Courtesy photo.
VENTURA COUNTY — This week, United Way of Ventura County (UWVC) is pleased to join Americans across the country to celebrate AmeriCorps members and the valuable contributions they make each year.
AmeriCorps members dedicate their time and skills to address the biggest needs in a community, including assisting with disaster recovery, tutoring and mentoring young people, connecting veterans to jobs, caring for seniors, reducing crime and reviving cities, fighting the opioid epidemic, and meeting other critical needs.
As the Supervising Organization for the AmeriCorps Volunteer Infrastructure Project (VIP) in Ventura County, UWVC is responsible for training and placing AmeriCorps members where they are needed most in Ventura County. Earlier this month, three new AmeriCorps members completed their training through UWVC and began their service.
Ciera Begley will be serving at the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, Jennifer Raymond will be working with Step Up Ventura, and James Wortman will be helping children at the Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo. These new volunteers will be joining three AmeriCorps members already in place in Ventura County, including Micaela Duarte at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Ventura, Reyna Hernandez at Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, and Freida Candido at Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation.
“We are proud to be part of the AmeriCorps family, and greatly appreciate all AmeriCorps members who are making a positive impact in communities across the country,” said Eric Harrison, CEO of United Way of Ventura County. “Thank you to our AmeriCorps partner sites, Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Ventura, Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, and Step Up Ventura, who are already working to make Ventura County a better place.”
Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through 21,600 schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country. This fall, AmeriCorps will celebrate its 25th anniversary in September, saluting the more than 1 million men and women who have served in AmeriCorps since the program’s inception in 1994.
For further information on how your nonprofit can become a VIP Partner Site, or how to apply to be a VIP member, please contact AmeriCorps VIP Regional Coordinator, Lora Kline at (805) 485-6288 x231, or lora.kline@vcunitedway.org.
About AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation’s volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
About United Way of Ventura County: Since 1945, United Way of Ventura County has advanced the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. Our focus is on education, income and health, because these are the building blocks for a good quality of life. We support local services and programs that are more than just ‘stop gap’ measures, but rather solutions that help create lasting change. We invite everyone to be part of the change by giving, advocating and volunteering. When we work together in common purpose, we LIVE UNITED. For more information about United Way of Ventura County, visit www.vcunitedway.org