AmeriCorps*NCCC Team comes to Connecticut!

Poised, hard-working and ready to GET THINGS DONE!

From the Woodbury-Middlebury Patch and Robin Lucas:

In cooperation with Pomperaug Heath District’s Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) unit, a team of AmeriCorps volunteers will dedicate two weeks of their summer to helping Woodbury and Southbury with public health programming; trail remediation; and community garden beautification.

AmeriCorps (sometimes referred to as the “domestic Peace Corps”) will be stationed here from July 30 through August 10, through a grant-funded initiative with AmeriCorps’ parent agency: the National Civilian Community Corps.  Pomperaug Health District MRC and the Torrington Area Health District MRC, are sharing the AmeriCorps volunteers during this deployment.  The team is currently completing a series of tasks in the Torrington area, centered around youth and preparedness education. Prior to that, the 10-person-team had assisted Habitat for Humanity in Camden, NJ.

Under the direction of Pomperaug Health District, AmeriCorps will partner with the Southbury Land Trust and the Southbury Conservation Commission for trail cleanup and site beautification in the coming weeks.  Also on the AmeriCorps task list is spending a day at Southbury’s Community Garden at Settlers Park.  The garden was created this year through the CT State Department of Public Health and the Connecticut Cancer Partnership’s ACHIEVE grant, administrated by the Pomperaug Health District.

The AmeriCorps team will also take to the streets of Woodbury in order to gather data and complete real-time surveys using IPads at various, high-foot-traffic locations.  The data will help drive upcoming public health and emergency preparedness programming efforts.

Woodbury residents are urged to participate in the survey when approached by an AmeriCorps volunteer; input gathered from a random sampling of area residents will be especially useful in helping to make Woodbury and Southbury healthier, more prepared communities.  All AmeriCorps volunteers undergo extensive background checks prior to deployment.  These young men and women, who range in age between 18 and 24, hail from various parts of our nation and represent a broad spectrum of demographics.  All volunteers serving on behalf of the Pomperaug Health District MRC/AmeriCorps will be identifiable by identification badges and/or branded AmeriCorps apparel.  For more information regarding the AmeriCorps team or the Medical Reserve Corps, please call Pomperaug Health District Director of Health Neal Lustig  or MRC Unit Leader Robin Lucas at (203) 264-9616.

A beautiful night for baseball...

On Thursday, Aug 16 Hartford Habitat for Humanity is hosting a BBQ & Baseball game at the New Britain Rock Cats! More info here

When Service Calls....

How will you answer?

Americorps week Spotlight - Ty Williams

As part of AmeriCorps Week 2012, each day we’ve been spotlighting a service member or alum across the state, this week’s final spotlight is on Ty Williams.

Ty served with the L.E.A.P. program in Bridgeport and Public Allies CT. He was a senior youth counselor with L.E.A.P. and did an internship at Bridgeport Community Health as a Community Outreach worker. He also was an Assistant Case Manager for the Juvenile Review Board. “I liked the type of work that was being done in the community and I knew friends who were in the program and I saw the growth development personal and professional life,” Ty says. “My biggest accomplishment was completing the program, forming a lot of relationships with those I served, and served with in my community and how it continues to develop for me even after 3-4 years.” Ty says what he learned about himself and his community is priceless, and currently he’s involved in his community. He keeps busy mentoring youth, working with families to help their children get on the right track, performing community service projects and community organizing.

Way to go Ty – glad to hear about your service and thanks for everything you do for our communities!

Keep up the great work AmeriCorps Alums members across the state - and Happy AmeriCorps week!!

AmeriCorps Week Spotlight - Sharaya Smith

As part of AmeriCorps Week 2012, each day we’ll be spotlighting a service member or alum across the state! Today’s spotlight is on Sharaya Smith.

Sharaya served last year with Homes For The Brave as their Development Assistant and this year she’s serving as Volunteer Services Coordinator for the Bridgeport Public Library (her hometown). She decided to join AmeriCorps because of the possibility to working with a local non-profit organization while building leadership skills and earning money to continue her college education at the same time.

“One of my biggest accomplishments while serving was getting the chance to help promote and develop "Female Soldiers:Forgotten Heroes" the only program in the state dedicated to serving homeless female veterans, during my first year. Being a Vet myself, it was service that touched me in a much more personal way.”

Great stuff Sharaya – keep up the great work and thank you for your service!