While the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted how AmeriCorps members are serving in Wisconsin, it has not disrupted their goal of making a difference for others and getting things done. They are continuing to serve with their programs by modifying their service and taking on new projects to have an impact for those in need.

 

The descriptions below and in the following articles are just some examples of how our AmeriCorps programs and individual AmeriCorps members are continuing to "get things done" and serving local communities during the current health emergency.

Wisconsin HealthCorps

Despite all the changes amidst the pandemic, Wisconsin HealthCorps members are continuing to find innovative ways to serve their local communities. Many members have been able to continue supporting the program mission of increasing access to care through health education albeit through virtual means. Some examples of this service include conducting follow-up calls to patients, creating educational YouTube videos on nutrition and physical activity, and taking on efforts to strengthen community partnerships. Other members have taken on projects that respond directly to COVID-19, such as supporting United Way's 211 Wisconsin call center, manning COVID-19 hotlines at their host sites, or compiling community resources to share with patients.

 

United Way Fox Cities - Weight of the Fox Valley

The AmeriCorps members with United Way Fox Cities - Weight of the Fox Valley are performing a combination of continued direct service and COVID-19 response efforts. The members are providing virtual health education activities for schools, families, students, and summer programs (primarily through public libraries), and other community organizations, such as Special Olympics participants.  Many members are also participating in COVID-19 activities including:

 

Wisconsin Association for Homeless and Runaway Services

The AmeriCorps members with Wisconsin Association for Homeless and Runaway Services are continuing to meet the essential needs of runaway and homeless youth throughout the state during the pandemic. Most members have continued to serve in person through street outreach, shelter services, and assisting young people and families in accessing essential services and needed items (such as food and clothing). Members are also preparing for the transition to the end of service by preparing materials for next year's AmeriCorps members that will help them to understand resources available in the community and tips on getting started in their year of service.

 

College Possible Milwaukee

The AmeriCorps members with College Possible Milwaukee have continued their regular service by remotely working with their students. They are helping their students determine their college plans for next year, pointing their students toward resources they need, converting content from in-person to virtual or social media opportunities, and updating student database and year-end materials.

 

Schools of Hope

The AmeriCorps members with Schools of Hope are serving in many capacities since schools closed and then went to virtual learning.  Their activities are based on school need and direction from staff, such as continuing to work with students via Zoom and Google Classroom or packing and distributing bags of books for students. Several members are serving in COVID-19 response activities such as volunteering with Second Harvest or other food distribution organizations or sewing masks for healthcare workers.

 

Volunteer Wisconsin

The AmeriCorps members with Marshfield Clinic Health Systems AmeriCorps Volunteer Wisconsin continuing to promote volunteerism through their host sites, with some temporary shifts away from volunteer recruitment and development to volunteer retention and appreciation. They are leading volunteer book clubs and hosting Facebook Live events to keep volunteers engaged, developing virtual trainings with an eye to the future, and filling in for roles typically held by their regular volunteers that are unable to come in at this time. Volunteer Wisconsin members are also spending roughly half their service time engaged in approved alternate service activities to either build capacity at their host sites or in response to a specific community need during the COVID emergency, such as assisting 211 Wisconsin by answering COVID related calls, sorting donations and distributing food to families in need, and providing recognition for graduating seniors.

 

Easterseals Wisconsin

The AmeriCorps members at Easterseals Wisconsin have continued to serve remotely  by maintaining connections and communication with campers and their families through various outlets, and ultimately adapting their service. One of these efforts was sharing potential activities with the campers and their families as part of their Birchbark blog, with this blog article detailing ways to enjoy nature, complete different art projects, experiment in the kitchen, virtually visit zoos and amusement parks, and other fun activities. 

 

Public Allies Milwaukee

The AmeriCorps members with Public Allies Milwaukee have continued serving with their host sites to enhance their ability to serve the public. They have found numerous ways to provide virtual service with the non-profit organizations at which they are serving, particularly with increasing community needs.  The Public Allies members have also participated in weekly virtual learning gatherings with staff and other Members. The members attended a session on how to present virtually and presented practice 4-minute talks on their service. The Public Allies AmeriCorps members are now planning for presentations at a virtual service-day conference for community members this summer.

Over the past two months, thousands of Wisconsinites have answered the call to make a difference for others by responding to the over 250 COVID-19 related needs posted on the  COVID-19 Response Initiative on the Volunteer Wisconsin website.

The COVID-19 Response Initiative was launched by Serve Wisconsin and the United Way of Wisconsin on March 19.   To volunteer in your community, go to www.volunteerwisconsin.org .

With their service sites closed to their students, the AmeriCorps members with Partners for After School Success (PASS) have adapted their service to the community, with the PASS members making this video detailing their continuing commitment to service and getting things done.

 

The PASS AmeriCorps members spent the month of March responding to students, site and community needs related to COVID-19, Their activities included outreach to students and families to assess resources and needs, food packaging and delivery at community centers and larger food banks, as well training to answer and respond to calls through the 211 hotline. 

