AmeriCorps Stories of the Week

Being an environmental educator during COVID-19 has been a challenge. I went from taking students out into the woods at the Audubon center to reading picture books and using PowerPoint to give mini presentations on beavers, bats, pollinators and a whole host of other critters. However, COVID has reminded me just how valuable environmental education is for all learners.

I’ve been able to take a leadership role in a project at Rural Edge’s Crystal Lake Apartments in Barton. I first visited the property back in late April with my site supervisor Ann, and the property manager Teresa.

My field service last week was great! I monitored and maintained tree plantings at a restoration site on Tuesday (5/26) and pulled invasive garlic mustard at TNC’s Butternut Hill Natural Area in North Hero yesterday(5/28). Both were very productive and safe days.

My first day as an AmeriCorps member, I built a ramp for Herbert. He had been a contractor, so it was important that all the angles be square, and the supports be strong. He watched us, with a slight smile on his face, most of the afternoon on the three days of work. I am sure he would have supervised us all morning as well, but his wife said the pain meds put him to sleep for a long time. He was not receiving treatment anymore, just medication to ease the pain.

Each AmeriCorps member has the option to "adopt" a senior and perform the volunteer activities themselves. I went out to meet Clara to see what kind of organizing help she needed.

I had the pleasure of organizing and managing our annual CHT Eviction Prevention Program Conference from start to finish.

On the last day of school before the shutdowns, in light rain, I waited for one of the After-School children outside of the cafeteria/gymnasium. I was six feet away from parents waiting for their own children.

Two young women, Luna Shen and Alana Mason, both 23, are VHCB AmeriCorps members on the front lines, serving homeless families at the John Graham Shelter. They are part of a team working around the clock to staff the shelters, deliver food and supplies, and provide services and care to homeless families at John Graham’s sites throughout Addison County.

Every year the food shelf that I serve at, offers a holiday food giveaway in mid-December. Two days after this year's event a woman came into the food shelf hoping that she might be able to get one of the hams we had been giving away. She said that her son had recently passed away, leaving her to care for her two grandchildren. It was going to be the children's first Christmas without their father and the woman did not have the money to afford a large meal.

“It’s a commonly stated truth that “homelessness” is more than the lack of a home. This alludes to the reality that homeless individuals often face a wide range of challenges rooted in their personal experiences that prevent them from being housed sustainably. Histories of addiction, trauma, and mental health disorders are more common than not. Ultimately, all who are homeless carry with them a unique set of factors that led them to a position of being without housing. In consideration of this holistic idea of “homelessness,” the process of addressing these underlying challenges is just as important as developing a sustainable source of income and finding appropriate housing.

I have been trying to put into words how VHCB has inspired me to do my best. But, being the voice of the members, I don’t want to just reflect my experience, I want to try to represent a collective experience. I reached out to other members last week, and I thought there would be some variation, but it turns out that VHCB serves us in really similar ways.

Luke was nominated for being a self-starter, being an innovative presence regarding the organizations policies and procedures, and his contributions in developing actions plans to help older Vermonters stay in their homes.

As a part time student with full-time commitment in community service, I have recently completed a research project focused on the importance of housing stability for socioeconomic well-being for low-income households including the homeless population, and the positive impact of nonprofit affordable housing developments for disadvantaged communities.

The Nature Conservancy owns and manages 55 natural areas in Vermont, totaling nearly 30,000 acres. Ecologically speaking, these protected areas provide a lot “bang for your buck.” Some of the most spectacular, unique, and rare natural communities and species in Vermont and the Northeast thrive on these lands...

June 29th, 2017 was one of the most meaningful volunteer service projects I’ve been on yet. Who’d have thought a group of 5 Real Estate Investment Advisors would be so good at trail maintenance?

This past winter, I received an email from Laura Wilson, Cathedral Square’s Director of Operations, suggesting I connect with another AmeriCorps member. I soon learned that through their service with the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, AmeriCorps VISTA members, Corrine Yonce and Luke Dodge were collaborating on a project titled “Voices of Home” to spread the importance of affordable housing. In their words, “Voices of Home is a storysharing project dedicated to promoting the voices of Vermont's affordable housing residents. We aim to erase the stigma surrounding affordable housing communities and educate our friends and neighbors about the incredible importance of stable, reasonably priced homes in helping people live fulfilling lives. These stories are those of your own communities and the people who live in them.”