United Community Action Network

AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA Advisory Committee

UCAN has been the project sponsor for the UCAN VISTA Coalition since 2003. During that time, over sixty people have served with our project at twenty-four organizations in Douglas, Josephine, and Coos counties. VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year at nonprofit or faith-based organizations, schools or local government agencies. With passion, commitment, and hard work, they create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty. VISTA members with our team have developed community gardens and food drives, written grants, recruited volunteers, developed experiential learning activities, established community partnerships, provided opportunities for children to participate in summer lunch program activities, and much more.

AmeriCorps was established in 1994 to give people an opportunity to earn money towards education. The United Communities AmeriCorps (UCA) program sponsored by UCAN started in 2009 and currently has 17 full time AmeriCorps members at non-profits, government agencies and schools across Douglas and Josephine counties. Members work to address compelling community needs in the areas of education and human needs services through direct service and volunteer mobilization. During its first year in operation, UCA members provided over 4000 youth in Douglas and Josephine counties with enriching educational experiences, provided over 300 people with job skills and have engaged over 200 volunteers in the community.

Membership

To assure that AmeriCorps and VISTA projects meet the needs of our communities, we need to have local representatives involved in the brainstorming and approving projects. Our Advisory Committee meets quarterly to discuss VISTA and AmeriCorps project progress and help guide the direction of our teams' endeavors. As an important community member, you are strategically placed to understand the complexity of our county and its unique needs. We hope you will represent your organization on our Advisory Committee.

For more information on becoming a member, please review the following documentation:

• Bylaws
• Position Description
• Application for membership

Deadline for membership application for the 2010-2011 year is November 15, 2010.

Qualified individuals with disabilities and those from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals and conduct all activities in fully accessible settings.

Orientation to National Service

If you are interested in becoming a member of the UCAN AmeriCorps and VISTA Advisory Committee, we invite you to a new member orientation to get better acquainted with the AmeriCorps and VISTA programs in this area that will take place on Thursday, October 28, 2010 from 11:30 – 1pm at the UCAN office (280 Kenneth Ford Dr in Roseburg, near Costco). Lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP to Cindy Cuevas no later than October 14, 2010 with your name and organization.

Meeting Dates and Locations

For members, the meeting dates and locations are listed as follows. Meeting duration will be from 3pm – 4:30pm.

• May 12, 2010 at UCAN office
• August 12, 2010 (canceled)
• December 2, 2010 at Phoenix School
• February 16, 2011 at Lovejoy Hospice
• May 19, 2011 at TBD

Meeting Agenda

• December 2010
• February 2011

Meeting Minutes

• 12/2/2010
• 5/12/2010

Locations where AmeriCorps and VISTA’s currently serve