AmeriCorps

Now Hiring for Fall 2020!

ICHD AmeriCorps State Program

Commonly known as the “domestic Peace Corps,” AmeriCorps is a national service program governed by a federal agency – the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) – and administered in Michigan by the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC). AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects Americans in intensive service to meet our country’s critical needs in education, public safety, health and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve with nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based and community organizations. Since 1994, AmeriCorps State members have provided needed assistance to millions of Americans across the nation.

The ICHD AmeriCorps State Program places members within Ingham County to work directly with neighbors in areas of food access and healthy lifestyle programming. Through member's community involvement and programming the AmeriCorps Program strives to alleviate hunger, install healthy habits within neighbors, reduce chronic diseases, and work towards a food sovereign community. AmeriCorps State members placed through the ICHD program will provide workshops to neighbors on gardening, nutrition and exercise to increase healthy lifestyles and reduce chronic diseases. Assist and organize food distributions, pantries, meal programs or manage the production of fresh produce for distribution to alleviate hunger, and support community garden programs through garden management, assistance to gardens & gardeners to work towards food sovereignty with neighbors.

Members will serve October 12th, 2020 - September 22nd, 2021. Serving with the ICHD AmeriCorps State Program members will:

Full time members:	Part time members:
Complete 1,700 hours = 36 hours/week	Complete 900 hours = 20-25 hours/week
Living stipend of $14,279, distributed bi-weekly	Living stipend of $7,140 distributed bi-weekly
Education award of $6,195	Education award of $3,097.50
Loan forbearance for eligible student loans	Loan forbearance for eligible student loans
Healthcare benefits, childcare assistance

Available Positions:
Community Garden Coordinator - Full-time position
This position is housed at the Ingham County Land Bank with their Garden Program. The Ingham County Land Bank established its Garden Program in 2009 to serve as a liaison between the Land Bank, the City of Lansing, local residents, and potential gardeners in encouraging and supporting community-based agricultural projects on the Land Bank’s vacant lots. Our Community Garden Coordinator will support and expand community agriculture projects and refugee gardens in Lansing’s most at-risk neighborhoods. The member will maintain ongoing communication with refugee garden leaders to ensure that all resources are sourced, transported, and delivered in a timely fashion. In addition, the member will maintain and expand our community U-pick plantings such as fruit tree orchards, berry patches, asparagus & rhubarb patches, pumpkin patches, and sweet corn fields. To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Community Garden Support Specialist - Part-time position
This positions is housed at the Garden Project of Greater Lansing Food Bank.The Garden Project, a 30+ year program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB), provides access to land, how-to education, free seeds and plants, tool lending, a networking hub and more, so that all community members can have access to fresh, healthy food through gardening opportunities. For more information, visit www.greaterlansingfoodbank.org.The Community Garden Support Specialist (CGSS) will provide hands-on garden support to a network of Garden Project (GP) community gardens across Ingham county. Member responsibilities will include infrastructure repairs, tilling, mowing, resource and tool delivery and providing basic community garden site maintenance, all in efforts to increase garden sustainability.To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Food Access & Equity Coordinator - Full-time position
This position is split between NorthWest Initiative and Lansing First Presbyterian Church, both organizations reside in the same building. NorthWest Initiative (NWI) is a nonprofit community development organization working to improve the overall health of the community and the quality of life for low income residents living in the northwest quadrant of Lansing and Lansing Township. Lansing First Presbyterian Church (FPC) has been a staple in the community since 1972 supporting and helping neighbors, regardless of religious affiliation, with resources and skills. Our Food Access & Equity Coordinator will provide food access and healthy lifestyle programming to both organizations. Member will be a vital part of both organizations monthly cooking classes and food distributions that include bi-weekly Weekend Survival Kit assemblies. To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Garden Development Specialist - Full-time position
This position is housed at the Ingham County Land Bank with their Garden Program. The Ingham County Land Bank established its Garden Program in 2009 to serve as a liaison between the Land Bank, the City of Lansing, local residents, and potential gardeners in encouraging and supporting community-based agricultural projects on the Land Bank’s vacant lots. The Garden Development Specialist will support and expand household gardens and community gardens in Lansing’s most at-risk neighborhoods. The member will utilize the Land Bank’s parcel inventory to connect residents with land on which to develop gardens, maintain ongoing communication with all program participants, and ensure that all resources are sourced, transported, and delivered in a timely fashion.To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Gardening Educator - Full-time position
This position is housed at Allen Neighborhood Center. Established in 1999, Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC) is a non-profit hub for neighborhood revitalization. Signature projects include the Hunter Park GardenHouse and Allen Farmers Market. These programs have emerged from ANC’s inclusive neighborhood forums, designed to address emerging issues, (e.g., food security and food access), and ensure the development of pioneering, resident-driven strategies for community improvement. For more info, visit: www.allenneighborhoodcenter.org. Our Gardening Educator will collaborate with the GardenHouse Director to develop and promote a robust gardening program throughout the Eastside. This includes linking neighbors to gardening resources, assist with planning, promoting, and facilitating of garden workshops. Member will also work with the Youth Program Coordinator to provide nutrition and gardening education to youth 5 - 17. To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Healthy Lifestyle Specialist - Part-time position
This position is housed at South Side Community Coalition. South Side Community Coalition is a neighborhood center that opened in 2003 and provides a range of services to neighbors on Lansing’s south side. Some of the programming we offer the community includes; After School programs and tutoring; Senior Luncheons; Food commodity distribution; Nutrition and health care forums; Summer breakfast and lunch programs; Summer youth programs and a garden club. For more info, visit: https://www.southsidecommunitycoalition.com/. Our Healthy Lifestyle Specialist will be responsible for healthy lifestyle programming at SSCC. Programming will include assisting/managing weekly food distributions, nutrition education, gardening education and ability to maintain the centers hoop house. Within the hoop house, member will be responsible for creating a crop plan, procuring and starting seeds, planting, weeding, watering, pest management, and harvesting. Food from the hoop house is put into the centers bi-weekly distributions. Responsibilities will fluctuate by season. To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Nutrition Proxy Coordinator - Full-time position
This position is housed at Tri-County Office on Aging. Since 1974 the Tri-County Office on Aging (TCOA) has been the region's source for information and services that older adults, persons with disabilities and their families need to live independently and remain active in their communities. Meals on Wheels provides well balanced meals to seniors in their homes as well as senior dining sites in Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties. www.tcoa.org. Our Nutrition Proxy Coordinator will spend time within the TCOA office as well as at resident’s homes, food banks, and outreach events to run two projects; Bridge the Gap and Signature Proxy Project. Member will coordinate and kick off Bridge the Gap project: working with local partners to understand under-utilization of Bridge cards among demographic and combat how to increase usage. Signature Proxy Project links home-bound senior citizen with food bank commodity boxes, reducing hunger to Lansing seniors. To view the full position description, CLICK HERE.

