SAU+VISTA members interact with visitors during a recent meet-and-greet.
EngageAR AmeriCorps awarded a grant to SAU+VISTA to participate in a week of service and civic engagement for National AmeriCorps Week. On March 7-13, the SAU+VISTA AmeriCorps Fellows celebrated National AmeriCorps Week by serving the community through acts of kindness. This project consisted of letters thanking front-line healthcare workers at SAU University Health Services and Encompass Health in Magnolia. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges for AmeriCorps members and the communities they serve. SAU+VISTA Fellows would like to acknowledge the hard work and sacrifices front-line healthcare workers have made to keep SAU’s campus and the community safe.
Additionally, the SAU+VISTA program will conduct several recruitment events throughout the week, as a new year of service begins in August 2021. These recruitment events include a virtual informational meeting, goodie bag distribution at Mulerider Market, the on-campus food pantry created by SAU+VISTA Fellows, and an SAU+VISTA “Meet & Greet” at Mule Kick.
There is no better way to showcase AmeriCorps service than through an AmeriCorps Week. This project allows SAU+VISTA to continue to provide assistance throughout the community in Columbia County and to recruit new members for AmeriCorps and the future of SAU+VISTA.
EngageAR sponsors the projects during this week of service. EngageAR has invested $6,305 in seven service projects across the state for this year’s National AmeriCorps Week celebration. Project focus areas range from addressing food insecurity, partnering with municipal leaders, getting communities involved in serving their neighbors, and supporting essential workers. For more information on EngageAR service opportunities, visit www.volunterrar.org/DaysofService.
SAU+VISTA is a federally funded anti-poverty project in its second year at SAU. The program currently sponsors 15 full-time, year-long Fellows: Abbie Guin, Alana Perez, Allysia Hunter, Caitlin Mullins, Cat Jones, Jamia Evans, Jordan Wylie, Mackenzie Leal, Michala Barker, Nyki Dockery, Regan Harvill, Saida Walker, Ta’Ru Harris, Warren Basinger, and Zach Lambert in college retention-relation campus service. The SAU+VISTA Fellows help develop sustainable, capacity-building programs to help more students persist in higher education until completing their college degree. This past summer, an additional 24 Summer Associates provided direct service to SAU. For more information, visit www.saumag.edu/VISTA.
