AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty.
Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 50 years.
VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency. During service, VISTAs receive a modest living allowance, health care, and other benefits. And, upon completing their year of service, VISTAs can choose to receive either an education award worth $5,775 to pay for college, or $1,200 in cash.
- Conservation Legacy Stewards VISTA Program
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Description coming soon!
- Ending Hunger in Maine VISTA
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Primary Contact: Kim Lengert
Ending Hunger in Maine VISTA Project Manager
State of Maine - Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
18 Elkins Lane, 22 State House Station
Augusta ME, 04333
phone: (207) 557-1623
email: Kim.Lengert@maine.gov
application: access on My AmeriCorps Portal hereThe VISTA Project will seek to support the development of Maine's roadmap for ending hunger, and build the capacity of public and private entities implementing that plan. All 185,000 of Maine's food insecure people stand to benefit from this work. Two VISTA leaders and 23 VISTA members will contribute to the goals of the project by performing activities such as developing the State's anti-hunger metrics and supporting planning to meet them; developing educational, health, and housing programs that foster economic stability; and helping harmonize Maine's anti-hunger efforts.
The VISTA Project is part of the Hunger Free Maine initiative. which is housed within the Commissioner's Office of Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF). It is guided by a broad-based Advisory Group of public and private agencies that are working to ensure all Maine people have consistent access to healthy food today and to eliminate the root causes of food insecurity for the future.
- Goodwill VISTA Partnership
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Counties Served: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Sagadahoc, Kennebec, Cumberland, Hancock, York, Penobscot, Washington, Lincoln
Primary Contact: Steve Niles
Goodwill Industries of Northern New England
190 Lancaster Street, Suite 200
Portland, ME 04104
phone: 207-370-3918
email: steve.niles@goodwillnne.org
web site: goodwillnne.org/services/workforce/americorps/The Goodwill VISTA Partnership is an intermediary model VISTA Project focused on poverty reduction throughout the state of Maine. Goodwill partners with Maine based non-profits to meet some of Maine's critical community needs. Forty AmeriCorps VISTA members and Leaders are placed in 12 counties around the state serving at nonprofits that focus on a variety of priority areas. Goodwill VISTA Partnership has been at the forefront of providing national service resources to organizations working on New Americans and Refugee Resettlement services. AmeriCorps VISTAs are also focusing on building the capacity of essential services around success in school, access to healthy food, senior services, and housing development.
Apply on Service Year.
- Hunger Free America Anti-Hunger Corps
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Description coming soon!
- Maine Campus Compact VISTA
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Counties served: All
Primary Contact: Sally Slovenski
Maine Campus Compact
51 Westminster Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
phone: 207-753-6626
email: sally@mainecompact.org
web site: www.mainecompact.orgMaine Campus Compact (MCC) is a statewide coalition of colleges and universities established to encourage and enhance campus engagement in the community.
The MCC AmeriCorps VISTA program is part of the Northern New England Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA collaboration among the Campus Compact state affiliates in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
MCC VISTA Members collaborate with college students, faculty, staff, and community partners to develop programming focused on improving college aspirations, increasing the belief that college is an option, and increasing access to higher education for low-income K-12 youth.
From 2013-2016, MCC VISTAs organized:
- 31,969 recruited volunteer hours
- 5,884 low income youth served
- 335 community projects
Apply on Service Year.
- Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative
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Description coming soon!