Interested candidates can apply to multiple positions within one application by indicating the positions within the cover letter. All interested candidates must submit a COVER LETTER and RESUME by July 29th @ 5pm to Andrea Villanueva; avillanueva@ingham.org

Now Accepting AmeriCorps VISTA Applications!

The Ingham County Health Department's AmeriCorps VISTA Program is now seeking host site applications for the 2020-2021 program year!

AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program that has been working to alleviate poverty in America since 1965. VISTA members serve as catalysts for change, living and working alongside community members to advance local solutions. Members in the VISTA program commit to a year-long, full-time position with a sponsor organization, often nonprofits, faith-based and community organizations, and public agencies and have the unique charge of helping build their sponsoring organization’s capacity through organizational, administrative, and financial capacity.

AmeriCorps VISTA members build capacity through activities like:

funding development campaigns.
building community partnerships.
creating marketing and outreach campaigns.
recruiting and managing volunteers.
developing trainings and curricula.

The Ingham County Health Department AmeriCorps VISTA Program places VISTA members at host organizations, or host sites, throughout Ingham County to focus on project goals related to economic opportunity, education, and healthy futures:

Education: K-12 Success
Education: Post-Secondary Education
Economic Opportunity: Employment/Workforce Development
Economic Opportunity: Housing
Healthy Futures: Access to Care

All AmeriCorps VISTA members serve full-time (36-40 hours per week)
from August 17, 2020 - August 16, 2021!

To cover the costs of the living stipend, training opportunities, and program and staff support, the host site fee for the 2020-2021 program year is $8,500 per VISTA member awarded.

Benefits of Service:
Living Allowance of $12,491 (distributed biweekly)
Education Award ($6,195) OR Cash Stipend ($1,803)
Non-Competitive Eligibility
Loan Forbearance for Qualified Student Loans
Professional Development and Training
Healthcare Benefit
Childcare Assistance
Paid Personal and Medical Leave

To learn more about the AmeriCorps VISTA program, review the requirements of hosting a member, and to access the application CLICK HERE. An editable word document for the VISTA Assignment Description can be found here.

Deadline to apply is Friday, February 28th by 5:00pm.

Questions about hosting an AmeriCorps VISTA member, our application process or to set up a technical assistance appointment contact:
Zekiye Salman
AmeriCorps VISTA Program Director
zsalman@ingham.org, 517-272-4147

About AmeriCorps State

The Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps State Program places AmeriCorps members throughout Ingham County to increase food security and reduce chronic disease in residents by focusing on two project goals:

1. Increase consumption of healthy foods and reduce food insecurity with gardening, food distribution and referrals.
2. Teach community members the importance of eating healthy foods and strategies to adopt better diets.

About AmeriCorps VISTA

AmeriCorps VISTA, or Volunteers in Service to America, is a national service program that was designed to eliminate poverty through capacity building in American communities. The VISTA program, created in 1965 and conceived by President John F. Kennedy, was formally incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993 and now governed by a federal agency – the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

The Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps VISTA Program began in 2006 and has placed VISTA members at multiple host sites, or sub-sites, at area non-profits, public agencies, and faith and community–based organizations. The VISTA members commit to one year of full-time service in InghamCounty in the areas of education and economic opportunity. They have the unique charge of building their host site’s organizational , administrative and financial capacity. To view The Power of We Consortium current Americorps VISTA team, visit the AmeriCorps VISTA Sites page.