There’s Strength In Numbers

One of the amazing things about movement-building is the way in which coalitions evolve and gain momentum. We can still remember a little over a year ago when we felt that getting ServiceNation to 50 organizations seemed like a bold target. Today, the coalition is at 249 organizations. We don't know for sure how many citizens all those organizations can reach, but it's a safe bet that it's north of 100 million.

And it's not just about numbers. It's also about the range and quality of the organizations that see the benefit in joining forces. Take one of our newest coalition members: the Sierra Club, a national organization with active communities and plenty of movement experience. Of course we are thrilled to have such an accomplished outfit join forces with ServiceNation.

But what is really inspiring is the way in which every new coalition member brings a new ability to link communities together. Everyone knows that the Sierra Club is a powerful advocate for conserving and appreciating our natural heritage. In fact, here is how they describe their organization: Since 1892, the Sierra Club has been working to protect communities, wild places, and the planet itself. We are the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. And our founder, John Muir, appears on the back of the California quarter.

Yet you wouldn't necessarily guess that the Sierra Club would be able to bring a powerful range of programs to help jumpstart ServiceNation's new Civilian-Military Initiative (about which we'll have much more soon). Here is how we describe what is going on:

This initiative activates people engaged in volunteer and military service across America to more closely coordinate our civilian service and military communities, enabling each to strengthen the other and, ultimately, to strengthen our nation.  The initiative partners the ServiceNation coalition’s community service organizations with veterans groups, military family groups, and active-duty and reserve components of each military branch.  These partnerships will more closely integrate service to country with service to community, and will help grow the service movement that is critical to America's future success.

And here is a sampling of the incredible range of partnerships Sierra Club is already working on to support it.

• Sierra Club’s Military Families Outdoors (MFO). Connecting military families with the healing powers of our natural heritage. The Sierra Club's MFO program connects military veterans, armed service members and their families with the mental and physical benefits of outdoor experiences. As part of this partnership, Sierra Club is partnering with the National Military Family Association’s Operation Purple® to offer a free week of summer camp fun for military kids with parents who have been, are currently, or will be deployed. 
• The Armed Services YMCA + Sierra Club. ASYMCA and the Sierra Club have partnered to provide unique outdoor experiences for military families.  Since the start of the program, thousands of military children and their families have enjoyed a much needed respite from the heavy burden of multiple extended deployments. 
• Sierra Club + Outward Bound. Sierra Club is working with Outward Bound to provide free wilderness expeditions for veterans and service members. Mental and physical challenges in wilderness settings offer adventure and self-discovery to our veterans of Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom).
  

Amazing, inspiring stuff. Here's a video about the summer camp experiences Sierra Club has been offering military families.