them learn how to handle life and career skills. They also need people to teach classes, play with the kiddos, and help in all kinds of ways around the sites.

As future business leaders we have the power to give the individuals at BOSS the most valuable gift there is. We can educate them to become self-sufficient. As the saying goes, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. The number of ways that we can help are countless. Are you a super accountant or a financial whiz? If so, you can teach individuals the basics of budgeting and simple financial planning so they don’t get bogged by credit debt. Are you a history buff? Teach the kiddos all about Lincoln and the civil war. Are you an artist at heart? You can offer piano classes or help with art projects. If you're an athlete, why not teach the kids basketball or soccer?

After visiting the site and meeting some of the residents, we couldn't resist finding a way to get involved. I'll be working with the kids over the summer - teaching basketball and doing art projects. Vikas is thinking about running some yoga classes - we'll definitely post embarrassing pics of him in downward dog!

If you'd like to learn more about ways you can get involved, email community service committee member Vikas Meka (vikas_meka at mba dot berkeley dot edu) about your interest.

Clothing Drive Update

2009-05-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

The clothing drive has gone phenomenally well so far! Thank you all for your awesome contributions! We've got about 9 full bins worth of clothing and toiletries to donate, and the bins will be out until Friday. Let's see if we can hit 15!

2009 Community Fellows

2009-04-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

As the school year nears an end it becomes a good time to reflect on the hard work and effort that we all managed to muster to get through another academic year. But it is also a good time to extend congratulations to our fellow students that will finally complete their journey with Haas. The Haas School of Business Class of 2009 will take their last finals this May and walk out as the latest Haas alumni.

And with that in mind I'd like to announce those rare individuals in the class of 2009 that have not only accomplished what we all know firsthand is an immense amount of work, but also managed to invest personal time to volunteer in community service. These dedicated and good-hearted students have earned the Haas School of Business 2009 Community Fellows. This achievement they earned by completing at least 50 hours of community service at CSC events or through personal volunteering during their time at Haas. So if you run into these individuals give them a sincere congratulation. So without further delay please let me introduce the 2009 Haas Community Fellows:

Dutta Satadip
Kyle Kearney
Dilpreet Singh
Patrick Callery
Jasmin Young
Paigie Light
Jennifer Elliott
Melanie Harris
Tim Ziemann
Kyle M. Heller
Anne Heaphy
Ken So
Courtney Dombek
Renu Motwani
Gilbert Lee
Seungmyon (Steve) Park

I'd also like to give special recognition to Dutta Satadip who managed to contribute well over 500 hours of community service! The CSC sends their sincere congratulations to everyone on this list and a warm thank you for all their contributions.

Spring Cleaning Donation Drive

2009-04-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

We're at the tail end of classes and at the perfect time to start uncluttering our lives. Pretty soon we'll be putting the textbooks back on the shelf, finding a storage place for that nice Haas backpack, and focusing on something other than the next deliverable. Why not start the summer fresh by cleaning out all the stuff around our homes that we just don't need? Those pants that don't fit now that we have no time to work out? All of those hotel toiletries from the rushed business trips between exams? The bedding you don't need anymore because you just bought new sets at the recession sales? Get rid of all the clutter!

Donate your stuff in the Community Service Committee's Spring Cleaning Donation Drive. All donations will be going to BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency), which helps homeless, poor, and disabled people achieve self-sufficiency through housing, education, healthcare, and economic development. Starting Friday, collection bins will be located in Bank of America Forum, outside the library, and on Cheit Level 2, until May 15!

BOSS needs your:

CLOTHING
clean used or new: men’s, women’s, children
career and casual, shoes

TOILETRIES
shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes
hotel goodies are perfect!

LINENS
clean bedding, towels

Donate now!

Vallejo Playground Build

2009-04-27T00:03:00.000-07:00

Volunteers had a great time out in Vallejo's City Park getting the site ready for the new playground. We measured the foundation holes that been drilled into the ground, taught some neighbor kids how to help, and were able to see the work we had accomplished by the end of the afternoon.

One of the really nice things about this event, in particular, was the community involvement. All of the tools were donated or loaned by local families and organizations. We were only at the site for a few hours, but over the course of the afternoon we met so many locals who stopped by to help. One father was in the park with his kids and decided to help clean out a hole or two before going back to his day. His daughter learned how to use a couple of the tools and started showing us her skills! She was really proud that she was helping in the park where she comes to play. A group of neighbors with metal detectors stopped by to see what they could find and picked up dirty nails and dangerous metal scraps as they went along.

The organizer's daughter, Chloe, was especially curious about the build. A volunteer showed her how to use one of the tools to clean out and measure a hole.

By the end of the day, we were tired and dirty (partly from playing gopher!), but we were excited to see the results of our efforts. Once the playground is complete, we'll post pics of the kiddos enjoying the fruits of our labor. The 100% volunteer-run build continues through Sunday, May 3rd. If you're interested in helping get up the playground structures, email Monika Matthews to set up a time.

National Volunteer Week

2009-04-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

It's National Volunteer Week!

Be a part of the movement! Join us Sunday as we work together to build a playground designed by children for Vallejo's City Park.

