Serve Wisconsin
February 2021 Newsletter
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Governor Evers Supports AmeriCorps Alumni
in Biennial Budget Proposal
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Wisconsin AmeriCorps members provide service throughout the state in education, conservation, health care and addiction recovery, services for vulnerable populations, disaster response, and other local efforts. Additionally, they have provided over 500,000 hours of service since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing invaluable assistance to local communities.
Recognizing AmeriCorps members' contributions to the State of Wisconsin, Governor Evers proposes eliminating the state income tax on the AmeriCorps Education Award. Eliminating the state income tax will attract AmeriCorps members to serve in Wisconsin and use their education award at our colleges and universities.
"I had to pay the tax on my education award at a time in my life where I was attending graduate school and did not have extra funds to pay the tax," stated Claire Prather, who served two terms with Partners for After School Success in Dane County. "It is unfortunate that we are expected to pay income tax on our education awards at a time where AmeriCorps alums are continuing our education or starting in a new job, especially since we just dedicated time to serving our community. This was definitely not just an issue for me, as I know it would have made a real difference for those I served with, as well as my two sisters that also served."
Currently, AmeriCorps members pay taxes on their modest annual education award of around $6,300 annually. The education award is used for tuition or to pay back student loan debt. Unlike other scholarships, the education award is subject to state income taxes that increase tax bills for students or people with limited incomes. Having to pay these taxes often makes it difficult for AmeriCorps members even to access their awards.
"I am very proud to have done a year of service during the challenges we have faced due to the coronavirus pandemic. Being able to help the food insecure as a volunteer manager for Milwaukee's inner-city food pantries was some of the most humbling work I will likely ever do," stated Joshua Kather, who served with MCHS Volunteer Wisconsin at Friedens Community Ministries. "Using my education award this fall to attend law school has been very helpful; however, given the pandemic, it has been hard to find work to pay off other loans and regular living expenses. Exempting the education award from state income taxes would go a long way to support those who continue to serve Wisconsin amidst a devastating pandemic."
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Serve Wisconsin is seeking to place 20 AmeriCorps VISTA members in nonprofits, schools, and government agencies working to end poverty due to racial disparities. VISTA members will help Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations increase their capacity to provide the services that will end racial disparity and create a just Wisconsin.
VISTA members can help organizations with resource development, design or improve an organization's programming, conduct a community asset and needs assessment, develop the support systems to recruit and manage volunteers and more.
"According to the 2019 Race in the Heartland report, Wisconsin is ranked among the nation's worst states for racial inequality. AmeriCorps VISTA members can provide crucial support to nonprofits and government agencies working to address systemic inequality. Specifically, we are targeting historically underfunded BIPOC lead organizations for this initiative," said Jeanne Duffy, Executive Director of Serve Wisconsin.
To apply to be a host site, complete an application now!
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"Answering the Call" - MCHS Volunteer Wisconsin member reflects on serving at 211 during COVID-19
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Graduating college is usually a time when you feel like the world is open for you, but watching my graduation ceremony from the couch in my living room as a result of the COVID pandemic, made me feel like the world was closing in around me. Looking at my community, I saw store after store putting up closed signs, people crossing the street to avoid others in fear, news reports of the unimaginable death tolls, and racial and social inequities further and further exposed. It was hard not to feel hopeless. I decided that I wanted to actively help and be a part of the solution. I wanted to answer “the call.” AmeriCorps and United Way gave me the opportunity to do this. Little did I know that in just a few months, I would literally be answering calls through the 211 Helpline of Dane County.
I went into the position knowing that many of the incoming calls would be for COVID help. What I did not know is that almost EVERY call would be a COVID related call. COVID calls are not always from people looking for information on symptoms or where they can be tested. Because the virus has amplified every community need, COVID calls are also flooded with questions about jobs, food pantries, rent assistance, and shelters. Every resource available has been put to the test. The virus is relentless and every day there are more and more people who need help. As funds run dry, calls can sometimes feel more like apologizing about the lack of resources instead of being able to offer them. Calls for major financial needs like rent can seem insurmountable with organizations being stretched so thin. However, instead of being overwhelmed, we know we have to make connections with people, put in the extra time to search every option, think creatively and always maintain the dignity of the caller.
One way we do this is by addressing smaller financial issues; this can lead to helping with the bigger picture. I have learned from my supervisors and from this experience that one of the most important things in supporting someone is helping them feel heard. Although I may not be able to supply people with the financial or material support that they need at the moment, I have found that kindness, patience, and dedication can sometimes be the resource that people need to get through the day. Through my time with AmeriCorps, I have discovered that the most important resource in the community IS the community. Many years from now when I think back to this time in history, I will remember the feelings of fear, hopelessness, and instability, but more than that, I will remember the patience, problem-solving, and determination exhibited. I will always feel hope knowing that we can get through if people are there to answer the call.
