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How can a VISTA member help your organization better fight poverty?

• Got an idea for a new program or for improving services but no one with the time to dig in and get the job done?
• Wanna improve your fund development efforts? Generate community “buzz” about your work?
• Need more volunteers? Want them to be better trained?
• Need an enthusiastic someone with a singular focus on helping your agency better deliver on the promise of its mission to alleviate and eliminate poverty?

A VISTA member could be just what your agency needs!

Over the past ten years the Initiative Foundation’s 140+ VISTAs have created new programs, developed outreach tools and helped their host sites manage over 21,000 volunteers who provided over 234,000 hours of community service. Over that time, our VISTAs have helped raise over $1.6 million in grants and contributions and nearly $1.1 million in in-kind resources for their sites.

The Initiative Foundation is currently looking for organizations interested in hosting an AmeriCorps VISTA member for the 2011-2012 service year.

VISTAs are national members who serve full-time for a year in nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, tribal and government agencies to build their capacity to conduct anti-poverty work. (Note that eligible nonprofit private organizations are not limited to those with IRS 501(c) (3) status, but rather all organizations with IRS 501(c) status that focus on anti-poverty community development; organizations that focus solely on advocacy and lobbying are not eligible.)

VISTAs help their host sites grow so they can serve more people, in better ways for a longer period of time.

Applications for next year’s host sites are being accepted through February 4th. Selected sites will recruit VISTA members this spring who will begin service in early August.

Wanna learn more? Visit our website or call Chris or Annie at (320) 632-9255.