About Us
What is AmeriCorps State & National?
AmeriCorps members Get Things Done for America. They build safer, stronger, healthier, and united communities across the country. AmeriCorps improves lives and fosters civic engagement when it matters the most.
AmeriCorps State and National engages in strategic grant-making to support organizations that see service as a solution to local and national challenges, and creates powerful member experiences that result in lifelong civic engagement. Funded programs—at state service commissions, tribes, and local, regional, and national organizations—use national service to address critical community needs across a range of focus areas. Awardees receive funds on an annual basis.
What is United Communities AmeriCorps (UCA)?
United Communities is an AmeriCorps program founded in 2009 by the United Community Action Network (UCAN). We partner with local nonprofits, schools, government agencies, and tribal nations to place national service members throughout Southwest Oregon - Douglas, Coos, Curry, Jackson, & Josephine counties.
Our service region spans 18,689 square miles from the Oregon Coast to the Central Cascades and from the California boarder to the Willamette Valley, and is still striving to overcome the decline of the timber industry and the after effects of the recession. Many people in our communities navigate the impacts of unemployment, homelessness, mental illness, adult/child hunger, substance abuse, academic struggles and the associated challenges and barriers in their daily lives.
To address these impacts, our members lead program activities unique to their host sites and the needs of the clients that they serve. All of our AmeriCorps members must use their experience leading program activities to inform how they will then recruit, retain, and support community volunteers within their project. Our members commit to a 1700-hour Service project (approx. 11 months, full-time). During service, Members spend 85% on their designated service project and the remaining 15% engaging in civic and professional development opportunities alongside their AmeriCorps cohort.
United Communities AmeriCorps is housed by the United Community Action Network, administered by OregonServes.
What is United Communties' goal for their AmeriCorps projects?
We collaborate with project partners to create AmeriCorps placements that improve Effective Volunteer Management Practices (EVMPs) that will in turn increate organizational capacity to deliver direct services. Our members may lead activities/programs within our focus areas of Education, Healthy Futures, and Economic Opportunity that engage community volunteers and/or youth service-learners. Our members use their experience leading direct service activities/programs to inform how they recruit, train, and support community volunteers and/or youth service-learners.