AmeriCorps CEO Presents Three President’s Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Awards ahead of San Francisco Giants/Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball Game at Oracle Park

National service agency hosts philanthropy roundtable and recognizes AmeriCorps members in San Francisco

OAKLAND, CALIF.– On Tuesday, June 28, AmeriCorps and the Giants Community Fund, the official nonprofit organization of the San Francisco Giants, hosted a philanthropy roundtable and awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Awards during a home plate ceremony.

Led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, the President’s Volunteer Service Award allows organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers based on service over a 12-month period or a lifetime. The awards program began in 2003 and honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires others to act. 

AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith presented the Presidential award to three Bay Area AmeriCorps members in the VISTA program serving with Safe Passages, an Oakland-based nonprofit organization focused on disrupting the cycle of poverty to drive student success. Each of the recipients have served multiple terms with AmeriCorps VISTA and will complete their current terms in August 2022.

“On behalf of President Biden and AmeriCorps, it is my honor to present Evetta Williams, Wendy Bautista and Angelica Torres the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for each serving their community through AmeriCorps VISTA and Safe Passages in Oakland,” said Smith.

Yesterday’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include:

• Evetta Williams, an AmeriCorps member since 2018, is serving her third VISTA term with Safe Passages. Evetta has built capacity, helped more than 200 families secure monthly food distribution and developed protocols at the organization’s Elev8 Youth Program and Laurel Elementary School Family Resource Center.
• Wendy Bautista, an AmeriCorps member since 2020, is serving her second VISTA term with Safe Passages. Wendy has supported the infrastructure to distribute thousands of bags of food, personal protective equipment and much-needed resources for the high-need families at the United for Success Middle School Family Resource Center.
• Angelica Torres, an AmeriCorps member since 2020, is serving her second VISTA term with Safe Passages. Angelica has assisted in the distribution of food, personal protective equipment resources, rental assistance resources and general health education for families at Searles Elementary School’s Extended Day Program.

“The Giants Community Fund is honored to welcome AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith to Oracle Park. Since 2020, over 300 AmeriCorps members have served with the Fund to support youth in the most underserved communities across the state. We are truly grateful for our partnership with AmeriCorps and look forward to making a positive impact together for years to come,” shared Giants Community Fund Deputy Director Paul Giuliacci.

The Giants Community Fund, a co-host of yesterday’s event, sponsors AmeriCorps members in the VISTA and State and National programs through California Volunteers. Members annually support more than 23,000 youth through the organization’s flagship program Junior Giants– a free, noncompetitive, coed baseball and softball program hosted in 42 of 58 California counties. Beyond the fundamentals of the game, the program focuses on lessons in character development, health, education and bulling prevention. With the help of AmeriCorps members, the program aims to address poverty in the Central Valley. 

Prior to the event, Smith and Giuliacci led a roundtable discussion with national service and volunteerism leaders from local organizations including Eat.Learn.Play., META, Omidyar Network, Safe Passages and VolunteerMatch. Smith, Giuliacci and other leaders discussed the opportunities for collaboration with AmeriCorps in both local and national communities.

For long-term, short-term, or just one time, volunteer opportunities use the AmeriCorps Volunteer Search, powered by VolunteerMatch. Visit Americorps.gov/volunteer to find out more.

To learn more about the President's Volunteer Service Award, including the award packages based on hours of service, visit: presidentialserviceawards.gov/about.

To learn more about the Giants Community Fund, please visit jrgiants.org.