​Hi everyone - my name is Mikaileigh (Mik) Baker (she/her[s]) and I am currently an AmeriCorps SerVermont VISTA in Vermont serving with Willing Hands as their second year Program Development VISTA. Willing Hands is a non-profit, charitable organization in the Upper Valley Region of Vermont and New Hampshire. Willing Hands works with 82 recipient organizations, many local farmers, and hundreds of volunteers to recover, donate, distribute, and deliver healthy, wholesome foods and collaborates with organizations to provide nutritional education. 

In my time as a CCNYPA VISTA, I was a third year serving at Alvernia University working with the Berks County Department of Agriculture and B.A.R.N. as a Healthy Futures VISTA in 2018-19. My primary work was creating legacy documents for the organization that archived new and old processes for events, program logistics, and helpful information. I developed a county wide food resource guide that involved months of survey creation, performed data collection and analysis, and guided design creation that will eventually lead to an online version. Working on this project led to major internal growth and adaptability - there were several moving parts that, throughout the year, I needed to have a pulse on and be mindful of on behalf of the University, Department, and B.A.R.N., as well as, all the other entities I was in contact with. 

My favorite part about serving in CCNYPA were the in-person retreats (sorry everyone.. I miss them too..) and being able to connect with VISTAs that I was not able to interact with otherwise. Shoutout to the ‘18-’19 cohort of beautiful humans now spread out doing amazing work! I greatly appreciated the amazing support systems I found in the organizations I served with and CCNYPA. 

​During my VISTA year I was multitasking throughout most of my time (shh!) as I was applying to the Peace Corps in my first half of the year and then preparing to leave (medical and criminal clearances) in September for Senegal. My time in Senegal was cut short due to COVID-19, but I communicate with the closest connections I made weekly, even through my deteriorating language skills and the agricultural, cultural, and social knowledge gained has been invaluable. While Senegal is culturally male dominated, I had wonderful females to lean on - my two amazing CIFs (cultural and integration facilitators), Adji and Awa, who helped me acclimate in my permanent site of Koussanar, Tambacounda and my patient work counterpart, Fatoumata. I cannot stress enough that the ability to be adaptable and self-advocating in any environment is crucial. I had to do this everyday while living in Senegal while still learning the language to effectively communicate.

In my fourth year post grad, it is only now that I am starting to clarify what interests me and the path I would like to take. I did my CCNYPA year because I knew I would gain more knowledge and skills and strengthen the ones I already had (I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but that is beside the point), which turned out to be a solid choice when applying for the Peace Corps - a resume boost with alum everywhere. Network, network, network. It will be surprising who you meet and how they will play a role in your next endeavor.

If you are thinking about doing a year (or even a second year) of service with CCNYPA, do it. You can’t go wrong with gaining more experience and potentially doing something outside of your comfort zone and you’ll have a safety net along the way - remember to budget your income and use the free resources because they are FREE. 

Enjoy your year, it’s yours!

​As a first-generation college student, I overcame several hurdles that I thought were impossible to conquer when it came to my education. I had no one to confide in or guide me through my undergraduate years, so I am proud to not just serve as a VISTA but most importantly serve beyond that and inspire youth to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to them.  This mindset has really excited youth to not just look forward to high school, but way beyond that-- which has most definitely made my VISTA project more rewarding. With all this being said, it is safe to say that I am passionate about 1. Serving and 2. Being a mentor for youth. 

​One of the many things I am incredibly proud of is how often I am emailed about my project and what we stand for. We have grown a lot since my 1st year as a VISTA and it seems to me that our commitment and dedication has reached many ears in the community I serve. This small milestone seemed impossible at first because of the lack of communication with the community we were trying to target. At first it seemed that many were simply not interested but with the help of my amazing supervisors and their own dedication to educate, I have been able to thrive in my VISTA project day in and day out.

Introduction
My name is Rachel Bowden. I am a Year 2 VISTA working at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I work in healthy futures and food insecurity so I take on a few different roles at the campus. I oversee the 6 campus pantries to ensure they are bringing in healthy options, abundant amounts of food to feed our students, and are offering SNAP information, nutrition information, and additional benefits. My day-to-day job consists of helping recruit volunteers for the pantries, offering cooking classes, creating additional partnerships, and applying for grants. ​

Passions/Hobbies 
 I received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Penn State and am currently working towards my Masters in Public Health so this VISTA position is perfect for my professional and personal interests. I chose to enter the field of public health and serve as a healthy futures VISTA to advocate for the millions of people living in the United States that are uninsured, facing life threatening illnesses, or simply don’t have access to adequate health care/resources. I love spending time with my family, boyfriend, friends, and dog and exploring Pittsburgh. On the weekends you can find me hiking, cooking, or tailgating for a Steelers or Penn State game.  