Help Build Vallejo's Enchanted Playground!

2009-04-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

April 26th, 12:30-4:30pm, Vallejo City Park

Come join your Haas peers for a fun day of volunteering and networking. A Haas team will be helping the Vallejo Architectural Heritage Foundation build this playground. We'll be cutting and sealing wood, preparing the parts, and doing all kinds of other things to help out.

Sign up to help on the Evite!

What's really great about this event in particular, is that there's no cap on volunteers. This means you can bring your s.o., your roommate, your kiddos (age 10 and up only b/c it's a construction site!), or whoever else you want working by your side. If there's enough interest, we might enjoy some social time afterward at a nearby watering hole.

Custom designed by nearly 200 of Vallejo's greatest playground experts - our children! - and one of the nation's most innovative playground design firms, Leathers and Associates, the City Park playground will be unique and a point of pride for Vallejo's families.

Placed in a grove of sycamore trees in Vallejo's historic City Park, the playground features a massive tree fort at it's heart. It also incorporates Vallejo's nautical heritage with a large play-ship. A separate play area for smaller children features a "little marina" as well as a "sea life" sand box and bungalow playhouses designed to reflect the historic homes that surround the park.

Unlike conventional playgrounds, this will be built from the ground up from wood and natural looking composite decking. And it will be constructed entirely by volunteers!

City Park is located at the intersection of Sacramento and Louisiana Streets. Established in 1868, it is one of the oldest city parks in the western United States!

Introducing the 2009 Community Service Committee

2009-04-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! My name is Jerome Abregana, second year EWMBA student, here to introduce the 2009 Haas EWMBAA Community Service Committee. That’s a mouthful I know so you can also call us the CSC team too. But before I get too far I wanted to caveat that this is my first attempt at maintaining a blog, so bear with me if the writing is less than witty and amusing, but I assure you at the very least it will be informative and very useful.

Ok so back to the first order of business. Please let me introduce the 2009 Community Service Committee. So drum roll please…

Executive Sponsor: Amy Daily

Co-Chairs: Monika Matthews, Sukhi Singh

Jerome Abregana

Jeremy Fong

Narayan Janakiraman

Vikas Meka

Herman Ng

The second item I’d like to cover is outlining the committee’s objectives and general plan for the year. Our primarily goal this year is quite simply to increase the level of participation of the EWMBA community with the various volunteer and community service opportunities in the area. We realize that everyone is busy with school, work, family and other commitments but we also acknowledge that our fellow students have a genuine desire to get involved and contribute to the community. Our job, as we see it, is to really simplify the process and make it easier for you to have the opportunities to volunteer and make a contribution.

So in support of this goal the committee has outlined the following broad set of objectives for the year

1) We’ll be increasing the variety of events

2) Expand the number of events that occur in the south bay

3) Work towards having a community day with multiple simultaneous events so more opportunities for everyone to find and participate in the causes that matter most to them

4) More information and general awareness about Community Fellows Program

With these broad guidelines our hope is that we’ll simplify the process in getting involved and promote events that are closer to the heart of our fellow students. One last thing before I sign-off here. Take a look at the navigation bar to the right of this passage. Those links there we’ll continually be updated to inform you of upcoming community service events as well as a calendar of other charitable events throughout the bay area. And finally we’ll have a section for volunteer profiles. So here is a chance for you to tell us about your experience and tell us about those causes that matter most to you.

Whew, alright hopefully I covered everything. So that's it for now, but please do come back and I’ll have more updates, pictures of events and announcements.

EWMBA Annual Volunteer Day 2008

2008-11-25T20:44:00.000-08:00

Check out some of the pics from the event!

Volunteering at Family Fun Day

2008-03-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

A few of us who were free from the spellbind of memorizing the Black-Scholes formula found time to volunteer at the Palo Alto Family Day event this past Sunday.

Apologies to the first year folks! It was not our intention to plan the volunteering event on the week of the finance and operations finals (this event only happens once a year unfortunately). I guess there'll be more to look forward to next year!

I think it's safe for me to say, we had as much fun as the kids that day! We spent the afternoon together as a group assisting an artist name Claude making African masks (extremely cool guy!).

When the event started, many of the kids walked pass our table and flocked straight for the African beading station; perhaps they were thinking that halloween is a bit too early. But our competitive nature immediately surfaced as our very own Jasmin stepped up to the plate and created a kick-ass sample piece, drawing many of the kids to our table! (while making Wilton proud!)

The kids were great... it amazes me how many life stories they have to share with only a few years on the planet (I can maybe at best come up with 1-2 good stories over the past 6 years). But other than a few finger burning incidents when we took out the professional grade glue guns, it turned out to be a pretty successful day.

Check out some of the pics from our group below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/kkso.2005/HaasVolunteeringAtPaloAltoFamilyFunDay?authkey=aUP5RZMYqaw

Just a little bit of background on the Palo Alto Cultural Kaleidoscope Family Day. The event is held once a year on a Sunday afternoon in a school gym in East Palo Alto. Its mission is to bring the disparate communities of Palo Alto and East Palo Alto together through a shared interest in the arts. Volunteers are assigned to work with kids on various art projects, from African beading to Indian metal embossing.