Joey (AHA!) has some tips about how to cut down on energy use (and maybe help prevent blackouts while the temperature is in the triple digits).

Energy efficiency is about more than just “being green,” it can really save you money. People with low-incomes spend a higher percentage of their income on utility bills, so it is important to get the most out of your dollar when it comes to your utility bills. Here are some tips that we share with our consumers:

1.    Change your filters – Most A/C or furnace filters should be replaced once a month (or more if you have pets!) A dirty filter causes you’re A/C to work harder and run less efficiently, therefore using more electricity.

2.    Turn the thermostat up (or down) – Turning the thermostat up to 78 in the summer can save on energy bills in the hottest summer months.

3.    Use ceiling fans – Ceiling fans help wick away sweat and remove body heat, but remember to turn them off if you’re not in the room. Using fans instead of your A/C can really take some of the strain off your electric bill.

4.    Replace light bulbs – Replace burned out iridescent bulbs with compact fluorescents. They last longer, use less energy, and produce less heat. Remember to dispose of CFLs properly because they contain mercury.

5.    Check doors and windows – Drafty windows and doors can have a big impact on your utility bills. Caulking windows and weatherstripping doors can help if new windows and doors are not in your budget.

6.    Fix leaky faucets or toilets – A dripping faucet or running toilet could be costing you money on your water bill. Toilet flush valve assemblies are inexpensive and easy to replace. Opt for a low-flow or dual flush unit if you do replace. Faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads are also easy ways to save money on your water bill.

7.    Avoid peak times – Some utility companies charge you more during high demand times, such as the hottest part of the day in the summer. Adjust your thermostat accordingly and try to avoid large appliance use, such as your washer, dryer, and dish washer during that time.

8.    Get an energy audit – Have an energy auditor perform an audit on your home. The auditor will run tests to determine the air-tightness of your home and ductwork and inspect your attic for energy saving opportunities.

9.    Sign up for free weatherization – The Texas Department of Community and Housing Affairs offers a free weatherization program. This program helps low-income families reduce their energy bills by having professional contractors perform measures to increase the efficiency of your home. Some utility companies offer similar programs as well.

10.  Replace old appliances – Refrigerators, washers, and dryers account for more than 80% of the total appliance load in a home. Old appliances run inefficiently and waste energy. If your appliances are nearing the end of their life cycle, consider an appliance recycling/rebate program. Some utility companies provide incentives for consumers to upgrade appliances with Energy Star rated appliances.

Go to the library and look for books on energy efficiency, weatherization, and green building, such as “Residential Energy” by John Krigger.

Be wary of products or services that go out of their way to promote “being green.” Green products and services are becoming more popular, so some companies are trying to take advantage of that. Do your homework. Research products or companies online. Some of the measures listed above will not only save you money, but can extend the life of your appliances, increase your comfort level, and make your home a nicer place to live.

I have learned so many things over the past 11 months, and I literally have no idea what I want to post about in this final blog for my term in Americorps. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve in my community.  The past 11 months have been full of ups and downs, but the community at SafePlace and with my fellow AmeriCorps service members has been a true second family.

For the past 15 minutes of so, I have been trying to come up with a topic for a blog post, while listening to a Pandora radio station based off of Feist’s song “1,2,3,4.” It’s a good song and a great station, if you like poppy female vocalists, but I digress. I must say I could find little to write about that somehow sums up the entire AmeriCorps experience. There is so much involved that I find it difficult to summarize in a blog post.

My one bit of sage advice is always plan ahead. Unexpected expenses can vary from anything like a need for Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate ice cream after a bad day at work, to car repairs, or travel due to an unexpected illness or death. The time to plan for unexpected expenses is now. As I said, this year has been full of ups and downs. On a personal level especially, this has been a difficult year.

Anyway, I hope that the change that I see in myself will continue to grow. I know that in my heart what each navigator has done will help the world. Like a drop of water in the ocean, it is hard to “see” the change that we have worked so hard for. I believe, though, that if we all keep working with the same diligence and passion to improve our communities that we will live to see a better day for all.

Good night and good luck…

One of the first important things I learned during my term as an ASSET member was on the very first day of training. As we closed our binders and prepared to leave, Salena told us we had one more activity to complete before we were dismissed: Plus/ Delta. The basis was simple enough, but I’d never actually heard the term. We all volunteered aspects of the day that we liked, enjoyed, learned from (the pluses) as well as things that we would like to change, or work on (the deltas).

Oddly enough, the idea of Plus/ Delta stuck with me throughout my term. I’d like to say I made an everyday habit of doing it, but that’s not entirely truthful. I did, however, occasionally reflect on what was going well and what could improve, usually in times of frustration. Thinking of an aspect of my service or site as a “Delta” instead of a “Negative” made a big difference to me mentally and helped me keep a constructive attitude even during tough times, to focus on what I could change as opposed to what I didn’t like.