Gift Giving Style
My gift giving style varies depending on who I’m buying for. I tend to splurge a little on my boyfriend and close family but I make sure I do so reasonably. I like to plan ahead for them so that I can look out for sales on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday as well as having time to save up some money. I also really like to go along with their interests so I know it’s a gift they’ll love and use. My brother loves to run and there are so many small, meaningful things you can buy for runners. My boyfriend loves to grill and have people over on the weekends so I decided to get him a smoker this year. I planned this gift a few months back and was able to find a great sale on Black Friday. As for my friends, they love when I find their favorite local product or when I make something myself. In previous years we’ve even done a secret Santa gift exchange so that we don’t feel obligated to buy for everyone. We make a whole evening out of it with wine and Christmas cookies and it always goes over well! This year I decided to make them little gift baskets with all local products that I know they’ll love! I really recommend exploring your city or town to see what is available, you’ll be surprised! Some of my favorites in Pittsburgh are: 
“Simply You,” a homemade candle and soap company (for the friends and family who love self-care)
 “Steel City Salt Company,” a flavored salt and seasoning company (for the friends and family who love to cook)
“Steel City Apparel,” a clothing company (for the friends and family who love to rep their team and city)
BONUS “Grounds and Hounds,” a coffee company that donates 20% of their proceeds to local animal shelters (for the friends and family who love coffee and love their pets).
People really love knowing that you found something that coincides with their interests while also supporting local companies!

​Budget
I can’t tell you an exact budget when planning for the holidays because everyone has different expenses and people that they are shopping for. I will tell you that it is crucial to sit down and write out a budget. Whether you do this 3 months in advance or the week before Christmas, I think it is critical to have a plan to avoid going in blind and spending too much money. If you plan ahead, it makes it a lot easier to set a little aside each pay period so that you’re still living comfortable up until the holidays. My brother, sister-in-law, and I also tend to all go in on something for my mom or close family. This is definitely something to consider if you really want to spoil someone but need a little assistance to do so. Last Year vs. This Year 
Last year I didn’t create a budget and went in completely blind. This resulted in being in a tight financial position for a few weeks after the holidays and causing some unnecessary stress. I felt obligated to get my family gifts, my friends, my boyfriend’s family, my coworkers, etc and it just wasn’t feasible. Creating a budget and making a list ahead of time was a huge stress relief this year and I’m so glad I decided to take time out of my day to plan it all out. The holiday season is stressful enough without additional financial stress. 

Biggest Piece of Advice
My biggest piece of advice to a new VISTA is not to put yourself in a tight financial position just because you feel the need to buy expensive gifts. Your friends and family UNDERSTAND. They respect what you do as a VISTA and no one expects anything. They’d much rather receive something personalized or homemade and hear about how you’re making a difference in your community. Homemade gifts go a LONG WAY because people know you put time into it and it’s personalized. Really play off of your skills. If you can paint, paint an ornament, if you can bake, bake them some cookies or another holiday dessert! At the end of the day, your family and friends care more about seeing you, spending time with you, and knowing you’re healthy and safe (this year more than ever) than they care about receiving a gift. Happy Holidays! 

Written by Carly Auchey, AmeriCorps VISTA at Gettysburg College

Back to my Roots
If anyone told me a year ago that I’d be living in a small rural town (which happens to be close to my hometown) and working on a farm, I would have laughed. That’s just not me. To be fair, I also wouldn’t have believed anything about an unprecedented pandemic, murder hornets, or many other things that have happened so far this year. But here I am, in a year of firsts getting back to my roots.

My name is Carly Auchey (she/her/hers), and I am a Healthy Futures VISTA serving at Gettysburg College in collaboration with Casa de la Cultura. My project involves encouraging participation in current programming and (hopefully) promoting new programming related to nutrition, health, and wellness to the Latinx population here in Adams County. After four years of studying Social Work and Spanish near Philadelphia, including an eye-opening study abroad experience in Mexico, I knew that I wanted my career to involve social justice and the Latinx population. As graduation got closer and the reality of COVID-19 set in, I kept going back to stories I had heard through various internships with AmeriCorps VISTA. 

