Indiana Response and Preparedness Corps

The Indiana Response and Preparedness Corps

The mission of the Indiana Response and Preparedness (RAP) Corps is to provide vital emergency assistance to victims and communities affected by disaster and increase community preparedness by recruiting new volunteers and providing educational outreach so that individuals and families are better prepared for disaster.

Members will engage in one or a combination of the following activities:

1. Recruit and mentor new disaster response volunteers
2. Conduct disaster readiness classes such as Be Red Cross Ready
3. Assist the Red Cross on local disaster relief operations (national deployment is optional)
4. Work with community organizations to ensure the Red Cross can provide sheltering and food to those affected by disaster.
5. Instruct CPR and First Aid Classes

Indiana RAP Corps Benefits:

• A modest living allowance for full-time and half time members
• An education award upon successful completion of the program
• Training in First Aid, CPR, Community Disaster Education, and Disaster Response
• Invaluable experience in community preparedness, disaster response, and public speaking

Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• Strong organizational and public speaking skills
• Ability to serve as part of a team and individually
• Initiative, responsibility, and a willingness to learn
• Interest in disaster preparedness and response
• Background in education, communication, recruiting, or disaster response a plus

Qualifications for Membership:

• Age 18 or older
• A US citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
• Must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalency

The Indiana RAP Corps program is active in Chapters throughout north and central Indiana. Individuals are able to apply for specific sites or to give their preferences for top five sites.

 The Indiana Response and Preparedness Corps aims to help communities in northern and central Indiana effectively prepare for and respond to disasters. From teaching disaster preparedness classes to recruiting and mentoring new disaster volunteers to working with local businesses able to provide shelter in times of disaster, the Indiana Response and Preparedness Corps is preparing and helping communities before, during, and after a disaster strikes.

RAP Corps FAQ


American Red Cross, St. Joseph County Chapter            Phone (574) 234-0191
3220 E. Jefferson Blvd.
South Bend, IN  46615      www.stjoe-redcross.org/index.php?pr=AmeriCorps

Director of Community Service: Rebekah DeLine      rebekahgo@stjoe-redcross.org
    
Member Locations:  St. Joseph County (South Bend), Elkhart County, Northeast Indiana (Fort Wayne), Greater Indianapolis, North Central Indiana (Wabash/Kokomo), Monroe County (Bloomington), Kosciusko County (Warsaw),Huntington County (Huntington), Marshall County (Plymouth)

Member Positions: Full Time, Half Time, Minimum Time (Education Award Only)

Indiana HabiCorps

Habitat for Humanity of Indiana manages the Americorps program for all affiliates in the state. The program is aptly named Habicorps and has been one of the longest standing partnerships between affiliates and the state organization.  Americorps members serve in Habitat for Humanity of Indiana affiliates for a term or service.  Each members help grow capacity in affiliates through projects they complete in their program year including Construction, Volunteer Coordination, and more!

 Indiana HabiCorps members are assigned to different Habitat affiliates throughout the state and serve in 4 main areas:  Construction, Volunteer Coordination, Family Support and Capacity Building.  All HabiCorps members will be involved in service directly related to eliminating sub-standard or poverty housing for very low resource families.

 

Habitat for Humanity of Indiana            Phone (317) 454-8090

101 W. Ohio St. Suite 2000                 

Indianapolis, IN 46204      http://www.habitatindiana.org/

State Director: Gina Leckron      gina@habitatindiana.org                       

Program Director:  Elspeth O’Neil      elspeth@habitatindiana.org    

Member Locations:  Northwest Indiana (Gary), St. Joseph County (South Bend), Elkhart County (Goshen)

Greater Muncie, Monroe County (Bloomington), Lafayette (Tippecanoe, Carroll, White, Benton, Warren counties)

Member Positions: Full Time, Half Time

Indiana AmeriCorps

Indiana LeaderCorps members finish strong

LeaderCorps members took part in their last official meeting of the year at Second Helpings in Indianapolis on May 15, 2012. Second Helpings is an Indianapolis based non-profit community kitchen specializing in food rescue, fighting hunger and culinary job training.

As an action-driven "thank you" to Second Helpings for hosting their meeting, LeaderCorps members organized a pasta drive. They collected 350 pounds of pasta which they gathered at their service locations. Officials at Second Helpings indicated that this would make around 528 meals for individuals in the Indianapolis area.

(Read more after the jump)

Pictured above: Program Director Advisor, Erin Reuland, and LeaderCorps member, Derek Andrews (AIHTI) are shown putting their creative powers to work as they illustrated and shared about their experience. Members collaborated, sharing what they learned, who they worked with, and how it prepared them for the future.

