AmeriCorps Member Spotlight

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Gold 5

Members of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) Gold 5 team not only help one another every day but also help each other grow and develop.

I interviewed the team at the Idaho Botanical Gardens, where I saw and used the paths they had improved. I also got to learn about the previous projects they had completed and what was next for them, including:

• Groveland, California, near Yosemite, where they completed trail maintenance in preparation for backpacking and hiking season with Tuolumne River Trust.
• Anaheim, California, at Community Action Partnership of Orange County where they provided free tax support to low income clients. The entire team had to go through advanced certification that included four weeks of online content and four tests.
• Boise at the Idaho Botanical Garden where they ensured pathways throughout the garden were level and compact to make the garden more accessible to everyone.
• Lewiston at Lewis-Clark State College where they helped with the NAIA College World Series where they did field maintenance, scanned tickets, operated the scoreboard and helped train and coordinate community volunteers. The annual series brings visitors from all over the country, providing an economic boon to the Lewis Clark Valley each summer. 
• Swan Valley with the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council to ensure Camp TAM is ready for summer campers.

Members were also drawn to this program because of the ability to travel, work on a variety of service projects in different communities, meet incredible people along the way and gain skills and experiences all while working in a team-based environment. When discussing their service, the team indicated that one of the greatest things about all their projects was meeting and connecting with people who share their passion for service.

The organizations that host an AmeriCorps NCCC team feel the same.

“Having the AmeriCorps members here is tremendously helpful to completing projects that can’t be achieved without a skilled group. They are also an amazing addition to the energy of the garden. We love hearing all their backgrounds and life stories,” said Erica Watkins, the horticulture volunteer coordinator at the Idaho Botanical Garden.

NCCC Gold 5 members said the opportunity to grow together over 10 months of service was one of the most impactful components of AmeriCorps experience.

Micaela de Loyola-Carkin
Serve Idaho project coordinator

LEARN MORE
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps - https://americorps.gov/serve/fit-finder/americorps-nccc 

Idaho Botanical Garden - https://idahobotanicalgarden.org/ 

Outlaw Field Summer Concert Series - https://idahobotanicalgarden.org/events/outlaw-field-concert-series/ 

Training Opportunities

Upswell Pop-Up: Bridging Toward Belonging
June 21 from 11am-2:30pm (MST)

This free virtual Upswell Summer Pop-Up event focuses on bridge building as the foundation for overcoming racial, economic and ideological divides in society. This pop-up event will provide tools to increase bridge-building skills and include discussions of how to accomplish these goals.

Learn more and register on the Upswell website.

Points of Light Conference
July 13-15, 2022

The Points of Light Conference is an annual event that brings together nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders for inspiration, education and connection. Attendees share the knowledge and resources needed to spark change and drive impact. This gathering strengthens the social sector by curating innovative ideas and proven solutions while providing networking opportunities. Participants can attend in person or virtually.

Register here.

Idaho Nonprofit Statewide Conference
Aug. 30 to Sept. 1

Join more than 300 nonprofit professionals at the premier event for Idaho nonprofit leaders. At the conference, board members, CEOs and everyone in between will address critical issues and opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Learn more and register here.