SERVE TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. June/July 2017 Update
News In this update we will look at the healthy future focus area
through a story of service and highlights of members serving in
that focus as well as what things to keep in mind as the term
comes to an end, how to write a story of service, and more!
M y name is AnnaJoy and
I am the Vo lunteer
C o o r d i n a t o r a n d
Delivery Supervisor for North
Helpline Emergency Services and
Food Bank in Seat t le w i th
Washington Service Corps. In
add i t i on t o manag ing and
scheduling some 2,500 hours of
volunteer power in order to
distribute over 120,000 pounds
of food every month, I oversee our
home delivery program. We serve
a wide variety of homeless, low-
income, and food insecure
households. North Helpline does
its best to ensure that its clients
have access to adequate food,
housing, and respect.
The home del ivery program
serves elderly and disabled
clients who may not have the
resources or capabilities to be
able to make it to the food bank
i n p e r s o n . O n e o f m y
responsibilities is ensuring that
everyone gets their food packed
and delivered with accuracy. Part
of that job is making sure there is
a volunteer to drive each delivery
route. One afternoon, however,
an unexpected absence placed
the responsibility of delivery on
my agenda for the afternoon.
I had de l ivered be fore and
thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was
excited to do it again. This route
in particular consisted of four
elderly ladies split between two
s en i o r hous ing apar tmen t
bui ldings in North Seatt le .
Lugging an overflowing banana
box filled with fresh vegetables,
fruits, canned goods, dry goods,
meat, and dairy I was greeted by
beaming faces at each new door.
The last door however fairly
beamed itself before anyone even
opened it. This delivery was in
early December and the door had
not forgotten the season. The
entry way was veritably covered
in holiday decorations, lights,
greenery, and ribbon.
Cheery music floated through the
air as I knocked, and a lovely
Filipino grandma met me with
open arms. Welcoming me into
her most festive and holiday
bedecked apartment, she gave me
a big hug. She was kind and
delighted to see me. With broken
English, she thanked me over
and over again and said that she
had something just for me.
She went to her small kitchenette
area and brought out a covered
circular aluminum pan. She had
used the bananas from the last
delivery box we had sent to make
a banana cake for all of us at
N o r t h H e l p l i n e . H e r k i n d
generosity and gratitude, along
with an insatiably joyful spirit
made for a definite happy ending
to the day and an unforgettable
reminder of why service is so
important and how blessed we
are as National Service Members
to be able to do this kind of
service on a day to day basis.
Don’t ever undervalue or forget
why you do what you do and the
good it brings to our fellow
citizens and the country. . . . And
I have to say; the cake was
thoroughly delicious and went
fantastically well with a cup of
hot coffee.
by Washington Service Corps
member AnnaJoy Thompson
Everyone's service term is slowly coming to an end. As the days go by and your next steps in life draw near, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your transition is smooth.
FINISHING UP
All 1,700 hours– To start, make sure you are on track to complete all 1,700 hour by the last day of your term of service (or 900 if you are a half-term member). Being even an hour short can prevent you from receiving your education award. Check out the tracking tool to see where you stand. Exit paperwork– You will complete exit paperwork before the end of your service. This includes a second member evaluation.
MyAmeriCorps.gov– You can log into myamericorps.gov and check to see if you need to complete any forms and a few weeks after your term ends you can access your education award. America Learns– In America Learns you will have one last story of service and training submission to complete. Be sure you have all of your trainings you need. If you do not have all of the required trainings talk with your supervisor or program coordinator to discuss how to complete them. Sustainability binder– Make sure you are leaving a guide behind for the next member taking that position. Not sure what I mean? Check out the May update for an in-depth explanation.
References– As your term comes to an end and you start applying for jobs you are going to need references. If you want to use your supervisor or other staff member make sure you ask them now. Always ask before putting someone down as a reference. Reflection– Take the time to reflect on your term of service. What have you learned? What impact have you made? How will you continue to stay connected with your community?
Join AmeriCorps Alums– Have you joined yet? It is free and easy to join. They offer a lot of great resources and it is a great way to stay connected after your term is over.
Apply to serve again– Are you considering doing another term? Talk to your supervisor or go to our website to see what opportunities are available!
Healthy Futures
M embers serv ing
under the Healthy
Futures focus area
provide health education,
nutrition education, help
individuals access food as well as
mental and physical health
resources needed to live a
healthy life. See what these WSC
members had to say about what
they do:
“A lot of the people who contact
us for services are either parents
or people who frequently have
small children visiting their
home. It can be a challenge to
adjust your home to be safe from
curious kids who like to get into
everything. Many of our clients
are surprised at how in-depth
our visits are. Each session can
take two hours or longer as we
attempt to create the most
complete picture of your home as
possible in such a brief
interaction. Over the course of
the visit we address several
topics including indoor air
quality, potential exposure to
lead and other toxins, water
quality, dust control, good
cleaning habits, mold and
moisture, proper ventilation, and
more.”
~ Sonya Rombough with Thurston
County Public Health
“Alleviating hunger and it’s root
causes, the motto of the Clark
County Food Bank of where I
have served the last 10.5
months. Each day I see fellow
food bankers work towards this
goal for our community. As a
Nutrition Educator AmeriCorps
volunteer serving through the
Washington Service Corps, I’ve
have had an opportunity to be a
part of the solution. As a
Nutrition Educator, I teach
gardening and cooking courses
around Clark County. Through
these classes I’ve seen hope
ignite as participants become
empowered. While hunger affects
individuals, it really is a
community issue.”