Fast forward to now and I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this project. While many VISTAS (and other professionals alike) are navigating the world of virtual and online engagement, I am thankful for an opportunity to engage with families in person; even if it is with masks and from a distance. This in-person venue is la Granja de la Tortuga Pintada (the Painted Turtle Farm). While my project doesn’t relate to farm management or anything like that, the farm has become one of my favorite places to be.

“La Tortuga” as most of the families call it, is a community garden above anything else. The disappointment over the lack of the community aspect has come up in almost every conversation I’ve had with families about what they like most about the farm and how it is different this year. Let me explain the well-oiled machine that is la Tortuga. When you first walk in, you will see 26 family plots; these are raised beds where families pick culturally appropriate plants that they want to care for and harvest throughout the season. Families care for their “parecelas” (plots) on Monday or Wednesday nights to abide by social distancing. I spend these evenings working with families in their plots, talking about vegetables, favorite recipes, why I was there on the farm, their kids going back to school, what they’d like to see in the community, and honestly anything else that came up.

Moving on from the family plots, you will then see the herb boxes. In these seven boxes, we grow cilantro, parsley, tea, dill, pepicha (Mexican herb), oregano, and other herbs for the community to use. Past the herb boxes, you’ll find “the big plot.” It is deemed so because this is the plot that is in constant rotation of planting and harvesting to fill Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) bags. On Wednesdays, we harvest. This is when students and other volunteers harvest and record what plants are ready to fill CSA shares. These CSA shares are what fund the seeds for the family plots for the season. CSA members get these bags from harvest once a week, every other week, or once a month. The bags are typically overflowing with so many naturally grown veggies and herbs depending on the time of year. When I joined the team in July, bags were filled with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes (of various kinds), basil, kale, Swiss chard, various peppers, and more. 

I can’t forget the hoop house! This structure houses too many kinds of tomatoes to count, poblano peppers, habaneros, green peppers, eggplants, and more. The farm is filled with flowers to attract bees and other good insects to help the plants.

What I love about the farm is that it’s not just about growing food; it’s about fostering relationships and a sense of community across lines of difference that often seem insurmountable. Not only am I getting back to my roots, but I’m creating new ones in ways I never would have imagined!

Check out Carly's latest video below that she created for Casa de la Cultura about Healthy Options!

By Chelsea Lienhard, CCNYPA*VISTA Leader

As we all know, the month of February is dedicated towards the celebration of contributions and achievements had by African Americans throughout the history of the United States. As a jumpstart to Black History Month, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day in January with a day of national service. Although this is a federal holiday observed by many corporations, organizations, and employers by having the day off, the Corporation for National and Community Service calls for citizens to make it “a day on, not a day off” by performing some type of volunteer service. Our duty as an AmeriCorps VISTA member was to do just that. From what was gathered, the CCNYPA cohort:

​Participated in neighborhood cleanups, chipped in at their local food pantries, assisted in daily tasks at animal rescues, volunteered through MLK Day events hosted at their universities/colleges, and engaged in many more ways
 
Engaged with over 1000 volunteers at their selected events
 
Served 75+ HOURS

I think Martin Luther King Jr. would be very proud and honored to see how this day commemorates him and his legacy! This holiday is the perfect segue way into Black History Month. The annual month-long observance began as a way of remembering important leaders and events in the history of African Americans. Did you know tt actually only used to be a week-long celebration? It was called “Negro History Week” and was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. Did you know these little-known facts about Black History Month?

• February was chosen to coincide with Frederick Douglass’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays (two leaders/events that black communities celebrate)
• In the 1940s, efforts increased within black communities to expand the study of black history in the schools
• During the Civil Rights Movement in the South, some schools incorporated Black history into the curriculum with the hopes of advancing social change
• It became a national month-long celebration in 1976
• Both Canada and the U.K. celebrate Black History Month! (The U.K. celebrates it in October)

How did you honor and celebrate Black History Month?

Can you believe it? We are at the halfway mark of the 2019-2020 service year! Time flies by when you’re having fun and making a difference, right? To the CCNYPA*VISTAs-- you all deserve a huge pat on the back for making it halfway through your year of service because it surely is a feat.
 
As we trek along through the month of January and the start of a new semester at our host sites, I request that you take the time to truly reflect on the past six months. Think about the highs and lows, the insights after introducing a new idea or making a change, and most importantly, remind yourself of all the successes you’ve had thus far. It may seem like you are not doing much or making an impact some days, but just know that you are, and it does not go unnoticed! Here are some highlights and successes from fellow CCNYPA*VISTA members:
 

• Rachel at CCAC was recently able to secure two data loggers that will record the refrigerator temperatures at the partnering food pantries and send an alert text when the temperatures get too high. This will allow pantry staff to know of a change in temperature, and therefore be able to get there and save the food! Nothing is worse than having frozen meat, fresh produce, and dairy go bad after paying and working hard for those donations. Rachel was able to get these loggers (valued at $250 each) for free just by simply writing a case study for the company’s website!

