Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, June 11, 85 Vermont Housing & Conservation Board staff, VHCB AmeriCorps members and program supporters turned out for eight community service projects in Burlington, Huntington, Essex Junction, Shelburne and Richmond. The efforts resulted in gardening, landscaping and new raised beds at affordable housing sites, painting at several locations, trail work, helping at the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and assisting at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps Farm. Other beneficiaries of the service projects are residents of housing managed by the Champlain Housing Trust, Cathedral Square Corporation, and the Committee on Temporary Shelter; visitors to Audubon Vermont’s Huntington headquarters; and hikers using trails managed by the Catamount Trail Association and the Green Mountain Club.
Francis Sharpstene, Director of VHCB AmeriCorps said, “It is always an inspiration to see all the accomplishments of our members in the field. They are learning about the value of community service and civic engagement—lessons that can last a lifetime.”
Following the community service projects, the group celebrated the VHCB AmeriCorps 20th anniversary at the Catamount Country Club in Williston. The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board AmeriCorps program was started in 1997. Over the 20-year period, more than 500 members have served one-year terms with housing and conservation organizations around the state, providing direct service to residents of affordable housing, homeless individuals and home buyers; providing before and after school programming for school children; caring for natural areas, removing invasive weeds and improving trails; assisting watershed groups and weatherization organizations; and taking on independent service projects.
VHCB sponsors 35 AmeriCorps members annually, recruiting over the summer months for positions that begin in September. AmeriCorps is a national community service program through which members earn a stipend, an education award, and certain health and child care benefits. Members develop organizational and presentation skills and are offered several trainings that introduce and develop leadership skills. Many go on to be hired by the organizations they serve with or to learn more about what type of employment they might choose to pursue.
Source: VHCB. 6.11.2018. For more information on the program, visit www.vhcb.org/americorps.