 

Starting in April, many PASS members refocused efforts on serving students through host-site driven virtual platforms, which includes virtual academic tutoring, individual and small group mentoring and extended learning programming such as arts & crafts, trivia, book clubs, discussion groups, science clubs, sports activities, and more.  For example, one community center delivers a box of food and activity supplies to families each week and then leads Zoom calls giving instruction to do the weekly activity with the supplies in the box.  Members continue to provide regular contact and support to students and their families during site closures due to COVID-19.

 

In addition to their continued service, the PASS AmeriCorps members engaged in more extensive professional development training, and formulated weekly, member-led discussion groups around specific topics, such as: Transformational Leadership, Immigration, Teaching with a Social Justice Lens, Racism in Schools and within the Criminal Justice System, and Racism during COVID-19.  Member leaders would prepare and send out material and discussion questions, and then facilitate an online meeting based on the material, take notes, and submit a summary of the discussion. The PASS members found these trainings to be extremely valuable opportunities to expand their knowledge, gain experience and skills facilitating meetings on online platforms, and to feel less isolated and more connected to the team.

 

Below are excerpts from reflections from some of the PASS AmeriCorps members serving remotely to assist their students in the Dane County, with the FULL PASS AMERICORPS REFLECTIONS AVAILABLE HERE:

 

My main task is Social Emotional Learning support for youths at this time and I have been doing that through emails and text messages. It is still hard to reach every youth because I do not have the numbers of all the youths, but I am doing my best to coordinate and update on youth check-in with my supervisor.... Udon Thao, PASS AmeriCorps Member at Bayview Foundation 

 

The Outreach Department has actively worked on offering online troops to girls. Even though it has been difficult to reach the students, we have had some success and continue to plan for fun, online meetings.... Allison, PASS AmeriCorps Member at Girl Scouts

 

I am leading Korean language club through Zoom on Mondays, participating in community center Google Hangout meetings Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and facilitating homework club meetings on Thursdays... Chamee, PASS AmeriCorps Member with MSCR at Jefferson Middle School

 

....I have also been working with a teacher to compile a list of free fun academic websites for students & have been sending them out to students. I also wrote all my tutoring students a post card letting them know I am excited to begin tutoring again! Annika, PASS AmeriCorps Member with MSCR at Sennett Middle School

 

Instead of Online Extended Learning Programming, I have been successful in talking to teens on the phone. We have had long conversations with teens and their families talking about what they doing, how they feel and are coping....Binta, PASS AmeriCorps Member at Goodman South Madison Public Library

In these uncertain times, it's unclear whether my fellow AmeriCorps members and I will be able to complete our service year in the way that we'd planned. I certainly couldn't have imagined this back in September, and it's been difficult to know for sure what the "right" next step is.

 

The beauty of being an AmeriCorps member is that we are not traditional employees. We have the freedom to be flexible in difficult times and respond to what our communities need. While we might identify strongly with our host sites, we are AmeriCorps members first and foremost. Remembering this, I've decided to expand my scope of service and fill a need in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

 

I've recently begun splitting my time between working on tasks for my host site, Kids Matter Inc. in Milwaukee, and volunteering with the Hospitality Center in Racine. The Hospitality Center serves the homeless and near homeless of Racine by offering two meals a day, support groups, and a community closet among other services. Their need is even greater than usual at this time because many of their regular volunteers are elderly and choosing to social distance for the sake of their health and safety. The staff and other volunteers have been so welcoming, showing me kindness and patience in times of crisis.

 

The center is very aware of how vulnerable the populations they serve are. Most of the guests cannot follow the stay-at-home order issued by Governor Evers because they have no home. They are also unlikely to have health insurance, and would probably be unable to get to a hospital if they do become ill. On top of everything else, many of the guests are also elderly. The Center has had to make major adjustments to how they serve their vulnerable guests in order to keep them safe. Meals are no longer being served in the cafeteria but are being pre-packaged and handed out at the door. Guests are no longer free to take a seat and commiserate with the volunteers but are being quickly ushered out in an effort to keep groups from congregating. I can tell that this is difficult for the guests, who have clearly built strong personal relationships with the employees and volunteers. For many homeless individuals isolation is a way of life, and the pandemic can only further worsen this reality.

 

If other members are struggling to find tasks to fill their hours or want to take action responding to the crisis, consider reaching out to the organizations serving the homeless in your community. Chances are that they've also lost key volunteers in this difficult time and could use someone like you. After all, AmeriCorps members tend to get things done.

Wanting to continue reaching the kids/campers served by the  Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee  during the COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps member Larie Norwood is creating digital content to help them learn skills and lessons they might have experienced at camp.

The following reflection was written by Anna Ostermeier, an AmeriCorps member with Marshfield Clinic Health System AmeriCorps Volunteer Wisconsin serving at Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Inc.

 

These are scary times, but I feel more motivated than ever to rally the many people hungry for a healthy community and environment. I've been inspired by how people are stepping up and taking action however they can, and the Plastic-Free MKE volunteers are certainly a passionate bunch.

