AmeriCorps VISTA

11/20/2020

When we ask #AmeriCorpsVISTA members what they would tell someone who is considering serving in AmeriCorps, "do it" is usually the response.

Visit https://americorps.gov to learn more about this life-changing experience.

11/20/2020

Did you serve in both AmeriCorps and Peace Corps? You might be eligible for the Harris Wofford Joint Service Award! Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3lN0rwu

Today, we’re officially accepting nominations for the Harris Wofford Joint Service Award to honor those who served in both AmeriCorps and Peace Corps!

If you served in both AmeriCorps and Peace Corps, you might be eligible! Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3lN0rwu

11/19/2020

#ThankfulThursday with AmeriCorps VISTA

It's the season for giving thanks! See why Sally, Kiera, Michelle, and Alexandria are grateful for their experiences serving as #AmeriCorpsVISTA members with Center Against Sexual & Family Violence, Florida Department of Children and Families, Catholic Charities of TN, and ICT Food Rescue.

Share your experience by finishing this sentence below: Serving with AmeriCorps as a VISTA member has ______________.
#ThankfulThursday https://americorps.gov/

11/17/2020

Path of Hope: Coralville-based non-profit boosts refugee, immigrant lives

From finding employment to providing legal services, Iowa's Path of Hope is helping its community of immigrants and refugees to restore hope one step at a time. We're proud that #AmeriCorpsVISTA members are serving right beside them! #BeTheGreaterGood #GetThingsDone

Coralville-based non-profit Path of Hope serves some 1,600 Johnson County-area immigrants and refugees from Rwanda, Sudan or other African hots spots, as well as Syria, Nepal, Mexico and Central America.

11/16/2020

#MondayMotivation In 1995, Jennifer Clark began her year of service as an #AmeriCorpsVISTA serving with Center for New Americans. Twenty-five years later, as a Professor and Head of the City and Regional Planning Section at The Ohio State University, Jennifer believes that serving as a VISTA was integral to her being where she is today. “I went into city and regional planning and specifically economic development to design and build policies and plans that provide equitable access to economic opportunity.”

Looking back on her experience, Jennifer encourages anyone considering AmeriCorps, to “do it!” “National service is about community-building and character building. Taking the time to serve a specific community allows one to do direct service while simultaneously learning about how to build capacities across communities.”

11/13/2020

VISTA is now an AmeriCorps program, but the message from this #throwback poster remains true: #AmeriCorpsVISTA members have the opportunity to serve while also building and strengthening their professional skills.

Learn how you can join and #GetThingsDone. https://americorps.gov/ #FlashbackFriday

11/12/2020

As an #AmeriCorpsVISTA, Emily Ward is helping to ensure that low-income students, women, and students of color have access to STEM undergraduate degree programs in the California State University system.

Read how her service with CSU Chancellor's Office, Center for Community Engagement is helping to better honor the gifts and talents that these students bring to the table. https://bit.ly/2GXzmaE

11/11/2020

This #VeteransDay, we honor all who served in the United States Armed Forces. We are especially honored to recognize the veterans who have or are currently serving in AmeriCorps.

Today, we are highlighting Tim McAteer, a veteran who went from Army General to service as an #AmeriCorpsVISTA member. *Fun fact: He recently joined AmeriCorps as a Region Director with AmeriCorps NCCC.

Be sure to read about his journey to AmeriCorps! https://bit.ly/36mTont

11/09/2020

We're hiring! Come join our team as a VISTA Case Manager! This is a great opportunity to make a positive impact on national service.

Apply by November 23: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/584036000.

11/05/2020

#AmeriCorpsVISTA changes lives - for those we serve and those who serve.

How has your service as a VISTA member impacted you? https://americorps.gov/

11/04/2020

Before beginning her graduate studies in Health Policy and Management, Phyllis Elliott spent this summer as an #AmeriCorpsVISTA serving with Community Resource Center as a contact tracer for the state of Colorado.

Phyllis saw this as her opportunity to gain first-hand experience in public health while also making a positive impact. She was glad to educate others on how to keep themselves and their communities safe in the hopes of curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Learn how you can #GetThingsDone with AmeriCorps: https://americorps.gov/

11/03/2020

#AmeriCorpsVISTA members strengthen organizations that eliminate or alleviate poverty through the mobilization of community volunteers and resources. Last year, our members mobilized more than 550,000 volunteers!

Learn how you can join and #BeTheGreaterGood. https://americorps.gov/

11/02/2020

While serving as Peace Corps volunteers in Thailand, Kate Van Slyck and her husband were evacuated due to COVID-19. Continue reading to see how Kate has continued her passion for service with #AmeriCorpsVISTA.

