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Volunteer Florida is proud to announce that our agency has received two awards of excellence at the National Conference on Disability Inclusion & National Service, held Oct. 16 - 18 in Alexandria, Virginia!
The awards, sponsored in part by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the National Service Inclusion Project at the University of Massachusetts, Boston Institute for Community Inclusion, recognize outstanding efforts to engage people with disabilities in volunteer service and national service programs.
Inclusion in Action Award
The Inclusion in Action Award was presented to Volunteer Florida for the innovative 6 Days 6 Ramps project, which actively recruits volunteers with disabilities to help build wheelchair ramps for people in need. 6 Days 6 Ramps started in 2000 as a joint project between Volunteer Florida and AmeriCorps Florida State Parks as a single-event, single-site communityservice project. Since that time, it has grown into a six-day, multi-site community strengthening event engaging more than 1,000 volunteers – many with disabilities.
In 2008, 6 Days 6 Ramps, engaged 409 volunteers to build 42 ramps in seven cities.
Excellence in Partnering Award
This award was presented in recognition of the ongoing and transformative efforts of the Volunteer Florida Inclusion Council to engage  people with disabilities in all aspects of national service and volunteerism. Initially convened in 2003, the Inclusion Council – comprised of people with disabilities, organizations like Ability1st Independent Living Center, the Division of Blind Services, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, and national service representatives – has positively influenced policy, practice, outreach and recruitment of people with disabilities to become members and volunteers in virtually all service programs throughout the state.
Volunteer Florida is thrilled to be recognized for its ongoing commitment to engage people with disabilities in volunteer service, and in AmeriCorps and national service programs!
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