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General Description: What is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) provides full-time members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations and public agencies to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. Through AmeriCorps*VISTA, ordinary people provide extraordinary service in more than 1,200 projects nationwide. Children’s Hunger Alliance is one non-profit agency that hosts members. The mission of Children’s Hunger Alliance is to break the cycle of childhood hunger through education, leadership, advocacy, and service.
The Basics: What are the responsibilities of the position?
AmeriCorps*VISTA members at Children’s Hunger Alliance serve for a one-year period. Members serve in one department of the agency. Various departments in which members could serve include:
Healthy Kids Partnerships (Columbus): Join the effort to improve the nutrition and physical activity of kids. The project entails implementing programs related to food and fitness on a state and local level. Examples include launching a farmer’s market, supporting a community garden, developing web-based communications and crafting reports. This position is fast-paced, hard working and highly collaborative.
Early Childhood Nutrition & Education-ECNE (Columbus): Play a key role in the school-readiness initiative by working closely with ECNE leadership teams, nutrition specialists and in-home daycare providers. Assist in the development and testing of pilot curricula to improve the quality of care for children in the home daycare setting. Develop training materials, newsletters, articles and an annual calendar for ECNE providers. Assist in the completion and tracking of educational and quality-care assessments for home daycare providers. Willingness to be an active participant in the daily activities in the Franklin County region as related to servicing the ECNE providers.
School and Summer Nutrition (Dayton, Cleveland, Columbus): Expand and promote USDA child nutrition programs such as school breakfast, afterschool snacks and summer meals. Meet with school and community leaders in the surrounding counties and area to recruit new sponsors and to cultivate networking opportunities within the community that would assist current sponsors increasing their meal participation rates. Assist in collection and manipulation of school breakfast and summer meals data. Work on promoting the program through media, special events and publication outreach efforts.
What are the requirements/ qualifications to serve in this position?
- Be a U.S. Citizen at least 18 years of age.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- Able to commit to and complete one-year of service
- A desire and ability to make a difference in your community
- Ability to work independently, adapt to new situations, and manage multiple tasks
- Ability and desire to work with children and diverse populations
- Able to attend the Pre-Service Orientation held in Chicago (expenses paid)
- Please note that holding another job or attending school is strictly prohibited during your year of service.
What are the benefits to serving as an AmeriCorps member?
An AmeriCorps position is an excellent way to gain experience in an education, health, or non-profit field and a great way to improve your overall career skills in general. Colleges and universities (undergrad and graduate programs) look very highly upon community service work, and with AmeriCorps being the “domestic PeaceCorps,” not too many experiences can compare! Plus, what better way to serve your community and truly make a difference in the lives of Ohio’s children!?
Additional benefits:
- Members receive a living stipend ($865 gross per month).
- An education award of $4,725 or a cash stipend of $1,200 upon completing a successful year of service. The education award can be used to pay off existing student loans, make future tuition payments, or a combination of both. You have up to 7-years to use the award.
- Members receive health coverage and child-care assistance.
- Mileage reimbursement
- Student Loan Forbearance
- Relocation Allowance (if moving more than 50 miles to serve in the VISTA program)
How do I find additional information about this position?
Individuals can contact Shannon Amos, Enrichment Director at Children’s Hunger Alliance directly at 614-341-7700 x 242 or SAmos@ChildrensHungerAllaince.org
To apply for an AmeriCorps*VISTA position at Children’s Hunger Alliance:
1. Go to: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the red link “Apply to Serve”
3. You will fill out a basic profile of yourself. Once this profile is created you will be sent an email that will provide you with a link to create a username and password. Once your username and password are created you will be logged into the “My AmeriCorps” system. Use the links in the left-hand column to complete the application and reference sections.
4. To apply to one or more of the VISTA positions at our agency, go to the “Search Listings” link. Scroll down to the “Advanced Search” section and select:
- AmeriCorps Program Type: AmeriCorps VISTA
- Service Term: Full-Time
- State: Ohio
- Service Areas: Hunger
- Click “Search”
This list will provide all of the AmeriCorps VISTA positions available at Children’s Hunger Alliance.
Once you submit your application to our program we will receive an email that you have applied and will contact you shortly.
Please note: Children’s Hunger Alliance also has a direct service AmeriCorps program called Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities. Please contact Kristen Reichart at 614-341-7700 x 241 or KReichart@ChildrensHungerAlliance.org for further details.
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