In 1987, Kate Van Slyck served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Thirty-three years later, after a career and raising kids, her love for experiencing other cultures and exchanging knowledge, brought her back to Peace Corps. In 2019, along with her husband, she began serving in Thailand as an English (TEFL) teacher. However, after one year of service, they were evacuated back to the U.S. due to COVID-19.

After returning, Kate and her husband knew they wanted to continue serving. They chose AmeriCorps VISTA because it would enable them to serve safely, learn new skills, and it would take them on another adventure.

As a VISTA member, Kate serves with Montana’s Chinook Horses, where she works to increase the number of individuals with improved access to mental health and addiction treatment services via equine therapy for low-income individuals. Kate’s background in Special Education and working with children is what attracted her to serving with this organization. She is excited to help build community awareness of the organization, grow its client base, partner with a local university for research on equine-assisted therapy, and raise funds while enjoying the bountiful beauty of Montana.

10/28/2020

As an #AmeriCorpsVISTA serving with Women Win, Libbie is combining her passion for sport development and women’s empowerment by helping to build the organization’s capacity to further its mission of getting more girls into sports and leadership roles.

Read how she is living her dream as a VISTA! http://ow.ly/GnlF50C5jDy

10/27/2020

We're hiring! Come join our team as a Program & Partnerships Specialist or Policy & Guidance Specialist. This is a great opportunity to make a positive impact on national service.

Apply by November 9:
- https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/582699600
- https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/582703400

10/26/2020

Meet Trisden Shaw and Paul Terry!

As #AmeriCorpsVISTA Summer Associates serving with the SJLI - Social Justice Learning Institute, Trisden and Paul served alongside Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Janelle Monáe, and The Leela Project helping to distribute food to communities impacted by the pandemic.

In addition to helping fight food insecurity, Paul focused on data collection to assist SJLI's transition to a full virtual database. While Trisden served with the Policy & Advocacy team, working to research and design SJLI's Youth Justice Fellowship.

We're proud to highlight the service of Trisden and Paul, and we're excited to see how they will continue to #GetThingsDone.

10/22/2020

You’ve heard of AmeriCorps. But what about AmeriCorps as a gap year? Join this live discussion with #AmeriCorps CEO Barbara Stewart and an AmeriCorps member who is currently taking a gap year of service. This promises to be informative and inspiring for anyone curious about a domestic gap year.

Register here: https://bit.ly/31tdmeI

10/21/2020

#AmeriCorpsVISTA members help change communities and, in return, they gain experience and leadership skills for a life of service in the public or private sector.

What is the best thing you learned while serving as a VISTA?

Get started on your path to #BeTheGreaterGood: americorps.gov.

10/20/2020

Kieran Kelly wasn’t sure what he wanted to do after graduating college, but he knew that he wanted to make a positive impact. So, he took his desire to do good and his love of travel to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer.

In 2018, Kieran began his 2-year service in Madagascar as an English teacher. He taught tenth grade and sophomore classes, each with 55 to 60 students. In addition to lesson planning and evaluating students’ progress, he also privately tutored anyone interested. However, due to COVID-19, Kieran had to leave Madagascar and return to the U.S. only 18 months into his service.

Today, Kieran serves as an #AmeriCorpsVISTA in North Kansas City with KidSight MO, a children’s vision screening nonprofit that specializes in providing follow up care and financial assistance to kids who have the potential for vision problems. As the Fundraising Specialist, his role is to improve donor processes, fundraising strategy, and communications throughout the year.

“I have only been a VISTA for about two months but so far the impact has been positive. I work with truly wonderful people doing great work! COVID makes things difficult, but I am happy to be where I am.”

10/19/2020

This vintage VISTA poster still holds true. Stop thinking and start doing something about poverty.

Join #AmeriCorpsVISTA. https://americorps.gov/ #MondayMotivation

10/15/2020

This summer, Gurleen Kaur served as a contact tracer in #Colorado with #AmeriCorpsVISTA because she has a passion for her community and wanted to "help during these crucial times."

How did you #GetThingsDone in your community?

10/14/2020

Love Your Block Pivots for the Pandemic - Cities of Service

#AmeriCorpsVISTA members continue to #GetThingsDone while making adjustments in response to #COVID19. We're especially proud of our members serving with the Cities of Service Love Your Block program.

Read how their commitment to service continues to help communities revitalize their neighborhoods!

