More than 6,275 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps Members Actively Engaged in COVID-19 Emergency Response
Despite the obstacles presented by COVID-19, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs across the country have acted quickly and creatively to continue their critical work in new ways, or to pivot to meet emerging needs.
Since the start of the national emergency, more than 6,275 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers have served in direct response to COVID-19. Collectively, these national service members have:
- Assisted nearly 1.2 million people
- Provided more than 2 million meals
- Collected and distributed more than 14 million pounds of food, and
- Conducted more than 90,000 wellness checks
They are joined in service by thousands of AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers who continue to meet the needs of their communities by virtually teaching, tutoring and mentoring students, restoring public lands, helping families remain in their homes and referring homeless individuals to supportive services, building capacity for local nonprofits, or connecting with isolated seniors.
National Service Continues to Get Things Done
The stories of service coming from across the country demonstrate the commitment of AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers to continue to “get things done” for the communities and residents that are counting on them. Below are a few stories that show how we continue to serve our communities in impactful ways.
Charlotte teacher continues to work while getting treatment for cancer (North Carolina)
First year Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) math teacher and AmeriCorps member Wil Loesel is teaching in the middle of two health emergencies. One is COVID-19 and the other is his personal story. Back in March, Loesel was diagnosed with cancer. He didn’t let the diagnosis stop him from teaching. Soon after his diagnosis, he stayed in the hospital and taught from his hospital bed. He was thinking about his students.
Senior Corps RSVP members reaching out in creative ways (Michigan)
Local Senior Corps volunteers have gone above and beyond during the state shutdown in order to continue assistance to those in need and show appreciation for all the hardworking community members. Volunteers from Otsego County United Way and Senior Corps RSVP have been working from home, finding new ways to reach out. When the shelter-in-place order took effect, volunteers from the United Way called the 325 Senior Corps RSVP members to make sure they had access to everything they needed including food, medication and transportation to medical appointments. Volunteers also have been paired with vulnerable populations for weekly phone calls to check in and see if they need anything.
AmeriCorps members came to San Juan County to build trails. They ended up delivering food. (Utah)
Conservation work was off the table, but in the town of Bluff, a group of volunteers had just begun organizing a grassroots relief effort for southeast Utah, and they were looking for assistance. The AmeriCorps members were in need of work, and the aid group was in desperate need of more volunteers to help with the time-consuming deliveries. “I’ll be honest, when I found out that instead of using power tools and living out in the wild, I’d be packing and delivering supplies, I was a little disheartened,” said Tee Murphy, an AmeriCorps member. “But after one day working with those wonderful people, doing the wonderful work, it quickly went away…. At the end of each workday with BAMA, I know my work will directly and greatly help families who have no one else to turn to amid this crisis.”
Arizona Serve of Prescott supports a community in distress (Arizona)
AmeriCorps members are filling vital roles in response to COVID-19 through Arizona Serve of Prescott College. Arizona Serve has over 100 AmeriCorps members that are working hard to create meaningful interventions in over 45 nonprofit or governmental agencies in Yavapai and Pima counties.
These are just a few examples of how AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs continue to make an impact in communities across the country. No matter the circumstances, our programs have the flexibility and our national service members have the commitment to meet the needs of Americans wherever and whenever they are needed.
