Why AmeriCorps?

The brand I’ve chosen to study through the duration of CM502 is AmeriCorps. As some members of the program may know, I spent the last two years serving through AmeriCorps, spending one year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member and one year as an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader. National service is something that is very near and dear to my heart, and I hope that it continues to gain traction in the hearts of other Americans. I chose AmeriCorps because the brand could be considered both simple and complex, as it represents multiple factions of national service as a whole.

I was first introduced to AmeriCorps while I was an undergraduate student at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Allegheny College, in collaboration with Edinboro University, Gannon University, and Mercyhurst University, hosts an AmeriCorps VISTA Program covering Erie and Crawford County in Northwest Pennsylvania. As a student, I minored in the interdisciplinary program Values, Ethics, and Social Action (which has now been rebranded to both a major and minor in Community Justice Studies). My minor required me to take service-learning courses and also become a service leader on campus. My time in VESA exposed me to the AmeriCorps program on campus and I knew that I wanted to commit to being a national service member upon graduating. My senior year, I interviewed with many AmeriCorps programs and ultimately chose to serve as a VISTA with Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven in Connecticut. I continued my service for an additional year, serving as a Regional VISTA Leader, supporting two statewide VISTA projects: Connecticut Campus Compact and the Veterans Recovery Project of Connecticut.

AmeriCorps, along with Senior Corps and the Social Innovation Fund, are programs supported through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency established in 1993 with the signing of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 by President Bill Clinton. CNCS is charged with the responsibility of mobilizing Americans into service. CNCS was expanded in 2002 by President George W. Bush with the creation of USA Freedom Corps and again in 2009 by President Barack Obama when he signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

The mission of CNCS and its programs is to “improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.” You can read more about their mission and guiding principles here: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/who-we-are

AmeriCorps mobilizes individuals aged 18 and older to serve in their local communities. While each AmeriCorps program varies, members receive a small stipend for their service and/or the Segal Education Award, which can be used to pay off qualified student loans or as a scholarship to further one’s education. Many colleges and universities provide a “match” to this award through additional scholarships and opportunities for students. Members who serve with AmeriCorps VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America, serve for 365 consecutive days, receive a living allowance equivalent to 110% of the poverty line for the county in which they serve, and receive a full Segal Education Award, the amount of which is the equivalent of the Pell Grant (currently $5,775). Members can choose to receive a $1,500 cash stipend award in lieu of the Segal Education Award. While in service, AmeriCorps VISTA members who choose the Segal Education Award can also put their loans into forbearance, with the Department of Education paying off the accrued interest at the end of their completed terms. Upon completion of service, AmeriCorps VISTAs are also granted one year of Non-Competitive Eligibility status, allowing VISTA alumni who meet the minimum qualifications for a federal job to be hired by a federal agency without having to compete with the general public.

Image Source: nationalservice.gov

AmeriCorps members serve in schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other community organizations. They tutor students, build the capacity of community programs, combat food insecurity, help develop leadership skills in our youth, combat poverty, provide support in national disasters, rebuild homes, raise funds through grant writing and development work, and so much more. In many communities, their presence is well known amongst community residents and leaders alike. AmeriCorps VISTA is often referred to as the “domestic Peace Corps,” its more recognized sister program that sends Americans overseas to complete similar work in other countries. When the congressional budget is being determined, the appropriation of funds for the Corporation for National and Community Service is always up for questioning. Many of our legislators and their constituents find the idea of “paid volunteering” to be a waste of congressional funds. The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 provides $1.054 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, a $5 million increase over last year’s fiscal budget. This year, the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget requests $1.18 billion for CNCS. The support for national public service programs spans party lines. Governor John Kasich called for more public service opportunities as a way of tackling the crippling student debt problem in the third GOP debate this year. Martin O’Malley, Hillary Clinton, and Chris Christie have all gone on the record saying that they would expand public service if elected as president. Television shows such as Melissa and Joey and The Middle have featured AmeriCorps programs by having characters on the show join AmeriCorps programs. The recognition of public service and the validation of its impact is growing steadily.