• Slug: Audio-AmeriCorps VISTAs. By Kenneth Rasmussen
• Runtime: 1:20
• Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download)

HOST INTRO:

THE FEDERAL AGENCY FOR VOLUNTEERING AND SERVICE — AMERICORPS — ANNOUNCED LATE LAST MONTH THEY WILL AWARD TWO MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP ARIZONA’S FOOD BANKS. AS CRONKITE NEWS’ KENNY RASMUSSEN REPORTS ITS PART OF AN ONGOING EFFORT TO ADDRESS HUNGER IN ARIZONA.
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AMERICORPS (AMER-IH-CORE) CREATED 33 POSITIONS AT FOOD BANKS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA THROUGH ITS VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE TO AMERICA PROGRAM – OR VISTAS. ARIZONA FOOD BANK NETWORK’S CEO AND PRESIDENT, ANGIE RODGERS SAYS AMERICORPS’ PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NETWORK DATES BACK TO 2017.

“The start of the americorps program is a wonderful story that started in 2017
when one of my staff members got a call from a friend. that phone call led to
azfbn becoming a grantee as a sponsor with three vistas completing service
years at two sites ” 20 seconds

VISTAS SPEND A YEAR SUPPORTING A PROGRAM TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE CHANGE, IN THIS CASE, HELP ADDRESS HUNGER AT A STATE LEVEL. CHRISTOPHER BODNAR IS A FORMER VISTA AND NOW WORKS FOR THE UNITED FOOD BANK. HE SAYS RESOLVING ISSUES THAT AFFECTED THE STATE WAS A DRAW FOR HIM AS A VISTA.

“i was born and raised here in arizona and i thought americorps is the route for
me because i really wanted to help the problems that are happening in my
backyard.”

33 VISTAS WILL WORK WITH PROGRAMS ACROSS ARIZONA, INCLUDING ONE BASED IN THE GRAND CANYON. THE FUNDS COME THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

Kenneth R. Cronkite News