This summer, give back to the community, get paid and learn a lot as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.
By VISTA
Recent flooding in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area, often referred to as the Corridor, has left tens of thousands of people homeless and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to homes.
There’s a lot to be done.
Are you feeling helpless after the floods? Are you looking for an opportunity to volunteer but haven’t found the right fit?
Why wait for someone else to help your neighbors — becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA member is a great way to pitch in and get it done, right now.
In all, 230 positions are available: 200 full-time VISTA summer associates; 30 yearlong, full-time AmeriCorps VISTA; and three AmeriCorps VISTA Team Leaders. Up to half of the positions will be assigned to Iowa City.
Anyone who would like a challenging opportunity to serve should check out the program. The opportunity is for adults 18 and older, including college students on summer break, retirees and everyone in between.
Generally speaking, AmeriCorps VISTA members focus on poverty fighting initiatives. VISTA Corridor Flood Recovery offers an opportunity to get involved and help others with flood relief. Summer associates and yearlong VISTAs may staff the Volunteer Reception Center in Cedar Rapids, assess the needs of flood-affected residences or assist with flood cleanup.
Yearlong VISTAs will be around for 12 months to continue these efforts. Emphasis will be on coordinating flood-relief initiatives, identifying the changing needs of the community, expanding neighborhood resource centers, developing partnerships, building coalitions and securing resources.
Are you one of the 6,000 or so who lost a job due to flooding? Signing up as an AmeriCorps VISTA can keep you busy, earn you a little cash and add experience to your resume. And, your Iowa unemployment insurance benefits won't be affected by VISTA monthly living allowance.
The seven- to eight-week commitment for summer associates must be completed by September 12.
You’ll get paid a monthly living allowance of $833 as a summer associate. And there’s more: commit to eight weeks and receive $1,000 for college tuition or college loans. Seven-week summer associates will receive $875.
Becoming a VISTA member is a great way to get results and make things happen.
Be a part of an organized group working in conjunction with city, county, state and federal agencies and organizations to clean up parts of the Corridor area affected by flooding.
What else are you doing right now?
VISTA Corridor Flood Recovery, a program of Central Cedar Rapids Weed & Seed, was established in June 2008 to assist with flood-relief efforts and expand poverty-fighting programs in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area.
Central Cedar Rapids Weed & Seed is an initiative of Community Corrections Improvement Association (CCIA).
CCIA is a 501(c)(3) private foundation established in 1991 to build solutions for safer communities in the state of Iowa. Over the past fifteen years CCIA has become a local, state, and national leader and continues to redefine the critical issues and provide solutions for safer communities. CCIA remains at the forefront as a powerful and innovative organization by:
Delivering proactive and preventative programs that put youth first,
Developing and securing funding for community partnerships with law enforcement and corrections,
Hosting thought provoking public forums and policy conferences,
Redefining the way we address mental health issues in corrections, and
Being the first to create low-income housing for reunifying families of offenders.
CCIA’s goal as a working foundation is to provide critical services now, and to provide visionary leadership for the future. Visit http://www.iowacbc.org/ccia.
Email media questions to media@vistacorridorrecovery.org
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