AmeriCorps VISTA Position Available With The Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development

The Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development is a unified front for a collaboration of Community Action Agencies which reside in Appalachian Counties in the State of Ohio. The main departs of COAD are Senior Programs, Early childhood Education and Community Development Division. The Main objective of COAD is to continue to fight the war on poverty by serving the needs of low income residence of Appalachia Ohio. 

The AmeriCorps VSITA program is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years. AmeriCorps VISTA members do a full year of service engaged in indirect service. VISTA members help organizations build sustainable capacity by developing programs that meet an organizations needs to help fight poverty. General project goals could be: volunteer recruitment, training programs, community outreach, education programming, asset development and resource mapping.

During a members year as a VISTA they receive health coverage, a living allowance and mileage reimbursement.  Also, an AmeriCorps VISTA member receive end of the year benefits which includes the option of the Seagal AmeriCorps Education Award of 5, 350 dollars or a cash stipend of 1200 dollars with possible 15% college loan forgiveness. The year following a VISTA member’s term the member has noncompetitive status for any federal job they apply for, this does not guarantee job placement.

Current COAD VISTA members are working on projects involving outreach and education for Early Childhood Education program and Adams/Brown recycling facility. A VISTA member has been working on doing community outreach to increase participation in Logan City Public Transportation services. One of the VISTA members has been working with Community Action leadership Academy to network alumni and increase participation in leadership programs. Another COAD VISTA has been in a Community Action Agencies and has been involved with developing programming for senior services, Meals on Wheels and Children Clothing Drive.

AmeriCorps VISTA members are exposed to the daily lives of nonprofit organizations while making sustainable contributions to the lives of those struggling with poverty. AmeriCorps VISTA members go on to be future leaders of their communities be coming coordinators, directors and political figures.

If being a COAD VISTA members sounds like an appealing experience to you please contact Gary Goosman (ggoosman@coadinc.org) or Christopher Zdinak (czdinak@coadinc).  They may be reached via telephone at 740.594.8499 and by fax at  740.592.

You may also visit http://www.americorps.gov/ and search “COAD Capacity Building” for more information.