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AmeriCorps VISTA
Nov. 26, 2024
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Welcome to the first edition of our AmeriCorps member newsletter! Our goal for this monthly message is to provide an additional way for members to feel connected to one another. We know that many of you serve at organizations where you are the only AmeriCorps member. While this may be true, we want to assure you that there are thousands of members - like you - getting things done through service in the AmeriCorps VISTA program.
Each month, we will share stories, pictures, and videos of just a few of these members. If you have a story to share about your service including an accomplishment, or something new that you learned, let us know! We also want to hear from you if you just started service in the last three months. Send your stories, pictures, and videos to VISTANews@americorps.gov.
In service,
Maggie Garvey, Acting Director
AmeriCorps VISTA
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Help us share how you are making a difference as an AmeriCorps member serving in the VISTA program! Send your accomplishments and pictures to VISTANews@americorps.gov. Include a link to additional information when possible. Submissions should be sent by the 15th of each month for inclusion in the following month's member message. We may also share submissions on AmeriCorps VISTA's social media pages and through other messages.
 Meet Matt. In recognition of Veterans Day, we highlighted his service with Adaptive Performance Center. Read why he decided to serve those who have sacrificed for our country.
 If you've ever wondered what happens when you take a person who is passionate about wrestling (and who also happens to be an accomplished wrestler) and pair them with an opportunity to serve with a wrestling youth league, watch our highlight video of Lenny. AmeriCorps VISTA's marketing, outreach, and recruitment team sent a video crew to New York City to capture Lenny in action. Watch as he serves behind the scenes at Beat the Streets, while also offering hands-on lessons to students once his day of service ends.
 AmeriCorps members serving in the VISTA program are helping to make sure that no community is left behind in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Learn how members serving with the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management are supporting communities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
 Members serving with the University of Mississippi's North Mississippi VISTA Project were recognized with the President's Volunteer Service Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award honors those who have completed at least 4,000 hours of community or national service in their lifetime. Read more about this recognition, then watch award recipient Jan in action.
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 Maggie was recently spotted at Volunteer NH's 2024 Spirit of NH Awards! This event recognizes those who go above and beyond the call to serve. Listen to her reflections on 30 years of AmeriCorps members getting things done.
 Staff from AmeriCorps VISTA Headquarters came together to support the training unit's in-person training in Dallas, Texas.
 AmeriCorps staff visited Iowa to learn best practices for rural programming and to receive feedback about how AmeriCorps VISTA projects are affecting rural areas. Staff visited the Nourish Iowa project virtually at the University of Northern Iowa and in-person with Volunteer Iowa's National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwest Iowa project. AmeriCorps staff who participated in the site visits included Jancy LaFollette, Sara Albright, Kristin Honz, Meghann Henry, and David Parziale.
 Katsi Yari Rodriguez Velazquez, AmeriCorps VISTA bilingual recruiter, organized several orientations across Puerto Rico to increase the awareness and visibility of AmeriCorps programs. Events were held at universities, including the University of Puerto Rico (Bayamón campus), the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, and the Ana G. Méndez University (Gurabo and Carolina campuses). These events will continue until November 2024.
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 Meet Sharmente! Sharmente began her AmeriCorps VISTA service in August at the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries in Houston, Texas. In her role, she is part of the Greater Houston Opportunity Youth Collaborative, which focuses on creating pathways for young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not working or in school.
Sharmente was drawn to the organization's mission: "Having been in a situation where I wasn't in school or working, their mission spoke to me. I didn't have the privilege of knowing what the Greater Houston Opportunity Youth Collaborative was during that time in my life, but I'm grateful to be part of a team helping to steer youth in the right direction."
Fun Fact: Sharmente's goal is to speak at least seven languages fluently. She currently speaks two: English and Haitian Creole. "What inspired this goal is my love for my language. Growing up, it always excited me that I could communicate in a language that others could understand and, in my mom's case, communicate to others in a language they feel more comfortable speaking. This realization inspired me to take some Spanish courses here and there. Once I realized my passion for learning languages, I decided, "Why stop at Spanish?". So currently, I am studying Spanish, French, Vietnamese, and Mandarin."
 Sidney "Sid" is an AmeriCorps alumnus who served with the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries through the AmeriCorps VISTA program. In his role as a youth coordinator, Sid was responsible for enhancing the Greater Houston Opportunity Youth Collaborative, a network of 68 youth-serving organizations, and actively working to amplify youth voices. Sid amplified Houston's opportunity youth at the national level by attending the White House Youth Policy Summit and the Aspen Institute's Opportunity Youth Forum Spring Convening.
Today, Sid continues his work at the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries as an outreach coordinator where he leads the Young Adult Action Advisory Council, engaging monthly with youth from across Houston. He is passionately committed to the belief that every young adult deserves the chance to pursue their aspirations. He approaches his work with a deep sense of gratitude, recognizing the potential in every young person he encounters.
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Member Assistance Program
We are excited to share that your benefits as an AmeriCorps member have been expanded. You now have access to a member assistance program, which will include counseling, life coaching, financial consultation, and more services, at no charge.
Your benefits are available to use right away. If you have any issues accessing these services, please contact the AmeriCorps Hotline at 1-800-942-2677 or visit the AmeriCorps contact page for access to the live chat and webform. Your sponsor and/or supervisor has also been provided resources to help answer your questions.
- Learn more about the AmeriCorps VISTA program, specifics on your service opportunity, requirements, what to expect, code of conduct, as well as benefits and policies in the AmeriCorps VISTA Member Handbook.
- As a member serving in the VISTA program, you have access to a number of benefits. Make sure that you're taking advantage of them all, including the online and in-person trainings, VISTA Campus, and more. Visit the AmeriCorps VISTA benefits page for more information.
- Get your AmeriCorps gear! Each member is eligible to receive a complimentary polo shirt, t-shirt, hoodie, winter hat, water bottle, journal, and lapel pin. You should receive an invitation to order these items no later than two weeks after your member orientation. If you need assistance, contact VISTAGear@americorps.gov.
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You have a team ready to support you through your year of service. The AmeriCorps VISTA Member Support Unit is available to answer your questions, think through challenges with you, and to act as a sounding board. Email them at VMSU@americorps.gov.
- The AmeriCorps Hotline is also available to provide help with technical issues, applying for a service opportunity, and more. The hotline is 1-800-942-2677 and is available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 7 pm ET. You can also contact the AmeriCorps Hotline by using the live chat and webform.
AmeriCorps VISTA is social! Follow us on the platforms below to join the conversation and to see how AmeriCorps members - like you - are making a difference. Check out our most recent member highlight below.
Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram
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