- Response-Ability
Infobox Company
company_name = Response-Ability
company_
company_type =Non-profit organization
foundation = 1974
location =Philadelphia, PA
key_people = Elizabeth Eager, Executive Director Mary Scheuermann, Program Director Joanne Sullivan, SHCJ, Spiritual Director
industry = Education
products =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
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homepage = [http://www.ravolunteers.org| www.ravolunteers.org]
footnotes =Response-Ability is a
non-profit volunteer service program that places college graduates ininner-city Catholic schools in the US and in other international sites. It is a member of theCatholic Network of Volunteer Services and is affiliated withAmeriCorps .A ministry of the
Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) grounded inCornelia Connelly 's educational philosophy, Response-Ability trains, coaches and inspires innovativevolunteers to provide quality education and service in inner city schools and international sites. Living in community, volunteers achieve spiritual, personal and professional growth. Response-Ability's core values are God Among Us, Commitment to Community, and Reverence of the Individual. Its vision is communities modeling reverence for each individual.History
The program began in 1974 as a
vocations awareness program for the SHCJ. Sisters would bring college-age students to various sites throughout the US to perform service for three weeks over the summer. Inspired by the work ofTeach for America , Response-Ability launched its Teacher Service Program in Philadelphia in1993 . Volunteers began to serve as teachers in inner-cityparochial school classrooms. This was beneficial to many schools that faced the possibility of closure. In the following years, the program grew to include volunteer houses in Los Angeles and Washington, DC. At the same time, the Holy Child Sisters requested that volunteers work with them in the Dominican Republic and in Chile. These volunteers, mainly women, work in the areas of education,health care , andsocial services .Today
There are currently 19 Response-Ability volunteers serving in
Washington, DC ;Philadelphia, PA ;Los Angeles, CA ;Santiago, Chile and Los Alcarrizos,Dominican Republic . Response-Ability hopes to begin placing volunteers inNigeria within the next few years.Related Links
* [http://www.ravolunteers.org Response-Ability]
* [http://www.wordnet.tv/videos.htm Semi-Documentary]
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