So as my term comes to a close, I’ll offer a couple of Pluses, and one Delta, just to keep things balanced.

+   I came to my site, Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, with little to no understanding of the challenges facing low income families, especially not in Texas. At the end of my term, I am able to give people advice on taking steps to find housing, and I have some background knowledge on the successes and setbacks my organization has faced in advocating for safe, affordable housing for all Texans.

+   I learned valuable research skills and put them to work finding information that would help my coworkers be better informed on the issues they were representing. Since our Americorps service prevents us from taking any active political role, it was great to be able to collaborate with my more political coworkers and be able to understand the background on what was going on on the state and national levels of housing policy.

Delta: These months contained many more quiet days alone in the office than I’d experienced in any other position. While sometimes the quiet is peaceful, it didn’t take me long to learn that I work best when I have the opportunity to collaborate with people. I looked forward to the monthly meetings and conference calls for the chance to talk to other ASSET members about their sites and the work they were accomplishing. As I take my next steps, I’m glad I learned that I’m not built for solitary work, and I’ll seek out positions that complement that.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate in that my pluses have far outnumbered my deltas during my term as an ASSET member. I know I’ll take the knowledge and skills I learned this year wherever my career takes me.

As the ASSET*AmeriCorps program comes to a close, I can report that my host site is committed to providing the level of information resources initially made available  by ASSET’s core services. A University of Texas Student from Korea will be an Assistive Technology Advisor/Navigator. Another UT Student will step in as a computer class instructor; an ARCIL staff member will continue to carry over the housing services.

By allowing a student from UT to participate and continue offering these services to the community is a testament to the success of the ASSET program. Although far from perfect and still evolving through three years of existence the programs with ASSET have shown that positive outcomes can be possible by addressing the needs of the less regarded members of the community.

It is with a heavy heart that I see this program go as it was maturing and returning more successes as time passed. However, the people that were directly impacted by the program will continue to cherish the opportunity and embrace the blessing of having been able to receive solutions for their daily challenges from ARCIL, Inc and ASSET*AmeriCorps. Good luck to all statewide members in their next challenges!

Recently Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center (BVRC) successfully completed its first session of Autism Assessment, Research and Intervention Clinics. In June, we began our first session of Autism Clinics servicing preschoolers and toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders. This partnership between Easter Seals East Texas (BVRC), Texas Autism Collaborative and the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University, with generous support from the Dansby Grant Foundation, has been in progress for three years and we are excited to finally offer these services. During the clinic, we provided comprehensive diagnostic assessments and piloted a six week intensive intervention clinic staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Board Certified Behavior Analysts in training at  Texas A&M University, and certified teachers. For the clinic, we targeted social, communication, and behavioral skills with interactive activities and preschool routines. We were delighted at the growth in the children, who became much more interactive and communicative, and we enjoyed working closely with the children’s families. Lastly, this is another way BVRC is servicing people with disabilities in the Brazos Valley and I am glad to be a part of an organization that makes an impact.

In reviewing my term of service at Imagine Art I have concluded that my main contribution has been purely relational. The information that I have had to offer has been used, but in a minimal way in comparison to the development of relationships between myself and the clients of Imagine Art. It seems that the resource of my knowledge regarding financial literacy has not been as necessary as the trust that was built through the process of relaying that information; I have become part of the community, in a way that I did not expect and from which I have greatly benefited. I have truly enjoyed the time I have spent working at Imagine Art and with the Navigators at Easterseals Central Texas.

Imagine Art obtained the Financial Peace University Course through a grant basis. After the grant was received, we offered a two week period for the clients at Imagine Art to sign up. We devised a weekly evening course in which a dinner would be served along with the course. So far, the course has been successful, though it is only about halfway through. There was some difficulty with the clients following through with attendance, but offering a free dinner has made a difference. The information seems to be resonating with a lot of the attendees but time will truly be the test for the effectiveness of the course in relationship to the clients at Imagine Art. The main obstacle seems to be commitment and follow through from the clients’ end.

I believe that one of the things for which I am most grateful of the ASSET Program was that I was given the opportunity to learn about ADD/ADHD symptoms and treatments.  I have an 8-year-old son, who I now understand probably has ADD/ADHD.  I knew my son is not the typical kid, as he is a unique person.  I have sisters and brothers and we all have children all around the age of my son.  But my son just seems to stick out in this crowd.  He is very temperamental.  He is usually the one that makes the other kids cry.  It is his way or no way.  He only likes his foods a certain way.  When I call him, it’s like he doesn’t even hear me.  I can tell him to do the same thing over and over and he does something else.  Now, I love my son very much.  But I hadn’t realized until now that my son probably has ADD.  I thought that he just needed to get more discipline but now I realize that all my son needs is a different approach.

