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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Now Hiring: AmeriCorps VISTA Community Organizer for Central Ohio


Here is the posting on Idealist:

The AmeriCorps VISTA program is a national service program dedicated to fighting poverty. VISTA members commit to serve for a full year at a nonprofit organization or agency. Members work within the community to fight poverty from multiple fronts: illiteracy, hunger, improve health services, increase access to community resources, and much more! Serving in the VISTA program allows you to make a difference within your community; gain new skills and experiences; and has amazing networking opportunities. VISTA is a full-time position that comes with multiple benefits, including health coverage.

The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) VISTA program focuses on increasing the financial security of low-income community members by assisting them in accessing public benefits and tax credits and by increasing financial literacy. VISTA members achieve this through development and maintenance of The Benefit Bank sites. The Benefit Bank is a free, secure, web-based software that allows trained, certified counselors to screen clients on a variety of Ohio public benefits including Food Stamps, WIC, Medicaid and Ohio Works First as well as filing federal and state taxes. Once the client's pre-eligibility is determined, a complete application is printed and ready to be submitted at the local Department of Job and Family Services.

We are currently recruiting VISTA members to be “community organizers”. In that position you will help current Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) sites expand their capabilities by implementing the OBB Direct Access program; continue efforts in recruiting educational institutions as OBB referral organizations and counselor-assisted sites; aid OBB sites in fostering a cohesive relationship with the county Departments of Job & Family Services to reduce the barriers to receiving public benefits; connect OBB sites with other community resources such as banks, credit unions and county extension offices to provide wrap-around services; recruit & train community organizations, staff & volunteers as OBB counselors; prepare reports on the economic impact of the project; fundraising, food drives, grant research & writing and other capacity-building projects specific to the assignment site.

How to apply:

1.       Go to www.americorps.gov>
2.       Click on “advanced opportunity search”
3.       Click “program type”, VISTA
4.       Type under “program name”, OASHF
5.       Select “OASHF- Columbus, OH”

Contact:
Maureen Ringlein, VISTA Leader | mringlein@oashf.org
51 N High Street
Columbus OH 43215
614-221-4336
www.oashf.org