Who do members serve? VISTA members serve organizations and agencies in the Greater Buffalo area that serve the unmet needs of low-income or impoverished individuals and families. Serve New York members serve organizations and agencies throughout New York State that serve the unmet needs of veterans, active duty military personnel and military families.
What do members do? Through activities such as fund development, program development, community education, volunteer recruitment and training, members build the capacity and sustainability of organizations and agencies.
When do they serve? Members serve full-time (35-40 hours per week) for one year, with most member positions starting in July and August. Some member positions are short-term, summer positions.
Why do members serve? "I applied to be an AmeriCorps VISTA out of college because I wanted to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others while simultaneously gaining experience and skills for my future career. I found exactly what I was looking for. During my year of service at the Ithaca Youth Bureau, a local government agency in upstate New York that provides programming for children and teens, I facilitated efforts to develop a new non-profit organization, called Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau, to support the work of the Youth Bureau through fundraising and community outreach. Through assisting with other projects during my year of service, I also had the opportunity to solidify my interest in and work towards my current career path in education policy. After AmeriCorps, I worked as a research assistant at an education policy think tank in Washington, D.C., and this fall, I will be starting a master’s in public policy program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. My VISTA year was a momentous experience for me, both personally and professionally, and I will recommend VISTA to anyone who will listen." Amanda O., Serve New York 2009-2010 member
Where do they serve? Members serve in non-profit organization as well as local, state and federal agencies. VISTA members serve in the Greater Buffalo area, while Serve New York members are located across New York State. How does the staff of The Service Collaborative support members? Staff plans monthly professional development training, site visits and special projects. In addition, Team Leaders provide additional support to ensure members and their sites have positive experiences.