Love Your Block builds community. The program provides mini-grants to neighborhood groups, which help residents revitalize neighborhoods, connect to city leaders, and strengthen community ties. But how does a program built on personal connections and neighborhood projects function in the middle of t...

10/13/2020

#AmeriCorpsVISTA members go into communities every day focused on how they can #BeTheGreaterGood.

How is your service as a VISTA helping to #GetThingsDone?

Learn more at https://americorps.gov/.

10/08/2020

Four months after returning from the Gabonese village of Iboundji as a Peace Corps volunteer, Karen Jimenez was heading to Juneau, Alaska to serve with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBS) as an #AmeriCorpsVISTA Leader.

At BBBS, Karen served with a program focused on connecting "bigs" with "littles" who had a parent that was incarcerated. She was humbled by the people and the experience.

Since her time as a VISTA, Karen has received a graduate degree in nonprofit management with the help of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Today, she uses her passion for service and storytelling at the Irvine Valley College Foundation where she fundraises and shares stories about the college’s “amazing students and programs.”

“I'm proud of the decision I've made to serve as a volunteer with AmeriCorps VISTA as well as these other organizations. They have introduced me to people and cultures that have given more to me than I was able to give in return.”

Are you an alum? Let us know where you served!

10/06/2020

In 2019, AmeriCorps members who served in VISTA supported more than 752,000 individuals across the country with opioid addiction recovery. Serving with organizations including PAARI - Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative and Wright Center's Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence, our members helped to #GetThingsDone.

Join us in our mission to #BeTheGreaterGood: https://americorps.gov.

10/05/2020

Kevin White had been interested in becoming a Peace Corps volunteer long before he applied. After 20 years, he finally felt confident enough to begin the adventure.

In 2019, Kevin began his service in Morocco in youth development with the Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sport, where his role was to increase youth leadership, strengthen youth networks, and build the capacity of professionals who worked with youth. However, due to COVID-19 his service was cut short, and he had to return to the U.S.

In May, Kevin began his second time serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA – this time as a VISTA Leader! He currently serves at Literacy KC in Kansas City, Missouri. As a VISTA Leader he helps VISTA members perform their service better by helping them to navigate the transition into service. He also provides training, professional development opportunities, and administrative support.

“I have to say my transition has been pretty smooth. The Peace Corps did a great job of getting me home. My AmeriCorps VISTA assignment was part of coming home and getting back to work.”

10/02/2020

AmeriCorps VISTA is taking on hunger in a big way! We're excited to announce that 100 members will support projects in New Hampshire, Maine, Ohio, and Texas that will combat the growing hunger crisis caused by COVID-19. Many thanks to our partners: Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Campus Compact for NH and Texas Hunger Initiative. ow.ly/zH5250BH589

10/01/2020

Are you up for the challenge? Take part in our #AskMeAboutAmeriCorps challenge by sharing what being an #AmeriCorpsVISTA means to you! Be sure to tag us in your post.

09/30/2020

We have a new look, but our mission remains the same. Help us spread the word about AmeriCorps by sharing how your service impacted the community you served! #AmeriCorpsVISTA americorps.gov

09/29/2020

AmeriCorps Builds Bridges

"Help us build bridges to a better future. Join AmeriCorps." Desiree Tucker-Sorini, Director, AmeriCorps VISTA americorps.gov

09/29/2020

AmeriCorps

Join us in welcoming the new look of AmeriCorps!

We’re still VISTA. We will continue to #GetThingsDone. We’ll just look a little different doing it. Help us spread the word about the next chapter in #AmeriCorps and how service brings out the best of America.

Learn more: https://americorps.gov/

“To find the best in others. To leave the world a bit better. This is to have succeeded.” #AmeriCorps #AmeriCorpsSeniors

Learn More at AmeriCorps.gov

09/29/2020

AmeriCorps VISTA's cover photo

09/28/2020

Something exciting is on the way. Stay tuned!

We've been reppin' the same look for over 25 years.
We can’t wait to share. 9/29 #AmeriCorps

09/25/2020

Each day, #AmeriCorpsVISTA members go into communities across the country with one goal: to lift people out of poverty. You, too, can serve those who need it most.

Learn how you can apply to serve at AmeriCorps.gov/VISTA.

09/23/2020

As an #AmeriCorpsVISTA serving with Alabama's Phenix City Housing Authority, Jessica Bulling is using her passion for education to help empower residents.

Read how her focus on facilitating access to local GED programs and strengthening relationships with community colleges, is helping adults and seniors to be more independent. https://bit.ly/3coLFb5