history

 

The Lasallian Volunteers officially started in the summer of 1989 with the first Orientation. Roots of the program extended at least 15 years earlier as innovative Brothers invited volunteers into their works with the poor. Across several Districts of the Christian Brothers in the United States, Africa and the West Indies, the volunteer program began to take shape. It was these early successes that enabled the Lasallian Volunteers to evolve into what it is today. Over the course of the past 21 years, more than 540 volunteers have participated in this intense program of faith, service and community.

2010

  • First recipients of the LV Awards are honored

2009

  • LVs Celebrate 20 years
  • 500th LV Serves
  • LVs Hit the Rhode raises over $55,000

2008

  • 23 LVs return for a 2nd year of service – The largest group ever to return
  • LVs Run Philly raises over $60,000

2007

  • LVs, Alums and friends run the Chicago Marathon on October 7th raising over $28,000 despite blistering heat.
  • 400th LV Serves

2004

  • The O’Shaughnessy Foundation awards the LV program a $300,000 challenge grant intended to double the size of the program in five years.

2003

  • 300th LV Serves

2002

  • The Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation grants $150,000 to initiate the LV development program

2001

  • Spoke ‘N Word cross country bike tour, featuring many LVs, Alums and Brothers, raises $100,000 for literacy awareness

1999

  • 200th LV Serves

1998

  • The LV Scholars program begins offering former LVs tuition remission at the six Lasallian Colleges and Universities
  • Lasallian Volunteers become eligible to receive the AmeriCorps Education Award

1993

  • The Lasallian Volunteers officially become a program of the Christian Brothers Conference

1989

  • First Orientation held at La Salle Manor in Plano, IL marking the official start of the Lasallian Volunteers

Early Events Forming Lasallian Volunteers

1978

As a member of the Minneapolis/St. Paul District, Bro. Willie Rhody presents the idea of starting a volunteer program.

1980

In response to the needs of the poor served by the De La Salle Christian Brothers in the Midwest and New York, communities of Brothers invited lay volunteers to join them in their mission.

1981

Arranged by Bro. Henry Betz, Charlie Brown becomes the first volunteer. Charlie served at La Salle Academy in NYC.

1982 – 1987

The program expands with the New York District establishing the Christian Workers program while volunteers start serving in the Midwest, Africa, and the West Indies.

1988

The Lasallian Volunteers Movement Emerges when the three Midwest Districts and Toronto hire Mike Culligan to be the first official director of the program and to organize this grassroots movement.