Wisconsin National Service Participants coming together for AmeriCorps Day at the Capitol on March 15

Serve Wisconsin is coordinating AmeriCorps Day at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 15. AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and staff from AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs throughout Wisconsin will be participating in the event. Attendees will staff informational tables from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the First Floor Rotunda, which will be filled with program banners and maps of service locations throughout the state. Event participants will meet with Wisconsin Senate and Assembly members or their staff to highlight the impact that AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors have on communities throughout Wisconsin.

In addition to sharing information about the impacts of national service, attendees will collect donated business attire clothing from legislative and executive offices in the First Floor Rotunda and individual offices during educational visits.

If you are interested in participating in AmeriCorps Day at the State Capitol on March 15, please complete the RSVP form. If you have any questions about this event or to let us know about your participation, please contact Kyle Clower at kyle.clower@wisconsin.gov or 608-576-5373.

Nominations Open for 2023 Governor's Service Awards

Nominations Due on April 10

The Governor's Service Awards honor outstanding national service members, volunteers, and programs. Those honored by these awards will have made significant contributions to Wisconsin through their service, with their generous service impacting the lives of countless Wisconsinites. Awards will recognize outstanding national service by individuals and programs serving through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors and the tremendous impact volunteers make throughout the state by honoring a Volunteer of the Year from each of six Wisconsin regions.

Award nominations are due on Monday, April 10, with the 2023 nomination form and information on past recipients available on the Serve Wisconsin website at https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/governors-service-awards, with specific resources listed below.

• Nominations Overview for 2023 Governor’s Service Awards - includes information on nomination categories, award eligibility, the questions/prompts on the nomination form, submitting supporting materials, and the scoring process
• 2023 Nomination Form - nominations can be submitted by completing the online form available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WI2023GSA

The nomination categories for this year are listed below, with descriptions on the nomination form.

• AmeriCorps Member of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Program of the Year 
• AmeriCorps VISTA Member or VISTA Program of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Alumni of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Seniors Program of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Seniors Lifetime Impact Volunteer
• Marty Stein, Friend of National Service Exemplary Supporter
• Volunteer of the Year - East Central Wisconsin
• Volunteer of the Year - Northeast Wisconsin
• Volunteer of the Year - Northwest Wisconsin
• Volunteer of the Year - Southeast Wisconsin
• Volunteer of the Year - Southwest Wisconsin
• Volunteer of the Year - West Central Wisconsin

Please contact kyle.clower@wisconsin.gov with any questions and to submit nominations for the Governor's Service Awards by April 10. 

"Helping people like me" with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Recovery Corps

AmeriCorps member Jamie Thibedeau serves as a recovery coach in Chippewa Falls with the Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Recovery Corps program. She was inspired to serve by her own personal experience with substance abuse and recovery. While now over two years into her recovery from substance abuse, Jamie explains that “when I started my recovery, there weren’t very many resources in this area…I had to travel to find meetings and connections, people I could be around other than those I had been around. What drew me to the program was the fact that it was people like me, helping people like me.”

Jamie is serving at one of the new service sites that MCHS Recovery Corps has added this year to expand the reach of their AmeriCorps recovery coaches. The MCHS Recovery Corps previously offered services in treatment centers and jails. After realizing the need to provide these services at some of their clinic locations, they now have Recovery Coach members serving at MCHS clinics in Chippewa Falls, Rice Lake, Beaver Dam, Wausau, and Weston.

Jamie describes her recovery and the desire to help others encountering similar issues, explaining how she can relate to her clients and that “it creates this authentic bond. It really makes a difference…For me, I really struggled with talking to anyone. Everybody knew, but no one knew what to say. So, with me being open and honest and sharing every detail is just so important." Knowing she did not have anyone to talk with while she was quietly using, Jamie is committed to being available for clients beyond just her office hours at the clinic, saying, "I've answered my work phone late at night…I have that willingness to work with people when they are ready."

