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

AIHTI

AmeriCorps Improving Health Throughout Indiana (AIHTI)
@ Stepping Stones, Inc. 

My name is Derek Andrews and I am doing my AmeriCorps term through the AmeriCorps Improving Health Throughout Indiana program. I serve at Stepping Stones Inc., which provides transitional housing and supportive services to youth ages 16 to 20 experiencing homelessness. 

As the AmeriCorps Health Coordinator, I have the honor of serving directly with the residents in efforts of improving their levels of physical education, knowledge of nutritional importance, and overall health and wellness.  I oversee the Be Active program, in which I engage in physical activities with the residents, including rock climbing, YMCA, bike rides, and other fun events. I also work one-on-one with the residents to teach them about the importance of nutrition, food budgeting, and more. 

 One great moment that I had was when I took a group of residents to go indoor rock climbing. After taking a brief class on proper climbing techniques and how to be a “belayer” (person who holds the rope while the partner climbs), we partnered up and began climbing.  My climbing partner, which was one of my residents, was a little hesitant to climb at first, only going a few feet on the wall. I think it was more out of fear that I was going to let go of the rope.  He stopped climbing, came back down, and we talked about trusting each other and making sure that the other person was safe and comfortable. I told him that I trusted him and he told me that he trusted me as well.  After that brief talk, there was a new found confidence in both of us, and we both were able to climb up the entirety of the wall.  This had a huge impact on both of us, as it allowed us to prove our trust in each other, and develop a connection.   We both had a huge change in our attitudes and we were able to conquer our fears and challenge each other. 

More about AIHTI: 

The goal of AmeriCorps Improving Health Throughout Indiana (AIHTI) is to help eliminate health disparities across Indiana through the promotion of proper nutrition and physical activity.  AIHTI pairs local non-profit organizations that desire help creating or improving healthy-weight programs with AmeriCorps Members who are interested in gaining health promotion experience while serving their community.

 More about Stepping Stones, Inc.:  

Part of the mission of Stepping Stones, Inc. is "To provide a supportive community where young people experiencing homelessness can develop skills to live independently."  (from their website.)

More information:

Indiana AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps Improving Health Throughout Indiana (AIHTI)

AIHTI Blog

Stepping Stones, Inc. 

AmeriCorps Week

 Coming up Next Week!


This year in Indiana, there are projects going on all over the state to celebrate both the commitment and impact of AmeriCorps members on their communities.   If you are taking part in an AmeriCorps Week activity post about it on Facebook and/or Twitter.  You can use #AmeriCorpsWeek, and @INOFBCI to let everyone know what's going on.



What is AmeriCorps Week? 



Each year during AmeriCorps Week, we recognize the commitment of AmeriCorps members and alums by highlighting the extraordinary impact AmeriCorps makes across our nation every day. This year, AmeriCorps Week will take place from Saturday, March 10 through Sunday, March 18, 2012.
The two main goals for AmeriCorps Week 2012 include:

• Connect AmeriCorps members and alums with each other so they feel they are a part of a nationwide effort.
• Communicate AmeriCorps’ powerful impact on critical problems and on the lives of its members and alums.

The theme this year, AmeriCorps Works, communicates the value and effectiveness of AmeriCorps while providing flexibility to be used in many different contexts. It provides an overarching framework to communicate AmeriCorps triple bottom line return on investment -- for the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation.

Everyday across the nation AmeriCorps members are tackling America's toughest problems in:

• Disaster Services
• Economic Opportunity
• Education
• Environmental Stewardship
• Healthy Futures
• Veterans and Military Families