Jessica Goebel - AmeriCorps Alum

Jessica Goebel currently is completing the Masters of Social Work program at the University of Southern Indiana (USI).  However, it wasn’t long ago she was serving her 900 hour AmeriCorps position through the USI AmeriCorps Tutors (USI ACT) program with Carver Community Center’s after-school program.  Carver’s after-school program serves inner-city students in the Evansville, IN area.  When asked how AmeriCorps had impacted her life she responded, “My AmeriCorps service taught me a lot in many different areas.  Most importantly, I learned how much diversity was within our community, and how to assist individuals who had different lifestyles than myself.”  Jessica feels her AmeriCorps term was able to help her gain practical experience for her future career by exposing her to diversity and having the opportunity to meet the individuals she serves on their level (a big aspect in social work).

When Jessica was asked about what AmeriCorps is doing within her community she mentions how AmeriCorps members are serving a wide variety of people.  From students to adults, serving as mentors and tutors, to assisting individuals gain their GED’s.  Jessica stated “AmeriCorps members are serving as positive influences in the lives of others while helping them with different aspects of their lives.”  The area being impacted the most from the service of AmeriCorps members within the Evansville, IN community is definitely education.

AmeriCorps has changed Jessica’s perspective in many ways. Since she was exposed to diversity during her term of service she feels better prepared and more aware to serve her future clients in the field of Social Work.  Also, Jessica mentions how helpful the required training opportunities were to her.  She says the trainings not only aided her in learning better ways and techniques to serve the students she assists, but also information she will be able to utilize in other aspects of life.  Overall, Jessica enjoyed her term of service as an AmeriCorps member and enjoys seeing the change and lasting affects on her community.  

Story written by Sabrina Smith - Indiana AmeriCorps LeaderCorps member and current USI ACT program member.  

Indiana AmeriCorps

LeaderCorps

USI ACT program 

Lauren Kross - Civic Scholars Program Scholarship

Congratulations to Lauren Kross, Indiana LeaderCorps member! Lauren was awarded a Civic Scholars Program Scholarship to attend the 2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service being held in Chicago, IL June 18 - 20.  

Lauren is an Indiana AmeriCorps State member serving with the Robinson Community Learning Center AmeriCorps Program at the University of Notre Dame.  

Lauren serves RCLC by assisting with their Take Ten program which promotes conflict resolution with students.  You can read more about the Take Ten Program Here.

The Civic Scholars Program is an opportunity for the brightest, most-promising civic entrepreneurs to connect and collaborate for greater community impact. Scholars receive waived Conference registration, direct access to experts such as Craig Newmark and Paul Schmitz, and continuing education opportunities that allow them to bring innovations and new connections to their work as a result of their participation in the program. This program awards individuals based on merit and replaces our past scholarship-granting process.

What are you learning?

Indiana AmeriCorps members learn about leadership, about life, and about how to encourage others to become life long volunteers.  They give back to the community and learn a great deal in return.  Lindsey talked about the project focused on education, inclusion, and veterans that they organized at a local school for the 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. 

"The MLK, Jr. Project was a great chance for me to utilize my leadership skills, especially when it came to planning the event.  The biggest strength in this project were the activities we provided, they were very age appropriate for the K-8 students and the kids really seemed to enjoy helping others.  The most rewarding part of this project was working with the Glenwood students and getting the opportunity to pass on my motivation to volunteer to the next generation." 

 Another member, Monica, introduced her fellow members to the community at an event that she helped to coordinate.  She was able to learn about event planning and get to know the people she would be assisting through her AmeriCorps service.  She noted,

"I myself was on the Planning Committee, where I was charged with registration, the layout of the event, coordinating the food and marketing committees, and ensuring overall success of the event. I thoroughly enjoyed a leadership role in planning the event. The event turned out well. It was lively, and the event was a great way to network! There was much laughter and sharing, as everyone enjoyed themselves and each other."

Finally, Teresa served at an AmeriCorps event that focused on safety awareness and assisted with creating home escape plans for community members.  Teresa said that while creating an individualized home fire escape plan a participant told her that they already had an evacuation plan and agreed to draw it out on paper as a reference.  She stated that this individual’s escape plan had a family meeting place in the living room of their house.  Teresa explained to the individual the importance of making the meeting place outside of the home to ensure safety in the event of a fire.  Not only was Teresa a proud member who served her community, she was also an individual who used her educational skills that could make a lifesaving difference in the lives of families.  

Indiana AmeriCorps - By the Numbers

More than 20,000 citizens of all ages and backgrounds serve in CNCS (Corporation for National and Community Service) programs through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, or Learn and Serve in Indiana.  Serving through 520 nonprofits, schools, public agencies or faith-based groups across the state, these citizens tutor and mentor at-risk youth, assist veterans and military families, provide heath services, restore the environment, respond to disasters, build homes, and recruit and manage volunteers. 

AmeriCorps, including VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) and NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), engages more than 1,100 Indiana citizens in intensive, results-driven service to meet education, environmental, health, economic, and other pressing community needs.  

Indiana AmeriCorps is making a difference through its members everyday in communities just like yours.  Its impact is evident on each of the lives that AmeriCorps members touch through their service.  

Last year Indiana AmeriCorps:

• Tutored or mentored more than 46,000 disadvantaged children and youth

• Provided more than 498,480 hours of service valued at more than $10,647,590
• Recruited more than 17,680 volunteers
• Raised more than $8,300,000 in cash or in-kind resources for the organizations they serve
• Strengthened the reach and impact of Indiana affiliates of the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and other national nonprofits and state and local organizations including Boys & Girls clubs, Marion County commission on youth, Girls Incorporated of Indianapolis and Alliance for Catholic Education
• Since 1994, more than 12,000 Indiana residents have served more than 14 million hours.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. The Corporation annually engages more than five million Americans in service to meet local needs through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America, and leads the national call to service initiative, United We Serve.

For more information:

Indiana AmeriCorps

National Service in Indiana

National Volunteer Week 2012

Coming Up in Two Weeks!

April 15 - 21, 2012 is National Volunteer Week (NVW) across the country.  Right here in Indiana there are volunteers and AmeriCorps members across the state that are getting things done for our country.  Let's celebrate this week by inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities.

From the National Volunteer Week website:

"For more than two decades, Points of Light Institute has equipped nonprofit organizations to celebrate National Volunteer Week, providing visibility, thematic focus and resources to enable them to commemorate this signature week of volunteer recognition."

Here's a link to the NVW Resource Guide so you can see what this week is all about and how you can take part.  If you are taking part in an event for National Volunteer Week remember to tell us all about it on Facebook and or Twitter  Connect with us using @INOFBCI and #IndianaNVW

For more information:

Indiana AmeriCorps

Hands On Network