Happy AmeriCorps Week!
AmeriCorps Week is a time to recognize the commitment of the millions of Americans who have chosen to serve their community. This AmeriCorps Week, join the Literacy Coalition as we celebrate and give thanks to our AmeriCorps members and volunteers for making an impact and serving others through our Texas Family Literacy AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.
Read firsthand from our members below to see how their service has positively impacted their lives and our community!
Cat Holst:
“It’s really easy to say that service is just about helping people, but service is also about setting an example that we should all be helping one another. Our society thrives because people are compassionate and care for one another; when we lose that sense of caring and compassion, the world becomes a darker, more difficult place. My service might just be one little light, but as others add their own little lights, the world becomes brighter and brighter. Service is about reminding ourselves what we owe to one another as people and as human beings.
I have had such a phenomenal opportunity to serve for two years at the VISTA Leader at Literacy Coalition of Central Texas. I know it maybe sounds super corny, but the best part of my service is getting to be in a position to help other VISTA members succeed. I am constantly in awe of the amazing work our members do. I’ve also been so privileged to see so many of them grow throughout their service year, to see them tackle new skills and then, within a few months, become so confident and so poised. The opportunity to see this growth, to see our members making real change in their organizations and their communities and to be able to support and help them as they do it, is hands down my favorite part of service.”
Maria Rodriguez:
“Service matters to me because it means unity, compassion, and community. I believe change for the better happens due to a community coming together and being there for one another. Particularly, in the schools where my organization serves, there is a team of teachers, administrators, wraparounds, parents, and the organization’s staff all working together for the well-being of the students. In the words of one of our scholar’s parents: “it takes a village to raise children”. I believe I must act on the change I’d like to see and that it is possible to grow from the local to national level.”
Melinda Szabo:
Why Did I Choose AmeriCorps? Let me count the ways… I was laid off in 2020 and contemplating my whole life. Should I go and get a master’s degree in social work? Should I move away and find a different career path such as working in a winery? The one thing I was certain of at that point was I did not want something long-term. I needed a change in my career path. I had been in fundraising/admissions for 5 years at that point and felt stagnant. I had contemplated AmeriCorps when I was graduating college in 2015 but felt I couldn’t make it work then. I checked the AmeriCorps website and found a position listed for the Multicultural Refugee Coalition as a Programs and Evaluations VISTA. Aha! The organization caught my eye.
Working with and for refugees, as they establish themselves in Austin while working in sustainable and environmentally friendly practices seemed like a better fit than anything I had previously done. I applied, hoping that they also thought I would be a good fit. I’m happy to say I have served for a year and will finish my six-month extension in April. I have learned so much about refugee experiences, regenerative agriculture and the circular economy. My AmeriCorps experience guided me back on a path that felt right. I am planning to attend graduate school in Fall 2022 to eventually earn a Master’s in International Affairs, working with people from different countries to improve our planet and find solutions to the many problems that are plaguing us today.
Texas Family Literacy AmeriCorps Member:
[I joined AmeriCorps] because I wanted experience in teaching ESL to see if it could be a full-time career for me in the future. I also saw AmeriCorps as an opportunity to build a community with other service-oriented people in a new city.
Interested in joining our team as an AmeriCorps member?