Call to Service Corps Announcements

Call to Service Corps AmeriCorps National Component Earns Good Marks!

The American Legion Auxiliary is pleased to report receiving positive feedback from the Corporation for National and Community Service on the first year of its AmeriCorps National project. Feedback was provided in response to ALA’s annual grantee progress report submission to CNCS. Among the strengths of our project that were cited:

• C2SC AmeriCorps National Members engaged in activities that built stronger information technology and human resources departments at host organizations, increased community awareness of service location programs and services, built the volunteer management capability of host organizations and made host organization programs more efficient or effective.
• The project recruited 305 volunteers, which is a significantly high number, especially given the relatively small size of the program.
• The project received 220 applications for available slots, which reflects a high applicant to slot ratio (15:1).

ALA congratulates our AmeriCorps National members who served in 2010-2011, and whose efforts led to the successes cited by the Corporation in its grantee feedback report.

Recruitment Period Open for Call to Service Corps Assignments
ALA and various organizations participating in the ALA Call to Service Corps Consortium are currently recruiting for 6 AmeriCorps National members, to start service as soon as March 2012, and 14 AmeriCorps VISTA members to start in April 2012. Organizations seeking AmeriCorps members are: National Military Family Association, Operation Homefront, Ride 2 Recovery and USA Cares. Organizations seeking AmeriCorps VISTA members are American Legion Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary Department of Minnesota, Blue Star Families, Community Blueprint Valdosta, HandsOn Kansas State, Military Officers Association of America, Military Spouse Corporate Career Network, The Mission Continues and Veterans Innovation Center.

Please encourage individuals interested in a national service opportunity to apply to a Call to Service Corps position. Direct them to the service opportunity listing section of www.AmeriCorps.gov and enter “Call to Service Corps” as a topic term in the advanced search feature.

ALA Begins to Plan its 2012-2013 VISTA Application
The American Legion Auxiliary is beginning to prepare its continuation application to the AmeriCorps VISTA program. The continuation period will cover VISTA member assignments made to ALA between May 2012 and April 2013. ALA will reach out to current Call to Service Corps consortium members to determine their future AmeriCorps VISTA needs.

Military, veteran and civilian organizations not currently part of the consortium, but wishing to consider participating in the Consortium in 2012-2013, are encouraged to express interest in participation to project director Bob Reeg at rreeg@alaforveterans.org. Please correspond by March 16, 2012.