For more about Jamie’s journey and service and the expansion of MCHS Recovery Coach services, read the following news stories:

• Leader Telegram - New clinic program helps those in drug recovery
• The 715 Newsroom - Program Seeks To Help in Recovery

DPI Farm to School AmeriCorps members reflect on the impacts of their service

The Department of Public Instruction AmeriCorps Farm to School Program is dedicated to serving communities throughout the state by increasing access to fresh, healthy foods in schools and providing nutrition education to students. As part of their mission, the AmeriCorps members with Farm to School reach students in numerous ways, including leading lessons on nutrition, conducting tastings of locally raised/produced foods, working with students in school gardens, and connecting students with local farmers through classroom presentations or farm tours.

To learn more about Farm to School AmeriCorps members' service throughout the state, check out their reflections and podcast interviews about their service during the first few months of the 2022-23 school year.

Farm to School AmeriCorps member reflections and service stories

• Growth and new developments during a second term with Farm to School - Catherine Masters, who is serving at Rooted in Madison
• Exploring a Green World - Jen Klemm, who is serving at Rooted in Madison
• Connecting kids to wild foods from their local environment - Jessie Ferraro, who is serving at Kickapoo Valley Forest School
• Excited by the possibilities of service with Farm to School - Rebekah Herring, who is serving at Oregon School District
• Food and Culture at Bayfield School District - Lindsay Larson, who is serving at Bayfield School District
• A Giant Corn Costume and the Ithaca School Fair - Julie Severance, who is serving at Ithaca School District
• Growing lettuce and student interest with our Fork Farm - Emily Stockinger, who is serving at Arbor Vitae Woodruff Elementary School 
• Finding joy through local food procurement and serving alongside my fellow AmeriCorps member - Erika Kundinger, who is serving at Howard Suamico School District 

The S-Files Podcast Episodes featuring Farm to School AmeriCorps members

In addition to these reflections, you can learn more about the experiences of Farm to School AmeriCorps members on the following episodes of The S-Files podcast series.

• Serving Students across Seven Schools with Farm to School - episode featuring Wes Broske, serving at the Monona Grove School District
• Harvesting from the Heart with Farm to School - episode featuring Peyton Keith, serving at the Bayfield School District
• Service for all Seasons with Farm to School - episode featuring Catherine Masters and AmeriCorps alum Gwen Murphy, who both served at Rooted in Madison
• Bringing the Farm to School through Service - episode featuring David Lee Schneider, serving at the Howard Suamico School District, and AmeriCorps alum Maddie Smith, who served at the Oregon School District

Green Bay Conservation Corps analyzes impacts of service from 2022

The Green Bay Conservation Corps (GBCC) launched as a new AmeriCorps program in the fall of 2022 after a year of development with an AmeriCorps Planning Grant. Their inaugural full-year crew of AmeriCorps members have already made a significant impact during the first few months of their service, including removing invasive species, planting native species, mapping trails, collecting native seeds for future plantings, and other projects in Green Bay parks and natural spaces. Additionally, they have inventoried over 700 acres of land by conducting surveys of invasive species in city parks to prioritize certain parks for invasive removal and help establish locations for future work by GBCC AmeriCorps members, including when they are joined by their cohort of members serving terms during Summer 2023 and in subsequent program years.

To share the impacts and development of the program over the last year, GBCC recently released their 2022 Year in Review with the Green Bay Conservation Corps, featuring data tables, digital maps, pictures from service activities, interviews with Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, and his Chief of Staff, Amaad Rivera-Wagner and with GBCC AmeriCorps members Jared Gonzales and Lindsey Kurtz for The S-Files Podcast, and other information about the program.

For more information about the accomplishments of the Green Bay Conservation Corps in 2022, please visit the 2022 Year in Review with the Green Bay Conservation Corps.

MCHS AmeriCorps members and staff from across state gather for in-person training

This February, the AmeriCorps members with Marshfield Clinic Health System’s two AmeriCorps programs, MCHS Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps, gathered together in person as a group for the first time in nearly three years. The training from February 15-17 was intended to bring together their AmeriCorps members, who serve at over fifty service sites throughout the state, to promote professional development and networking and to rejuvenate members as they continue towards a successful term of service.