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Forty years in the classroom,
first year serving with NCCAP AmeriCorps
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This fall, Jean Abreu entered the classroom for the 40th time as an educator. Unlike when she did so for the first time nearly four decades ago, it was as an AmeriCorps member and not as a classroom teacher.
After retiring from full-time teaching, Jean still wanted to be involved in the classroom and found serving with North Central Community Action Program (NCCAP) as an excellent opportunity to continue making a difference for students. Jean has been able to bring her 35 years teaching high school biology in Edgar, WI, and four years substituting in the Wausau area to helping the students at EEA Learning Academy in Wausa.
“I'm just so grateful to be able to step into AmeriCorps as a retired teacher. I just think it's a wonderful way to serve the school,” said Abreu. “AmeriCorps isn't just for young people. It's really nice to have older experienced people stepping and I know that my experience is appreciated here and is very helpful.”
Check out the following interview with Jean and some of her reflections on her service this year:
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Providing a voice and greater curriculum inclusion for Asian-American students through PASS AmeriCorps |
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As part of his AmeriCorps service with Partners for After School Success (PASS), Xang Hang has been working with students in the United Asian Club at East High School in Madison. When the new school year started, the students in the United Asian Club met virtually and discussed sharing their experience as Asian-Americans during COVID-19 with the staff members, particularly having people blame their community during the early phases of the pandemic. What started as a training presented to staff during an in-service day bloomed into discussions with several teachers regarding ways to diversify the curriculum in their classes.
Over the next few months, Xang and the United Asian Club students worked with teachers from a wide range of courses. For both Astronomy and Reading classes, they created a presentation and read aloud a Hmong story of the creation of the sun and moon, connecting the lesson to the importance of storytelling and preserving one’s culture. As part of the Culinary Arts courses, they created videos tutorials of Xang demonstrating how to make spring rolls and a slideshow presentation on their origins and how other cultures have adopted them. The United Asian Club students also worked with the Parenting teacher to put together a curriculum about parenting and family dynamics in the Hmong culture and how they are different from the Western world parenting typically taught in the classroom. They are looking forward to continuing to work with teachers across multiple disciplines in the coming months.
In addition to working with the United Asian Club, Xang has helped to facilitate the after-school Homework Club, including creating modifications to better reach students during the pandemic. Hoping to allow more equitable access to students that may be unavailable after school due to work or family responsibilities, Xang helped create a system allowing for drop-in hours during the school day, when students might have time between their classes.
Xang decided to serve with PASS AmeriCorps while finishing his degree at UW-Madison to directly impact the community and help provide a more equitable experience for high school students. This commitment to service previously brought Xang to serving the people of Wisconsin through part-time positions with the Governor’s Office. He is also exploring opportunities to serve in Puerto Rico after completing his degree this spring.
Additionally, you can access some of the lessons created by Xang and the United Asian Club here:
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Reflecting on connections made with students and in communities with Farm to School |
AmeriCorps members with Wisconsin DPI Farm to School have found multiple ways to provide interactive and meaningful nutrition activities with their students through a combination of virtual and in-person lessons and projects. They have created online cooking lessons, engaged students in projects to address food insecurity, guided students through virtual farm tours, and supported efforts to bring healthy foods to their students. Throughout their service, they have worked with their local partners to find ways to overcome the obstacles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue reaching their students and making a difference in local communities.
To find out more about the service some of the Farm to School AmeriCorps members from throughout the state have been doing during the first few months of service, read the following reflections.
- Candace and Maire Cait are serving at FoodRight, Inc. and describe how they are providing connections through their virtual cooking lessons with Milwaukee students.
- Maddie is serving at the Oregon School District. She describes working to overcome the challenges COVID has presented to providing nutrition education to her students during her service this year.
- Deena is serving at Grow It Forward. She describes working with International Baccalaureate participants and other students in Manitowoc on multiple projects to address food scarcity. These efforts include maintaining indoor grow towers growing lettuce, creating promotional materials, connecting with local seniors, and placing boxes in the community where people can donate or obtain needed food.
- Katherine is serving at the School District of Bayfield. She describes the collaborative efforts of multiple organizations in the Bayfield area to serve food needs in their community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Maire Cait is serving at FoodRight, Inc. She describes several activities from her service, including conducting virtual lessons, packing ingredients for cooking lessons, and helping to harvest items at Fondy Farm.
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Welcome to Tabitha Echols and Madeline Peterson, inaugural AmeriCorps members for Serve Wisconsin's VISTA initiative |
During the first year of Serve Wisconsin’s VISTA project, three VISTA members will be placed at nonprofit organizations located throughout the state to recruit BIPOC-led organizations working to end racial disparities for the placement of future VISTA members. This first cohort of VISTA members will develop contacts with these BIPOC-led organizations and assist them in their development of program goals and objectives for future VISTA members, provide training to them, and assist in the recruiting and placement of VISTA members.
The first two AmeriCorps VISTA members serving are Tabitha Echols and Madeline Peterson. We look forward to the difference they will make through their service on this project.
