This blog post was written by Jillian Lopez, Volunteer Engagement Manager
As the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service (MOCEVS) prepares for the year ahead, we want to take a moment and reflect on how we adapted to and what we achieved in 2020. Our Annual Report highlights how our team switched gears to support COVID-19 response efforts and adapted to remote engagement work.
Over the past year, our team prioritized removing barriers and promoting active civic and volunteer participation among Philadelphians. With 153,147 hours served, 6,514 people engaged, and 150 events, MOCEVS helped empower our communities to create lasting positive change.
Last year, volunteers played a crucial role across Philadelphia to support our most vulnerable neighbors. Their commitment highlighted the spirit of service in the City of Brotherly Love. We are proud to share a summary of our work in 2020:
- Remotely onboarded 49 VISTA members; our largest cohort yet!
- Acquired 50 Chromebooks to assist our Foster Grandparent volunteers adapt to remote service.
- Regularly convened cross-sector leaders and National Service programs to discuss decreasing barriers to and promoting awareness of service year opportunities.
- Coordinated with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the National Nurse-led Care Consortium to create and support recruitment for a new AmeriCorps Program: the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps (CCCC).
- Expanded the Mayor’s Volunteer Corps portal, supporting over 2,000 Philadelphians connect with local volunteer opportunities.
- Transitioned our Civic Engagement Academy to a virtual platform and trained over 400 community members.
- Engaged over 150 City employees monthly to discuss and share best practices for civic engagement, with special focus on engaging hard-to-reach communities.
- Consulted on strategic community engagement projects like the Office of Immigrant Affairs’ multi-lingual mail-in ballot guide and the Office of Emergency Management’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
View the full 2020 Annual Report.
In 2021, our team will continue to serve our communities to reduce barriers, provide resources and make it easier for every Philadelphian to be involved.