As part of the training, AmeriCorps members participated in sessions with speakers on a variety of topics, including non-apparent disability and identity, mental health, self-care, and trauma-informed care. Additionally, four program alumni shared with current members their experience as a member and the transition into life after AmeriCorps service. The attendees also completed several service projects, including painting kindness rocks, card-making for nursing homes, and writing letters to veterans. Participants reflected that overall it was a successful event that resulted in members and program staff feeling more connected, excited for the remainder of the term, and grateful for the time together in person.

Service stories from AmeriCorps member with the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics

February episode of The S-Files podcast

This month on The S-Files, we explored the service story of AmeriCorps member Ana Loughman, who is serving this year with the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. Check out the episode below and access all the podcast episodes on The S-Files podcast series website.

Supporting Patients and Preventative Health Initiatives with the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

In this episode, we are exploring the service done by AmeriCorps member Anna Loughman, who is serving this year with the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics at the Community Outreach Clinic in Menomonee Falls. Anna describes the various ways she helps patients access healthcare and assists the medical staff at the clinic. She discusses how she supports preventative health initiatives at the clinic to improve patient health outcomes, including programs focused on blood sugar management and high blood pressure. Anna also describes how her previous service experiences lead her to AmeriCorps. Listen to learn how Anna decided to build upon previous service experiences by dedicating a year to serving with AmeriCorps after graduating and how she has been gaining valuable experience working with a diverse patient population at the clinic before beginning medical school this summer. (listen to the episode here) 

Serve Wisconsin releases RFP for 2023-2024 AmeriCorps program grants and planning grants

Serve Wisconsin released its 2023-2024 AmeriCorps State Formula Request for Proposals (RFP) for AmeriCorps Program Grants and AmeriCorps Planning Grants.

Nonprofit-organizations, state and local units of government, institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, and Indian Tribes looking to address a community need through AmeriCorps programming are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Organizations will need to submit a mandatory notification of intent to apply by March 14 and applications are due by April 4.

Links to the RFP, the Notification of Intent links, technical assistance, and other resources are available on the Serve Wisconsin website on the following pages:

• AmeriCorps Program RFP - https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/americorps-formula-program-rfp
• AmeriCorps Planning Grant RFP- https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/americorps-formula-planning-rfp

Please direct any questions regarding the RFP process or application to servewisconsin@wisconsin.gov.

Deadline for NCCC AmeriCorps Concept Papers is March 2 for projects in July-September or August-October 2023

AmeriCorps NCCC teams are 18-24 year-olds traveling regionally to help communities meet their critical needs by completing projects that typically last 6-8 weeks. NCCC partners with a variety of nonprofit organizations, government entities (federal, state, or local), educational institutions, neighborhood associations, Native American Tribal Councils, and community-based or faith-based organizations to complete projects that address compelling community needs. These projects address five main service areas: natural and other disasters, energy conservation, environmental stewardship and conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development.

For example, the Cedar 3 Team of AmeriCorps NCCC members served between September 19 and November 8 at YMCA Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya to assist the Greater Green Bay YMCA. They completed several projects at the camp, including improving trail systems, renovating the amphitheater, and building new campsites.

Nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in working with an AmeriCorps NCCC team either between July 14 and September 8, 2023, or between August 11 and October 12, 2023, need to submit a concept form by March 2.

The deadline for submitting concept form for working with a team between September 15 and November 7 or between October 19 and December 15 is May 2, 2023. . Information on the application process for these upcoming periods is available in their Request for Proposal (RFP) for 2023 service dates.

For those interested in taking an active role in promoting national service and volunteerism in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board has a current or pending vacancy for board members for the following appointment type:

• A representative of business
• A representative of local government
• A representative of local labor

Those interested in serving must complete an application to the governor for the appointment. The online application for a board position can be found HERE, with additional information on the application process found at Apply to Serve - Governor Tony Evers. If you are interested in serving on the board and have any questions, please contact Serve Wisconsin Executive Director Jeanne Duffy at jeanne.duffy@wisconsin.gov.