Patrick and Connie Copeland-Malone (LVC ’91) shared their LVC story with us, and we’re sharing it with you below. We joined LVC in 1990 as the oldest and only one of two married couples. We served in Chicago through the Greater Chicago Food Depository (Connie) and the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (Patrick). Our residence was Casa Esperanza along with three other wonderful roommates (Vicki, Sonvy and Lisa). We choose Chicago specifically because of its rich history in community organizing and were not disappointed as one of the nations most exciting faith-based organizing efforts occurred that year with the formation of the Christian Community DevelopmentRead More →

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Anti-Oppression Training Reimagined In response to previous LVC Volunteer feedback that anti-racism training was more like an intro-101 class and spoke only to white Volunteers, leaving People of Color out of the conversation, LVC paused training to consider new models for preparing its Volunteers for service and life. After evaluating several national providers, LVC is taking a different approach, one that is more co-creative and helps the organization better learn to live its values — while teaching new Volunteers the same. In August 2021, anti-racism training becomes an anti-oppression “walk” designed not around personal privilege recognition and growth with an equity goal, but with aRead More →

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In response to a trend-shift in Volunteers interested in serving more in the East than Midwest, LVC has found itself without enough Volunteers to fill its Twin Cities, MN houses. The rich history with Winona, Redeemer, and Wellstone goes back years. Each house is connected to a Lutheran church support congregation that adds unique and special support to Volunteers over their service year; and all have LVC alumni who continue to serve on church councils, staff, and related church nonprofits. All of the houses and relationships are spiritual, emotional, and material assets for LVC’s program — yet for August 2021, the continued decline in TwinRead More →

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CreateMPLS prepares students in underserved communities for the future of work through technology and learning programs, and is a new Placement with LVC for August 2021. In 2025, Minnesota is expected to have 200,000 tech jobs, yet 40% of students in the state don’t have access to training to meet this demand. CreateMPLS brings STEM especially to young women and students from racial minority backgrounds to build this pipeline of talent. LVC has matched Volunteer Braden Kilpatrick as technology program facilitator, supervised by Rob Warland at CreateMPLS for August 2021. Braden is passionate about working to help solve many social justice issues in society today.Read More →

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Baltimore, MD’s Public Justice Center was founded in 1985 to use legal tools to challenge poverty and racial inequity in Maryland and beyond. They actively incorporate racial inequity lens and analysis in arguments to educate around bias, white supremacy, and oppressive systems. In 2021, Public Justice Center joined LVC as a Placement, matching Volunteer Maryam Hassanein as paralegal, health and benefits rights project, with PJC’s supervisor Ashley Black; and Fredson Desravines as paralegal, education stability project with PJC’s supervisor Monisha Cherayil. During Desravine’s years at Providence College, he served in leadership positions such as a Chairperson for the Board of Programmers and a Program CoordinatorRead More →

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