Many Alaskans serve their community and their nation each day through military service, the Peace Corps, helping local nonprofits and serving in our churches. In fact, Alaska ranks eighth in the country in volunteerism, demonstrating that we Alaskans know what it takes to make our community and our country thrive. There are many ways to serve but we wanted to let you know about an opportunity many don't think about — national service. At Serve Alaska, we work in partnership with nonprofits, schools, tribes and local governments as well as the Corporation for National and Community Service to provide a specific type of service to our community: AmeriCorps service.
Serve Alaska's AmeriCorps members serve statewide, focusing on six areas: Healthy Futures, Education, Veterans and Military Families, Disaster Services, Environmental Stewardship and Economic Opportunity. These members are making an impact in their community in many ways, from building youth resiliency in rural Alaska to teaching children to read, running after-school programs in Southeast, working on resilient cities in Anchorage's City Hall and working on schools to trails at YMCA. In addition, AmeriCorps VISTA members are focused on alleviating poverty through education, job training and by strengthening social service networks across the state.
AmeriCorps members comprise both locals hoping to enhance the quality of life in their community and those from the Lower 48 who have a desire to not only come live in Alaska but integrate themselves into the community by giving back. For their service, members are awarded money for education to either pay for future schooling or to pay back student loans. Many grandparents even serve to earn education awards for their grandchildren, a special option for senior AmeriCorps members.
March 5-12 is national AmeriCorps week. This year in Alaska we have 69 AmeriCorps members serving from Anchorage to Juneau, Allakaket to Hydaburg. In addition we have 47 AmeriCorps VISTA members serving everywhere from Bethel to Craig. We also have hundreds of former AmeriCorps living in our community — who continue to serve and make a difference.
The AmeriCorps motto is "Getting Things Done" and that is the attitude these volunteers apply to their service every day. Whether it is introducing a child to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses or helping in a disaster, AmeriCorps members are a critical part of the service community in our state. This week we want to extend a huge thank you to all current members serving as well as to the AmeriCorps alums. Alaska is proud of you.
Joelle Hall chairs the SERVE Alaska Committee.
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