~ Chanel Griffin with Clark
County Food Bank
“My position at NAMI Seattle
involves coordinating Support
Link, a help line that connects
those affected by mental illness
with local mental health
resources. In addition, I also help
coordinate and present “Ending
the Silence”, a program that
teaches high school students
important information about
youth mental health. Once a
quarter, I organize a speaker
event to educate the wider
community about various mental
health related topics.”
~Selena Aston with NAOMI
Seattle
“[One] of my responsibilities
include working with families
who have kids with asthma in an
effort to reduce symptoms. Our
program allows us to conduct
two in-home visits, in an effort to
assess improvement in asthma
conditions. Asthma is the most
common chronic disease among
children, and often causes
children and parents to stay
home from school and work.”
~ Theresa Chiappe with American
Lung Association
“Through these
classes I’ve
seen hope
ignite as
participants
become
empowered.”
WSC member
Chanel Griffin
Stories of Service Your stories of service are important! They are a great way to showcase the impact
that you are having on the communities you serve. These stories are real-life
examples of the tremendous effort and commitment you make every day. They are
impactful, and paint a picture of passion and dedication. They are a vital tool in
expressing the importance of AmeriCorps.
WSC shares your stories with the public through its website and social media, in
newsletters and in monthly reports to its grant funders.
Introduce yourself, where you serve, what you do in service, and who you help in service.
Consider starting your story off with a statement that draws the reader in to your story, such as a statistic that is relevant to the population you’re serving and why help is needed.
Tell the reader about a particular person, group of people or
environmental beneficiary that you’ve helped that represents the broader population your position
focuses on. How did their situation or subject knowledge improve/increase from the
help you provided? Include data from your program. This
helps illustrate the overall impact you’re making.
Reflect on how serving in your AmeriCorps position and/or being a
part of national service has impacted you.
1. Intro
2. Hook
5. Reflect
3. Story
4. Data
We need your story.
My name is Ann, and I’m an AmeriCorps tutor
serving at Aurora High School in Seattle through the Washington Service Corps. 15% of the school’s student body are at least one
grade level behind in literacy or math. In my position, I tutor and mentor students who are falling behind in these subjects, helping to get
them on a path to graduate on time. One such student is Mike, who came to my math club to get help in algebra. At that point,
Mike was a grade level behind his classmates, and out of frustration, he had started to skip classes.
I tutored Mike every day, not only helping him in algebra, but also in getting him to open up and be more engaged. Over the course of
many weeks of one‐on‐one sessions, Mike’s grades started to improve, along with his self‐confidence. I’m happy to report he’s now up to
grade level, and has “graduated” out of math club! Mike’s success story is just one example of the
20 students I’ve tutored so far that are back up to grade level, and on track to graduate with their classmates.
My service in AmeriCorps has had a profound impact on me, helping to solidify my decision to become a teacher. I’m looking forward to
what the rest of my term holds for me, and the students I consider myself fortunate to help.
Example What
How to write a good story of service
Spreading the Word About AmeriCorps
Considering another term? Does a career in national service or the non-profit sector sound intriguing to you? Consider serving as the AmeriCorps leader for Washington Service Corps! Many of our past AmeriCorps Leaders have gone
on to successful careers in AmeriCorps program administration and non-profit/government work. If you’ve served in AmeriCorps or VISTA, and want to share your passion for service, this is the position
for you! Read more about the position and apply here.
Speaking up in support of national service
programs is critical, now more than ever. The more voices we can add to the chorus singing its
praises, the better!
As an individual currently serving, how do you do that without lobbying or advocating for funding?
Simply just tell your story!
Why did you join?
Who are you helping? How many?
Why is your service necessary?
If AmeriCorps didn’t exist, who would NOT be helped or what would NOT be
getting done?
How has serving in AmeriCorps
benefitted you?
HOW TO SPREAD THE WORD
Contact Washington State congressional
district representatives and state senators by
email or phone.
Send a “Letter to the Editor” to your local
newspapers informing readers about AmeriCorps and how your service is helping
those in need.
Work with your supervisor to invite local media to service projects as a backdrop to informing
your community about AmeriCorps.
Post on your social media pages about your
experience as an AmeriCorps member.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Highlight SPECIFICS. How many
children have you tutored as an
AmeriCorps member? How many acres
of natural habitat have you helped
restore?
Share a short story about a particular
person or local area species (e.g. salmon)
you’ve helped through your AmeriCorps
service.
NEED IDEAS?
FILL-IN-THE-BLANK SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:
“As an AmeriCorps member…”
I’ve tutored [number of] students at risk
of falling behind in school.
I’ve helped restore [number of] acres of wetland habitat to ensure that
endangered native salmon have a place
to spawn.
I’ve trained [number of] people in how to
prepare for a natural disaster.
“Because of AmeriCorps…”
I’ve gained hands-on experience I can use in my career in [teaching, conservation, emergency management,
etc.].
I’ll be the first in my family to go to
college because of the Segal Education
Award.