Recruiting VISTA Members for Disaster Recovery in Texas

 

Building Sustainable Disaster Recovery Organizations

Our AmeriCorps*VISTA Members work in disaster-affected communities across Texas to increase the sustainability of long term recovery efforts and to help communities prepare for future disasters. During their one-year terms, VISTA Members do everything from coordinating volunteers and developing resources to convening recovery-focused committees and promoting disaster preparedness and education. In other words, if it’s capacity building, they do it!

HPIM1933.jpgCurrently, we have 11 VISTA Members serving in 9 counties in Texas. With disasters such as Hurricanes Dolly and Ike having unhinged so many lives in our state, there is much to do, and as one might suspect, there are few resources to go around. For this reason, the contributions of VISTA Members to disaster recovery/preparedness processes are invaluable. VISTAs perform the critical task of leveraging available resources, thereby enabling recovery organizations to better address the unmet needs of local families.

In other words....they HELP!!!

What is AmeriCorps*VISTA?

americorp_logo.gifIn 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson created Volunteers in Service to America, or VISTA, as part of the War on Poverty. Today VISTA is one of three national service programs under the AmeriCorps umbrella. What sets VISTA apart from other AmeriCorps service opportunities is its approach to addressing poverty. VISTAs do behind-the-scenes work to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. Since its inception, more than 140,000 Americans have served through VISTA. For more information about AmeriCorps*VISTA, click here.

Benefits of Service

TCC Disaster Recovery Project promises valuable professional experience to its VISTAs. In addition, VISTA Members receive:

  • A modest living allowance
  • Health Coverage (does not cover pre-existing conditions)
  • Student loan deferment or forbearance
  • An end-of-service Stipend ($1,500) OR Education Award ($5,350)

Wondering if a year of service is the right next step for you? Visit our "Benefits of Service" page to find out more about the benefits of serving with our project.

To apply: To apply, visit https://my.americorps.gov/, select “Apply to Serve” and create a profile. Once you have successfully created a profile, you will be able to access the online AmeriCorps application. Please fill out the application and submit it to our project, called "Community Disaster Recovery". We accept applications and welcome new members to our project year-round.

For more information: contact Jaclyn Remick, VISTA Leader, at jremick@txconfchurches.org or (512) 374 9445.