My plan is to now learn more about ways to better assist my son.  I am reading as much as I can on the subject to help me find ways to assist my son.  Some things I do differently now; I don’t spank him, we do time-out or take TV and video games away.  If he is throwing a tantrum, I don’t get upset about it, I don’t show him that I am upset, I let him get it out of his system (course I make sure he doesn’t hurt himself) and we talk about it later, when we are both calm.

Next, I am planning to take him to the doctor to get a diagnosis and discuss treatment options with his physician.  I am also planning to meet with his teacher to discuss my son further with her and keep an open line of communication with his teacher.

Overall, I think that there is lack of awareness and diagnosis of persons with ADD/ADHD and sadly many persons with ADD/ADHD are misunderstood.  Eventually, I would like to start a support group for parents with children with ADD/ADHD to discuss and find ways to better help our children grow to be as successful as they possibly can be.  Thanks ASSET and ABLE Center for making me aware and understand ADD/ADHD.

- I got lost in the gigantic Capitol Building at the first Kick Off rally… then several months later, at the Austin AmeriCorps week rally, found my way to the bathroom without getting lost like a pro.

- I got to walk around a parking lot with children and ponies at Easter Seals’ Walk With Me.

- As mentioned in my last post, I attended the Homeless Resource Fair and ended up with a much better idea of the scope of this problem in Austin.

- I played with… I mean, observed, the really cool AT at DARS.

- I attended the Adult Camp Homecoming at Easter Seals and had a blast!!

- Planted seeds with consumers at Mary Lee on MLK Day and then served at least 12 pies to 30 people. I’m only slightly exaggerating.

- Did accessibility surveys of bars I probably would have never gone to otherwise.

- Attended some really interesting housing forums.

- Got to know some really great people at ARCIL.

- Helped put together a successful event that involved hula hoops, skip-its, and balloons (in a tiny bar).

- Attended service projects in which I got to paint, collect jeans, discover I’m allergic to sunflower plants, sell baked goods, etc.

- Made some friends!

- Ate a lot of bagels.

All in all, not a bad 11 months.  It seems like just yesterday I met Cat Karwick in front of 1016 La Posada and we couldn’t find the front door.

As I think back on my experience as an AmeriCorps member, I wonder to myself… “would I recommend doing this program to someone else?”  I guess the simple answer is yes… but I wouldn’t recommend it for everybody. Maybe my experience will give a little insight as to what to expect, and help others decide if they think they are a good fit for the program.

AmeriCorps is a volunteer program, so you aren’t technically employed with the service site where you serve. However, you do get paid in the form of a “stipend.” Then—aside from the satisfaction of knowing all the good you’re doing—there are other perks such as health insurance, education award, and possibly childcare assistance.  I personally signed up for this opportunity because of the benefits I would get out of it. I had a one year old son, I was job searching, had no insurance, school loans, and I wanted to get my foot in the door of non-profits. It was perfect…  sort of.

I found an open AmeriCorps position at SafePlace as a Family Advocate. It seemed like such an awesome opportunity. The job description was so different than anything I had ever done before, and it was exactly what I was looking to do. I knew without any experience in this field, I wouldn’t really have a chance at a job like this. I applied and got accepted. I think there were only one or two more applicants aside from myself.

Long story short, working at SafePlace has turned out to be one of the best opportunities I have ever had. I love the work that I do. It can sometimes be demanding, but if I had not started as an AmeriCorps volunteer, I don’t think I would have had this opportunity. They also hired me two months before my term ended, which was pretty cool. It was weird to feel like I was a staff member at SafePlace, when technically I wasn’t. To be completely honest, at times I found AmeriCorps activity requirements to be redundant, time consuming and annoying. But it wasn’t too bad.

Living off of the stipend wasn’t too bad for me, since I am married and my husband also has income. Additionally, we were approved for SNAP benefits and childcare assistance. As an AmeriCorps member, your living stipend isn’t included in the total income when you apply.

When I was researching the childcare assistance through the program, I had so many unanswered questions. I had to do a lot of research. It was a headache for the first four months of my term. The process to get assistance took a long time to fully kick in, which meant that I had to pay all costs upfront. For me, that meant that ALL of my stipend was going towards childcare. I was close to quitting the program just for this reason. It was a nightmare. Luckily, it worked out for me because the program got better about paying me in a more timely manner, and SafePlace let my son attend their school (which was cheaper and flexible with when I made my payments). I would recommend to others that they NOT bank on this benefit coming through for them for a few months. Most folks cant afford to cough up hundreds or even thousands of dollars for childcare while they wait for help.  I’m still wondering how I managed to do it.

Health insurance benefits were great, I’d say. I made about ten doctor visits (at least) during my term, and very little was NOT covered. That being said, I had to pay upfront for medicines and wait to get reimbursed. Copayments were very reasonable (15.00 ish per visit).

The experience I gained, though, was priceless. It all worked out well for me, and I can proudly say that I completed the program. AmeriCorps program is wonderful and scary in the sense that no two people will experience the same things. I would do it over again if I could.