Two year-long service opportunities available, apply now! Scroll to the bottom of the page to learn more.
Community service and volunteerism have always been a vital force in American life.
Throughout history, our nation has relied on the dedication and action of citizens to tackle our biggest challenges.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy envisioned a national service corps “to help provide urgently needed services in urban and rural poverty areas.” Less than two years later, President Lyndon B. Johnson realized Kennedy’s dream by launching the “War on Poverty.” Johnson welcomed the first group of 20 VISTAs (Volunteers In Service To America) by saying, “Your pay will be low; the conditions of your labor often will be difficult. But you will have the satisfaction of leading a great national effort, and you will have the ultimate reward which comes to those who serve their fellow man.”
The VISTA program, like Head Start and other lasting antipoverty programs, was created by The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to serve the needs of the poorest Americans.
Remember together we can make a difference!
Every day across the nation AmeriCorps VISTA members are tackling America’s toughest problems in:
- Disasters Services
- Economic Opportunity
- Education
- Environmental Stewardship
- Healthy Futures
- Veterans and Military Families
Georgia 4-H is also very active in all of these areas, making the partnership between Georgia 4-H and the AmeriCorps VISTA program an ideal situation.
VISTAs give at least one year of service to Georgia 4-H in areas of volunteer development, marketing, and fundraising. Their services are leveraged to extend the great benefits of 4-H positive youth development to additional youth. VISTAs receive a small living allowance and a health benefit plan from the Corporation for National and Community Service. They also have the option for an education award or cash award after their successful year of service. Together these VISTAs have developed more than $600,000 in cash resources and over $66,000 in non-cash resources helping Georgia 4-H to “make the best better.”
Apply Today
VISTA Member Openings
Georgia4-H develops youth into young civic-minded leaders who have been shown to make healthier choices. To further the great benefits of this youth development programming, additional volunteer leaders are needed to expand the programming reach. This project aims to engage an additional 50 low-income youth per year, in the selected counties of Georgia by expanding 4-H club programming resources and developing leaders in Georgia. Specifically, this AmeriCorps VISTA will increase resources to support youth, recruit and develop volunteers, develop or expand funding streams (through grants and sustainable fundraisers), and expand the number of volunteer-led clubs and volunteer-led initiatives.
To explore the current listing view the Apply Now! at the My AmeriCorps Page
We will provide direct links for the upcoming listings soon. We recommend going ahead and setting up your MyAmeriCorps account and application. Once we have our listings created you will be able to attach your application to the listings you are interested in. If you are specifically interested in the Georgia 4-H VISTA listings contact Laura Goss to share the direct link once it has been created.
Contact Laura Goss at laurwalt@uga.edu or 706-542-444 for more information about serving. Check out the below recruitment video to learn more about service with GA 4-H VISTA AmeriCorps.
Interested individuals can participate in the AmeriCorps virtual meeting, which is offered twice a month. Participants will learn about the benefits of AmeriCorps service. Georgia 4-H is also offering live virtual chats in July for interested applicants to learn about service benefits and the Georgia 4-H VISTA role. See details below.
Impact of AmeriCorps VISTA
Read the impact statements, snapshots, great stroies below to learn more about the service of our AmeriCorps VISTAs
- AmeriCorps and Georgia 4-H Snapshot Summary
- Georgia 4-H VISTA Summer Associates Provide COVID Relief – Impact Statement
- Georgia 4-H AmeriCorps VISTA and AmeriCorps State Programs – Impact Statement
- Great Stories Direct Service Summer 2021
- Great Stories May 2021
- Great Stories April 2021
- Great Stroies March 2021_ Georgia 4-H
- Great Stories Indirect Service 2020
- Great Stories Direct Service Summer 2020
- Great Stories Fall 2019
- Great Stories Summer 2019
- Great Stories Spring 2019
- Great Stories Winter 2018 – 2019
- Great Stories Fall 2018
- Great Stories Summer 2018
VISTAs are a part of something bigger!
The below graphic showcases the impact of two Summer Associates who provided direct service within their selected communities.
Keri Hobbs
Office:(706)542-4H4H
Fax:(706)542-7373
klgandy@uga.edu
Laura Goss
Office:(706)542-4H4H
Fax:(706)542-7373
laurwalt@uga.edu
Melinda Miller
Phone:229-386-3414
Fax: 229-386-7139
mdmiller@uga.edu
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (working cooperatively with Fort Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the counties of Georgia) offers its educational programs, assistance, and materials to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action organization.