While there's no question whether the events of the past few weeks have uprooted many carefully laid plans, I've found myself incredibly grateful that AmeriCorps has given me an avenue to do this work. It's allowed me to help build a strong network of compassionate volunteers, and they continue to stay engaged despite these many new challenges.

While much of my life has changed drastically (along with the lives of many others), this service has served as a constant; an anchor. Through my role at Plastic-Free MKE, I've been able to help promote struggling low-plastic businesses and community members, support businesses giving out meals to those in need, and help people feel socially connected despite physical distance. In fact, I've even made new connections with community members, who are eager to volunteer their time and skills when it feels like there's little else they can do. This pandemic is inspiring empathy, kindness, and altruism in people- all sorely needed to combat the many environmental and public health issues we're facing!

I've been working hard (remotely) alongside volunteer educators to create a Plastics Education Toolkit. This toolkit is a set of (free!) resources for educators including lesson plans, outdoor activities for kids, and actions they can take in their schools to reduce single-use plastic. Despite our inability to meet in physical space, collaboration remains strong as we build this set of tools to help the next generation forge a healthier, more sustainable world. As this pandemic reveals the fractures in an economic system that prioritizes profit over the health of people and our environment, AmeriCorps is helping me create the foundations of a revitalized world. Let's get this done!

The AmeriCorps members with UW-Eau Claire ECLIPSE continue to demonstrate their dedication and commitment to their communities during COVID-19. Even though members are not able to continue their early childhood educational support services at their local Head Start locations and child care centers in the Eau Claire area, they have found a number of ways to provide relief and support throughout Wisconsin. Some ECLIPSE members have been able to continue addressing the mission of the program through providing tutoring and educational support for children with parents and guardians that are considered "essential workers" at this time. Other members have been assisting with 211 Wisconsin calls and volunteering their time at local food pantries. Additionally, some ECLIPSE members have been utilizing their talents of sewing and crafting to create masks for their community and cards for long term care residents and health care workers.

 

When ECLIPSE members were asked their "Why" for continuing their commitment to service, even though the type of service they committed to has changed, here is how ECLIPSE AmeriCorps Gina Graveen responded:

 

I think that my "why" for ECLIPSE is to help make a difference and leave an impression. No matter how small of impact I may leave, I want to help make a difference. Even if the only thing my partner child remembers me for is how I kept bugging him about his patterns he will hopefully remember that and then remember the correct pattern. I continue to serve because that difference is needed now more than ever. Even with making a few masks, that is a few more for people to have that didn't before. This reminds me of a story that my Ag teacher always told, and I think it holds true to this situation. It's the story of the hummingbird and a huge forest fire.

 

One day a terrible fire broke out in a forest - a huge woodlands was suddenly engulfed by a raging wildfire. Frightened, all the animals fled their homes and ran out of the forest. As they came to the edge of a stream, they stopped to watch the fire and they were feeling very discouraged and powerless. They were all bemoaning the destruction of their homes. Every one of them thought there was nothing they could do about the fire, except for one little hummingbird. This particular hummingbird decided it would do something. It swooped into the stream and picked up a few drops of water and went into the forest and put them on the fire. Then it went back to the stream and did it again, and it kept going back, again and again and again. All the other animals watched in disbelief; some tried to discourage the hummingbird with comments like, "Don't bother, it is too much, you are too little, your wings will burn, your beak is too tiny, it is only a drop, you can't put out this fire." And as the animals stood around disparaging the little bird's efforts, the bird noticed how hopeless and forlorn they looked. Then one of the animals shouted out and challenged the hummingbird in a mocking voice, "What do you think you are doing?" And the hummingbird, without wasting time or losing a beat, looked back and said, "I am doing what I can."

 

If we are all like the hummingbird, and do what we can and work together, then we have a better chance of putting out the fire, or theoretical fire in our current situation.

The inaugural cohort of AmeriCorps members with 414 Fellows at Marquette University has completed their year of service. The 414 Fellows are all students at Marquette and serve in partnership with Next Door, engaging low-income children ages 0-3 in one-on-one literacy and language building activities to increase school readiness through gains in language and literacy skills.

While the 414 Fellows transitioned to completing their own university academics remotely, they also found ways to continue serving. They stayed in contact with their classroom teachers at Next Door where they served, recorded themselves reading books or doing activities to share on their Classroom Dojo app, found creative ways to provide additional service to the community when returning to their homes, and gathered remotely to reflect on their experience.

With the 414 Fellows unable to physically return to thank the teachers at Next Door and say goodbye to their students, they came together as a team to create this thank you video for the teachers, children, and administration at Next Door.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Points of Light Conference scheduled for June 10-12 is transitioning to a free online experience. Points of Light is the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service and has restructured its conference to help provide increased access to information on volunteerism, community engagement, and the sharing of best practices. The Points of Light Conference Online Experience will offer on-demand workshops, community discussion boards, and in-session Q&A on a variety of topics. As many organizations will likely need to make adjustments to their practices and how they mobilize volunteers over the next several months, this information may prove valuable to nonprofit, government, business and civic groups trying to make a difference.

 

For more information and to register, go to the website for the Points of Light Conference Online Experience.