 

• Matt developed a food resource brochure and was able to connect with State Representative Kurt Masser’s office to produce posters based off of the brochure. He was also able to organize and lead two successful Coal Township/Shamokin Food Resource Collaboration meetings with multiple food resource organizations.

 

• Jenna started the idea of bringing students from her community partner middle school to her host site for a campus visit. She worked with her department, met with the admissions team, and stakeholders in the school district and was able to set a date in March. Everyone loved the idea so much that it is now an objective in the Year 3 VAD.

 

• Katie helped to create an America Reads webpage in the Career Services section in the online CCAC student portal. It was created to centralize and digitize America Reads recruitment and training documents which will increase the accessibility of these documents to the students. This is a huge accomplishment when thinking about sustainability!

 

• Jordan and a counselor from the counseling department at NCC worked together to create a very comprehensive mental health provider, hospital, and social service agency directory. The previous directory was very outdated. She also developed a mental health speaker program that is targeted at introductory psychology classes. Its aim is to reduce the mental health stigma among NCC college students, specifically the type of stigma that prevents help-seeking behaviors among those experiencing symptoms on mental illness.

 

• Ayo had a proud moment with a high school student that was part of the GEAR UP program last year. This student is now attending Drexel University (a community partner that is a part of the GEAR UP program). When Ayo was recruiting GEAR UP volunteers at Drexel this past fall, this student came to the table not only to say hi but also to help advertise the GEAR UP program to the freshmen. She told students, “this is a great program. I was actually a part of it in high school and they are part of the reason I’m here at Drexel.”

 
Overall, many of you have strengthened your career desires and passions due to the work you are accomplishing with your projects these past 6 months. You’ve gained confidence and motivation boosts, whether that was because you are a returning member and are feeling more sure of yourself or because of the successes and experiences you’ve had so far. Always keep those accomplishments in mind and don’t forget the little things!

With the holiday season approaching, our college campuses are probably starting to slow down as students prepare for finals and break. However, we still have deadlines to meet, goals to accomplish and forms to submit for our projects. This may come with a bit of difficulty and stress. 

That difficulty may linger into our everyday work and the relationships we have with our co-workers, students, and supervisors.  While it is important to have a strong work-life/personal life balance, unideal situations at work can have a negative impact on our personal lives. Below are three tips for dealing with tough work situations. 
 
1. Treat the difficulties as an opportunity for growth 
The work that we do each and every day at our host sites is not very glamorous. We are constantly dealing with large projects, lack of resources, and the issue of always being mistaken as a student or an intern. With all of those issues, the last thing one wants to deal with is a conflict with a co-worker, volunteer, or supervisor. Instead of approaching the problem with a “why is this happening to me?” angle, look at it as a “how can I use this issue as a chance to grow?” opportunity. Reframing the problems into positives can help find a quicker, more concrete solution. Does it make the issue less difficult? Absolutely not. But, it is a productive, immediate response to the problem at hand. 
 
2. View the issue from the other person’s perspective
Sometimes, in both our work and personal life, we tend to get very wrapped up in the “me” problems. I have a program to run and when *person* does *thing*I can’t get my work done the way that I want it completed. While, yes, you have a particular structure for your work and you have certain expectations for it, that is not always going to be the final result. Things happen, plans change, and you need to adapt to that situation. The person that you are having this problem with might also have a particular way of operating, or maybe they had a certain upbringing or trauma in their past that doesn’t allow them to complete work as easily. Try to consider other perspectives before assuming that they are making your life harder on purpose. 
 
3. Take time away from the office as needed 
I cannot stress this point enough: use your personal and medical days as much as possible. Yes, work is important, but your personal and mental health is more important. How could you possibly give your project your best effort if you are not feeling 100% you? Utilize your calendar and schedule in breaks as needed. Especially with the holiday season right around the corner, it is crucial that you take advantage of every day out of the office and “chill” workday as possible. Your body and your mental health will thank you.
 
It is unrealistic to assume that every office problem will go away when you have a positive mindset in place, but it definitely doesn’t hurt. Be sure to contact Chelsea, Danelle or Lucio if you are having problems at your host site that are larger than you can handle.