Oct. 25, 2008: Teens Make a Difference Day

On behalf of he L.A. County Human Relations Commission and our partners from Connect LA, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, SGS Produce, L.A. Unified School District Health Education Programs, L.A. Unified School District Beyond the Bell Branch and Poseidon School, we are honored to invite and encourage you and the teens at your organization, school or agency to participate in the annual Teens Make A Difference Day 2008 in Los Angeles County on Saturday, October 25, 2008.
Make A Difference Day is a national annual program sponsored by Points of Light Foundation and USA Weekend Magazine. Teens Make A Difference Day is our Los Angeles countywide day of volunteer and community service by teens, and youth and youth-serving organizations, schools, religious institutions, community organizations and government agencies.
This year, we are encouraging teens to consider and undertake shared projects that involve collaboration with teens from different communities, schools, cities or organizations. This goal is consistent with the mission of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and out zerohour: No Haters Here! youth initiative which empowers youth and supports efforts to strengthen and improve intergroup relations and understanding among and between different communities, groups, faiths, etc. in our county. *10 Teen Projects will receive Awards ranging from $1,000 to $250 for Best Collaboration (interracial, interfaith and inter-community), Most Creative, Most Volunteers, ‘Dirtiest’ Project, etc.
Over the past two years, over 6,000 teens in L.A. County have organized and participated in more than 150 different community service projects as part of Teens Make a Difference Day. Last year, Teens Make A Difference Day in Los Angeles County was recognized as one of the top ten national Make A Difference Day efforts by USA Weekend Magazine and (Paul) Newman’s Own Foundation, and was featured on the cover of April 25-27, 2008 edition of USA Weekly Magazine (10 million copies inserted in Sunday newspapers!!). In addition, some of the teen volunteers and sponsors were introduced on the field in a pre-game ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
In addition to encouraging teens to develop and implement projects with teens from different schools, communities, religious institutions, clubs, and racial or ethnic groups, our goal this year is to increase the number of teen initiated projects to 200+, while introducing youth and teens to the Commission’ zerohour: No Haters Here! youth initiative and our 2009 youth songwriting competition, in collaboration with Oneness Foundation.
Attached is the flyer, event fact sheet, project application (please complete and return to us), project examples (from past years), and additional background information. I encourage you to contact me at rverches@hrc.lacounty.gov or Erik Gavica, the 2008 TMADD Project Coordinator, at eagavica@yahoo.com or (323) 203-2341. For more information on the Commission and last year’s effort, go to www.lahumanrelations.org or www.zerohour.com
Richard Verches
Chief Deputy Director
Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission
320 West Temple Street Suite 1184
Los Angeles, CA 90012