Solid Ground sponsors four AmeriCorps and VISTA programs, placing National Service volunteers in a wide variety of nonprofit groups, schools, public agencies and faith-based organizations in our community:
focus:
violence prevention
site application deadline: Spring 2011 – deadline TBA
program start date: September 2011 – but some projects may start later
program end date: July 2012
For the upcoming 2011-2012 program year, Solid Ground is not accepting new applications for new anti-violence host sites. We will only be inviting applications from among our current site partners.
However, starting in March 2011, we may be working with community partners to develop some new health, environmental, education and economic opportunity project host sites. These projects would be created specifically for Members who are economically disadvantaged youth/young adults (aged 18 to 24), who have not yet gone to college.
These new, 2011-2012 site projects would focus Members’ community service within one or more of the following high demand, living wage economic sectors in our community:
- Projects addressing community health disparities.
- Not-for-profit, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity building and manufacturing projects.
- Early childhood and elementary education projects focused on serving children from families with low incomes.
- Projects addressing the digital divide and economic opportunity in technology for people with low incomes in our community.
- Projects increasing economic opportunity within the maritime/trade and logistics sector for people with low incomes in our community.
For more information about JustServe AmeriCorps project sites, please contact JustServe AmeriCorps Program Supervisor Tera Oglesby at 206.957.4779 ext. #110 or justserve@solid-ground.org.
focus: anti-poverty related issues
site application deadline: January 18, 2010
program start date: August 2010
program end date: August 2011
The Martin Luther King VISTA Program is an anti-poverty program, which focuses resources on building capacity to address problems faced by low-income communities. VISTAs serve with public or private non-profit agencies working to alleviate or address poverty-related problems. VISTA projects are focused on sustainability — creating long-term solutions to problems confronting low-income communities rather than short-term approaches for handling emergency needs.
The MLK VISTA Program is looking for projects that reflect a commitment to engaging community members and that work from within communities to address community needs. The following is a sample of what MLK VISTAs do in our communities today:
- MLK VISTAs work to prevent homelessness and preserve low-income housing.
- MLK VISTAs build the capacity of community agencies and programs to serve the needs of low-income individuals and families.
- MLK VISTAs develop and expand programs that provide low-income individuals with both the tools and skills they need to compete for jobs and resources in a high-tech age.
- MLK VISTAs provide opportunities for low-income families and individuals to begin building financial assets through programs such as Individual Development Accounts, Earned Income Tax Credit education and financial literacy.
Questions? Contact the MLK VISTA Program Coordinator.
focus: literacy
With Solid Ground as the local sponsor, 76 VISTA and AmeriCorps members are placed each year in Seattle, Tukwila, Highline, Renton and Kent area schools to support children's reading improvement. The application process to become a Reading Corps school is coordinated through:
Washington Office of the Superintendent & Public Instruction
Jessica Vavrus, Program Coordinator
OSPI Washington Reading Corps
Phone: 360.725.6058
Fax: 360.753.6754
Email: jvavrus@ospi.wednet.edu
Phone: 206.957.4779 x109
Email: americorpsinfo@solid-ground.org
FAX: 206.957.2677
Mailing AmeriCorps Programs
Address: Solid Ground
1501 North 45th Street
Seattle, WA 98103-6708
Physical Solid Ground
Address: Volunteer Resources
464 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122