What Is AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps is an opportunity to make a big difference in your life and in the lives of those around you. It’s a chance to apply your skills and ideals toward helping others and meeting critical needs in the community. Each year, AmeriCorps offers 75,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. Whether your service makes a community safer, gives a child a second chance, or helps protect the environment, you’ll be getting things done through AmeriCorps!

AmeriCorps members address critical needs in
communities all across America.

As an AmeriCorps member, you can:
• Tutor and mentor disadvantaged youth
• Fight illiteracy
• Improve health services
• Build affordable housing
• Teach computer skills
• Clean parks and streams
• Manage or operate after-school programs
• Help communities respond to disasters
• Build organizational capacity

What is AmeriCorps VISTA?

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 40 years.

What VISTA Members Do?

VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, strengthen community groups, and much more. With passion, commitment, and hard work, you’ll create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty.

Wyoming Epilepsy Association

Has the opportunity to have two VISTA’s. They are working to promote education, awareness, outreach by developing social groups , recruiting volunteers, compile data, gathering information for WEA’s website. One of their main objectives is to partner with other organizations on education, housing, employment and poverty throughout the state.

Rose Sanders
AmeriCorps/VISTA

Rose Sanders has 4 children, 8 Grandchildren, 8 Great Grandchildren. What fun they are! She has been an LPN for over 30 years. Working in Geriatrics, Med-Surg, Surgery, Dermatology. A very interesting career.

In August 2010 she became an AmeriCorps VISTA, with a goal - to spread the word throughout Wyoming that Wyoming Epilepsy is here to provide people with epilepsy information about advocacy, support, and education on epilepsy in general.

Lizz Madrid
Americorps/VISTA

I have family members with epilepsy, and actually came to WEA for help and information several years ago. I was asked if I would like to personally provide education to individuals about epilepsy based on my personal experience. The VISTA program has provided training in several areas including updating my computer skills, knowledge about epilepsy, poverty and its issues, how Wyoming government works, and much more. I’m fortunate to be able to use my strengths and what I enjoy most…talking to people…to help a cause I’m passionate about. Being a VISTA with Wyoming Epilepsy Association is a great volunteer position for many reasons.

AmeriCorps in Wyoming

National Service Overview

Meeting community needs in Wyoming. More than 2,000 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through national service in Wyoming. Serving with more than 240 national and local nonprofits, schools, faith-based organizations and other groups, these citizens tutor and mentor children, support veterans and military families, provide health services, restore the environment, respond to disasters, increase economic opportunity, and recruit and manage volunteers. This year, the Corporation for National and Community Service will commit more than $4,800,000 to support Wyoming communities through national service initiatives.

For more information:
http://www.americorps.gov/about/role_impact/state_profiles_detail.asp?tbl_profiles_state=WY