AmeriCorps Opening Day kicks off on November 9 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury. As one of the new AmeriCorps members serving at SCI, I'm well aware that the organization has made a significant impact in local communities since SCI was founded in 2002. But it is interesting to look back at the data over time to see just how big of an impact SCI has made by the numbers. Although it does not tell the complete story, as personal stories are a bit more compelling, it is still worth taking a look at.

Since SCI started:

*105 people have served as an SCI AmeriCorps member

*Trained 1,681 new leaders as "Social Capitalists"

*Recruited 12,988 community volunteers

*Engaged 61,103 residents in civic life

*Generated 238,533 service hours valued at $6.2 million dollars.

As AmeriCorps Opening Day approaches, I look forward to hearing more about the impact this program is having all over the state, and to continue doing my part to make a difference. 

Recently, I attended a symposium on poverty in America since the Great Society at Brandeis University on November 1, 2012. The day was spent discussing how poverty in the U.S. has changed since 50 years ago when well-known author Michael Harrington first published "The Other America," taking an in-depth look at the poverty crisis in the country at that time.

There were a number of intriguing guest speakers like Robert Kuttner (co-editor of the American Prospect), Bob Herbert (award-winning journalist and Op-Ed columnist for the NY Times), Jules Bernstein (well-known worker's rights advocate), distinguished Professors at the Heller School of Social Policy, and a Heller School student involved with youth organizing, to name a few examples. Read more