What Is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps provides opportunities for 75,000 Americans to give back in an intensive way to their communities and country each year. It consists of three main programs: AmeriCorps State and National, whose members serve with more than 2,900 national and local nonprofit and community groups, such as AmeriCorps and VISTA, members assist in building volunteer capacity and in service toward fighting poverty.

What Do AmeriCorps Members Do?
AmeriCorps members do a wide range of things: They recruit, train, and supervise community volunteers, tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, help communities respond to disasters, and build the capacity of nonprofit groups to become self-sustaining, among many other activities.

How United Way of the Coastal Empire benefits from the AmeriCorps program:
United Way, through the Hands On Savannah program has been fortunate to have three AmeriCorps members over the last 3 years who have been dedicated in helping recruit volunteers for non-profit partners and developing community service projects. In prior years, Hands On Savannah hosted five VISTA members who assisted in implementing reading programs in elementary public schools.

Thoughts from an AmeriCorps member:

Why I Serve:

Kim Fritz, current Hands On Savannah AmeriCorps, on her experience.

In May 2008 I graduated from McGill University in Montreal with a BA degree in English Literature, Art History, and Educational Psychology. Graduating from McGill was a tremendous experience; not only for the world-class education I received, but my International Baccalaureate credit gave me the opportunity to graduate in three years. Having done so, I decided that before I go on to further studies I would take my extra year and do something extraordinary-of course, like all the best liberal arts grads, I hadn't quite ironed out the logistics of "extraordinary."

When I graduated I had no idea what I wanted to do-or, to be frightfully realistic, what I could do. Like any good student, I was in full admiration of the elevated endeavors of the Drs, Teachers, and Lawyers of the world. But, I was also drawn to the generative imagination of the Artists: writers, painters, and thinkers simultaneously shaping and reflecting our history. What I hadn't quite figured out yet was where the two seemingly discrete tracks merge.

What I've found through my time with Hands On Savannah and AmeriCorps is people. I have always believed-and to an extent preached-that people are our most valuable resource. Over these past seven months I have had the opportunity to see that proven daily. When I talk about what I've done, or the difference I've made I won't use a singular noun. I can't. Those two tracks merge in the collective "we." We are people practicing the art of making our history a better one.

Originally, I contemplated international as well as other national service programs. One in particular offered to place me with community organizations anywhere in the country. However, after living abroad for three years I decided that I would rather return to Savannah to bring the skills I would have shared elsewhere, here. Although I didn't grow up here, I had worked and volunteered in the area enough to know that both the need for and desire to help is strong in Savannah. I believe that growth is a collaborative process. As such I work everyday not on, but rather with and in the Savannah community. I came to AmeriCorps to do something extraordinary for a year. What I've learned is that "extraordinary" is not something that can or will ever be contained to one year of service.

I am an AmeriCorps. What you may not know is that I always have been. And so have you. Maybe never in uniform, or direct service, but in perspective and in heart that shepherds us toward tomorrow. Us AmeriCorps have a pledge. We may not have the words memorized; we may not even read it regularly. But, we live it and I hope you do too:

I will get things done for America--
to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier.
I will bring Americans together
to strengthen our communities.
Faced with apathy, I will take action.
Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground.
Faced with adversity, I will persevere.
I will carry this commitment with me
this year and beyond.
I am an AmeriCorps member . . .
and I am going to get things done.

-AmeriCorps Pledge