Tabitha Echols
Tabitha Echols believes that all people have the capacity to lead and that leadership should be diverse. Recently she served at Love on Black Women and for The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin as an Ally from Public Allies Milwaukee. Tabitha is excited to be a part of Public Allies as the VISTA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Coordinator. She will be focusing on identifying possible VISTA host sites with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion focus for the 2021-2022 program year. While she was working toward her undergraduate degree in Communication at the University of Wisconsin Parkside, Tabitha worked in the Office of University Development and Alumni Relations, where she helped plan the University’s 50th anniversary celebration and commencement exercises. Tabitha also served in several leadership roles for the Black Student Union, including treasurer, vice president, and president of the organization. As a longtime volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Tabby oversaw marketing for the campus community and helped build homes in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. Tabitha’s other leadership roles included working in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs as a Peer Advisor, where she found her passion for one day continuing student affairs.
Madeline Peterson
Madeline Peterson is a new AmeriCorps VISTA member excited to be serving with Serve Wisconsin to promote equity throughout the state of Wisconsin. Madeline will be focusing on identifying possible VISTA host sites with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion focus for the 2021-2022 program year. In addition to her work with Serve Wisconsin, she is serving with the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes as an AmeriCorps Inclusion Assistant, focusing on Latinx engagement and outreach. Madeline is originally from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in English. She is looking forward to her projects with Serve Wisconsin and getting to know everyone on the team!
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Grant Funds Available to Support VOAD/COADs for Volunteer Response to Disasters in Northeastern Wisconsin |
Serve Wisconsin has reopened the application period for funds to increase both the number and capacity of existing Community/Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters VOAD/COADs in the Wisconsin Emergency Management's Northwest Region and Northeast Region through March 22, 2021. These funds are available through a grant that Serve Wisconsin received from the AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) to help strengthen local communities in preparedness, response, and recovery to disasters.
Grant funds will be utilized to support regional VOAD/COAD coordinators, placed strategically throughout the six Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) Regions at various organizations, with funds not to exceed $30,000 per region during this funding cycle. These funds are intended to be utilized to support staff salaries and benefits. Other approved expenses such as training and exercises are not included in this amount, but they can be reimbursed separately through Serve Wisconsin.
Organizations supporting regional VOAD/COAD coordinators will:
- Work closely with WI VOAD, WEM Regional Directors, Serve Wisconsin, and other community partners to support existing local VOAD/COADs and develop VOAD/COADs in unrepresented communities.
- Conduct research and outreach within their region to designate interested communities ready to develop VOAD/COADs.
- Coordinate the development of VOAD/COADs by engaging stakeholders with outreach, resource sharing, and facilitating initial meetings.
- Create and collate existing resources and best practices for VOAD/COADs.
- Conduct a skills and resource assessment for existing and developing VOAD/COADs.
- Assist with the coordination of trainings and exercises that includes the four phases of disaster: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Create an extraordinary volunteer experience by encouraging VOAD/COADs to utilize the whole community approach to all hazard planning that fosters an inclusive environment maximizing the skills of unaffiliated/affiliated volunteers of all ages including cross-training between organizations.
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Deadline for NCCC AmeriCorps Concept Papers is March 1 for Projects in July-October 2021 |
For nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in working with an AmeriCorps NCCC during the latter part of next spring, the next deadline for submitting a concept form is March 1, which is for organizations interested in having a team in 2021 either between July 12 and September 11 or between August 13 and October 14. Information on the application process for this upcoming period or for several other project windows next spring, summer, and fall are available in their Request for Proposal (RFP) for 2021 service dates.
AmeriCorps NCCC teams are constituted of 18-24 year-olds that travel 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 which address a compelling community need. These projects address five main service areas: natural and other disasters, energy conservation, environmental stewardship and conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development.
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Become an AmeriCorps Member Today! |
If you wish to engage in meaningful community service and acquire job skills, consider joining AmeriCorps!
To learn more about AmeriCorps or if you are ready to join and have questions about which program is right for you, contact us! We are happy to answer your questions and help you explore the different opportunities available. Program information is also available on our Serve Wisconsin website.
We look forward to speaking with you!
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Interesting in Serving as a Member of the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board? |
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:
- An individual between the ages of 16 and 25, inclusive, who is a participant or supervisor of a service program for school-aged youth, or of a campus-based or national service program
Those interested in serving are required to complete an application to the governor for the appointment. The online application for applying 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 potentially interested in serving on the board and have any questions, please contact Serve Wisconsin Executive Director Jeanne Duffy at jeanne.duffy@wisconsin.gov.
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Calendar: Upcoming Events and Key Dates
MARCH
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March 3 - Notice of Intent Due for Formula RFP for 2021-2022 AmeriCorps Program and Planning Grants
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March 4 - Wisconsin National and Community Service Board meeting
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March 7-13 - AmeriCorps Week 2021
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March 24 - Applications Due for Formula RFP for 2021-2022 AmeriCorps Program and Planning Grants
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March 26 - Racial Justice Training Series - Session 5
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