June 2026
Every year, WSC and WRC members participate in Days of Service. This year, we are adding a Juneteenth Day of Service on Friday, June 19. Juneteenth is a federal holiday. It celebrates the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and enforced the Emancipation Proclamation.
WSC and WRC members should make a plan to serve on Juneteenth in honor of this special day.
Are you planning to host a service event on or around Juneteenth? Do you need volunteers? Let us know, and we’ll promote your project on our website and social media platforms.
Due June 15
 Summer Planning Reminders for WRC Members & Sites
The end of the school year is approaching, and we want to share an important reminder for WRC members. Even though many schools will close once students are dismissed, members are still expected to continue serving full-time until the end of their term. Please connect with your site staff before school ends to plan how you will complete your remaining service weeks.
Many members continue serving at summer school programs, school-based camps, or district office projects. Others may serve at community nonprofits such as food banks, humane societies, or similar organizations that fall within allowable service activities. Please review WSC Policy 121: Ensuring Service Activities Are Allowable for guidance. If you need help identifying options or planning your hours, please reach out to your WRC Coordinator to discuss options.
Site staff, daily supervision and support of your members is required through the end of their term. If you will be unavailable during the summer, please identify another district staff member who can take on that role - including approving timesheets and completing exit documents. Notify your WRC Coordinator with a Change of Site Staff form.
 Member Assistance Fund
By definition, an emergency expense can happen at any time, and be especially challenging for those in service positions with limited income.
The Member Assistance Fund provided by our state's service commission, Serve Washington, may be able to help. Members can apply one time during their service term for cash assistance up to $500 to help pay for an eligible, unplanned expense.
To learn more and apply, visit https://www.ameraid.org/state/wa.
Members, are you thinking of serving another term? In AmeriCorps*State, you can serve until you've attained the combined value of two full-time education awards or four terms, whichever is longer (for questions about your eligibility, reach out to your WSC Coordinator).
If you're interested in serving again at your current site, start by talking with your site staff to see if this is an option. If it is, let your WSC Coordinator know that you will be returning next year. We can help walk you through the process; to start, you'll need to:
- Log into MyAmeriCorps and withdraw your current application (Applications tab in the left-nav menu)
- re-apply to serve in our program (we'll send you the link to apply to).
Returning members don't need new criminal history checks if their break in between terms is less than 180 days, but you will need to complete WSC's 2026-27 enrollment documents through DocuSign. Your WSC Coordinator will initiate this process after receiving notice from your site staff.
The Member Assistance Program through AllOne Health is now offering virtual support groups - 30-minute monthly sessions that provide a space to listen, learn, and connect around shared challenges - all without the pressure or commitment of one-on-one counseling. Upcoming sessions include:
Sign up for a session through the mobile app or member portal. Plus, check out the complete list of recorded and upcoming live webinars also available.
WSC members Nikki Pyle and Julius Lam serve at Dungeness River Nature Center. As environmental educators, they deliver dynamic programs for visitors of all ages. The natural beauty of the area, the great team, and the community have convinced them both to stay for a second term. Nikki and Julius have seen community centered through stories from the large volunteer network, winter gatherings at the center, and collaboration with Tribal governments.
For Nikki, sitting in on a meeting with leaders from the Duwamish Tribe who are trying to build their own nature center helped her learn the history of DRNC. It also helped her appreciate deep commitment to collaboration needed for projects like nature centers to become successful. “I left the meeting with feelings of support and excited for the creation of the new center in Seattle, as well as pride for the space I was given here at the Dungeness River Nature Center.”
Nikki and Julius have learned that relationships between land and those who care for it are what make DRNC truly special. As partners in the creation and management of the DRNC, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe plays a pivotal role in the programming Nikki and Julius will deliver during their service. “It’s especially meaningful to be entrusted with my role as an educator by those who have the deepest ties to the Dungeness,” says Julius. “My time here has already been deeply formative in shaping my interests in conservation, education, and tribal affairs.”
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