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 VISTA members help eligible agencies deliver services and programs to help low-income people become more self-sufficient and address poverty related issues within communities. As an AmeriCorps VISTA sponsoring organization, the Initiative Foundation works in partnership with the program to match VISTAs with central Minnesota nonprofit organizations and agencies. VISTA is often referred to as “the domestic equivalent of the Peace Corps.”
VISTA members make a full-time, one-year commitment. Project sites interview and select their own VISTAs from a pool of local and national candidates. Volunteers receive training, health insurance and an $891 monthly living allowance from the AmeriCorps program. The program also provides a $5,350 education award or $1,500 cash stipend at the end of each year of service. VISTA volunteers serve at no cost to the nonprofit organization for the first year. Project sites must share the cost of VISTA members for service beyond one year.
Within just one year VISTA Project Sites reported the following...
- 4,251 community volunteers involved in VISTA projects
- 1,172 new volunteers recruited as a result of VISTA efforts
- 28,630 services hours completed by volunteers
- 43,544 households assisted by VISTA organizations
- $260,438 - cash resources secured by VISTAs
- $84,719 - non-cash resources secured by VISTAs
- (data from August 2008 - July 2009 activities)
For more information about VISTA:
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