The LeaderCorps members participated in training on resume and job search best practices.  They were able to reflect on the year they have given in volunteering through LeaderCorps while commissioned as Indiana AmeriCorps members. 

LeaderCorps is a professional development program for Indiana AmeriCorps members.  These members volunteer their time in effort to train and develop themselves as leaders for their communities.  They coordinate service projects, give outreach presentations on AmeriCorps to the community, act as leaders for their programs and fellow AmeriCorps members, and they are liaisons for the OFBCI and the AmeriCorps programs and members.

Examples of projects the members have been involved in coordinating during the 2011 – 2012 program year include: 

• ·         Building accessible gardening structures for a preschool
• ·         Putting together care packages for military service members
• ·         Organizing a county-wide safety and awareness fair
• ·         Coordinating with a university food drive to benefit the community
• ·         Teaching children about service and having them write letters to military service members
• ·         Educating children on poverty, health, and lack of clean water in some areas of the world
• ·         Outreach to individuals with disabilities regarding AmeriCorps in Indiana

Readers may check out Second Helpings by visiting www.secondhelpings.org. You may also learn more about LeaderCorps here: http://www.in.gov/ofbci/2596.htm.

Indiana Heritage Corps

Indiana Heritage Corps Members will conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing trails and potential new trails.  Using the data from that assessment, trail work will be identified and priorities will be established.  Indiana Heritage Corps members will then clean, restore, and create twenty (20) miles of pedestrian, equestrian, multi-use, and other types of trails at four Indiana State Parks throughout the state.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources received grant funding through the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives to administer Indiana Heritage Corps, a unique AmeriCorps program.


Indiana Heritage Corps is designed to improve Indiana’s trails throughout the state and we are currently seeking 23 volunteers to clean, restore, and construct twenty miles of trails at four different State Parks throughout the state. 


Description of member service activities: Indiana Heritage Corps Members will conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing trails and potential new trails. Using the data from that assessment, trail work will be identified and priorities will be established. Indiana Heritage Corps members will then clean, restore, and create twenty (20) miles of pedestrian, equestrian, multi-use, and other types of trails at four Indiana State Parks throughout the state.

Important Information:

• Candidates must be willing to commit to serving/volunteering 900 hours from January 23-August 17, 2012
• Candidates must be a lawful US resident
• Candidates must pass a criminal background check

Indiana Department of Natural Resources          
Phone (317) 232-4200
402 W Washington Street W274                                      http://www.in.gov/dnr 
Indianapolis, IN 46204                                                     indianaheritagecorps@dnr.in.gov

Program Director:  Amanda Ricketts    317-220-4878   aricketts@dnr.in.gov
 
Member Locations:  Pokagon State Park in Angola, Indiana (NE Indiana), Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana (Central Indiana), Brown County State Park in Nashville, Indiana (South Central Indiana), O’Bannon Woods State Park in Corydon, Indiana (Southern Indiana)Member Positions: Half Time

Indiana AmeriCorps

Heritage Corps Facebook Page

Tiffany Leachman - Boys and Girls Clubs

Tiffany Leachman, LeaderCorps and Boys and Girls Clubs Neighborhood After School member writes an inspiring story of her AmeriCorps service:

Veteran's Day was coming up so I asked the children that I was working with if they had known anyone that was in the military. Some of them said that they had some family members that were in the ARMY. They didn't know that there were there were different branches of the military besides just the ARMY. So, it was a great opportunity to share the different branches. I'm not a military girl myself, but I knew a lot more than they did. I was able to tell them about how my sister and my boyfriend were sergeants in the ARMY, a good friend of mine was in the Navy, and another friend was a drill instructor in the Marines. They were amazed that I knew so many people in the military and were very curious of how they differed from each other.  One the girls, named, Destynay had told me that her teacher was having her class write letters to one of her teacher's friends that was overseas in Iraq. She showed me the letter and I complimented her for doing a great deed. I also encouraged the other students that were around to write letters or make cards for the people that they knew in the military because it would have meant a lot to them. Destynay came up to me and said, "Miss Tiffany I am going to write a letter to your boyfriend." I told her that I would give it to him the next time I would see him. I read the letter to check for mistakes. It was so sweet and you could tell that she was very grateful for his service to our country. I gave him the letter and it made his day. It made my day, too. I was happy to see that the children that I come in contact with think about others besides just themselves. You never know how small gestures can have a great impact on the lives around you.