1 By Youth Introduces Manassas Volunteer Program

Littleton, CO, March 13, 2010 --(PR.com)-- 1 By Youth™ brings together youth groups throughout Manassas to volunteer for a day of service that will revolutionize an entire neighborhood. When you think about 1 By Youth™, picture this: a thousand (or more) teenagers from youth groups in the Manassas area volunteering to transform a neighborhood. They’ll tackle an area the size of several city blocks and bring help and hope to people in need by working on projects like painting, home repairs, landscaping, cleaning and beautifying city parks, cleaning vacant lots, and cleaning schools and nursing homes.

1 By Youth is open to volunteer participants, grades 6 –12 and there must be at least one adult (age 18 and above) for every five youth participants.

Included in the $29 registration fee for the volunteer day in Manassas:

Kickoff rally to start the day
All supplies and project materials
Lunch
Devotional materials for mid-day break
Service project selection and organization
In-neighborhood Block Party Celebration to finish the day
Great staff

In Manassas, volunteers will be serving the community of Georgetown South. Georgetown South reflects the surge of rich diversity that has changed the face of Manassas in just a few short years. The 10-mile wide city, with its 35,000 residents and Historic Civil War era "Old Town", now has public schools that are 44% Hispanic, 33% Caucasian, 17% African-American and 6% Asian/Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic).

Of 860 townhomes built solid and firewall-safe 45 years ago in Georgetown South, many need a facelift – cleaning yards, fixing broken fences, putting on a fresh coat of paint, planting flowers. Last spring, residents started a Neighborhood Watch and donated tools to help youth mow lawns and make repairs. An army of 1 by Youth volunteers can build on these efforts by working side-by-side with residents and encouraging them with the power of what youth and faith can do in just one day.

Besides helping to build neighborhood pride and celebrate diversity by working with the residents of Georgetown South, here are the projects volunteers will be working on at 1 By Youth:

Paint all front and back fences in the community
Paint all electrical boxes
Paint parking lot lines and numbers
Landscape community center
Add flower boxes to entrance signs
Plant Crape Myrtle trees in 17 areas
Add borders and fill in 22 muddy paths with safer loose-fill walkways
Weed all play areas, add borders and safety mulch
Paint at least 12 play stations (swings, monkey bars)
Repair or replace 2 swing sets
Install 4 new play equipment stations
Repair drain area (where water doesn’t flow correctly)
Install 8 picnic tables, 3 park benches, 15 metal trash cans and 5 grills
Paint basketball court lines
Install 1 basketball hoop
Build 1 railing
Add steps to 1 pathway
Repair or remove a fire truck
Build a small pavilion (tentative)
Set up a new soccer field
Resurface 2 basketball courts
Pave 1 drive
Pick up trash and litter on 22 acres of greens

Participants in 1 By Youth will complete a variety of projects in a single day. The projects are selected by the local leadership team in each city according to standards suggested by 1 By Youth. This unique opportunity for youth groups to volunteer in Manassas happens on April 24, 2010 so call800-366-8948 or visit http://www.1byyouth.com now to register.

1 By Youth™ is part of Group Cares™ (previously known as Group Workcamps Foundation), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides dynamic short-term mission trips and service events that help children, youth, and adults connect to Jesus while serving people in Christ's name. Group Cares trips and events are interdenominational, focusing on the core Christian beliefs that bring the Christian church together.

Since 1977, nearly a quarter of a million participants have grown in their relationship with Christ while providing more than 6 million hours of volunteer service directly to people in need.

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