The Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, made available $800,000 in federal AmeriCorps funds for IWA communities. IWA has partnered with Rend Lake Community College in the Southern Seven, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville in East St. Louis, Aunt Martha's Youth Services in Harvey and the Policy Research Action Group in Chicago, for this initiative. These organizations oversee the assignment and support of approximately eleven full-time AmeriCorps members in each IWA community. The AmeriCorps members are adding value to IWA communities by providing community organizations with the additional staff and support they need to make a difference in the lives of residents.

East St Louis

Gladys Curry - Adventures in Motion
Gladys, a lifetime resident of East St. Louis, became an AmeriCorps member to support the community by working with students and parents. Adventures in Motivation (AIM) is a youth leadership development agency founded in 1988 to provide at-risk youth a safe environment and the personal resources necessary to combat the negative influences prevalent in the East St. Louis area. AIM provides educational, cultural, recreational and social development opportunities for students. Gladys has created a monthly newsletter, assisted with computer lab instruction for students and parents and coordinated the parenting component of the program. By gathering news, editing and distributing the newsletter, meeting with parents and providing parents with training and information to encourage parental involvement, Gladys feels she is making a difference in the lives of East St. Louis residents.

Greta Nunn - Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation
Greta learned about the AmeriCorps program while she was volunteering at Touchette Regional Hospital. She now serves as a Kid Care Representative at the Southern Illinois Health Care Foundation. Greta works in the area of health insurance for Illinois children. Kid Care is an insurance program in Illinois that covers various medical expenses for children under the age of 18. Greta is excited to be able to serve as a Kid Care Representative through the AmeriCorps program.

Englewood

Kimberly Heard - O'Toole Elementary School
Kimberly works with second graders at O'Toole Schools where she helps the children with math, reading and spelling. As a result of her AmeriCorps experience, she is working to become a member of the Local School Council and put a P.T.A. meeting together. Kimberly would like to do even more for the school, but needs other parents to participate and become involved in the school. After her AmeriCorps service is done, Kimberly plans to pursue becoming a teacher.

Janise Jones-Harmon - Nicholson School
While taking care of her daughter, Janise Jones-Harmon began to spend time with the children in the neighborhood and recognized their many needs and wants. Janise first became involved in a local community program, which allowed her to provide homework help and organize recreational activities for local youth. Janise began attending community meetings and learned about AmeriCorps tutoring positions in the public schools. Janise took on a tutoring position at Nicholson School in order to continue doing what she loves and to put her in touch with others who share similar interests. As a reading tutor for 7th graders, Janise has implemented the Pizza Hut Book It! reading incentive program, has recruited parents for Imagine Chicago parent workshops and coordinates the minutes for reading clubs at three schools. In the future, Janise would like to work on expanding the local community program into an after school program with transportation and a budget for rewards and incentives for children to read, excel in school and perform community service.

Harvey

Yagonda Stewart-Hall - Bryant School
Yagonda Stewart-Hall tutors children through the Success For All program at Bryant School in order to help students bring their reading skills up to the proper grade level. Yagonda assists with testing students in grades 1-6 to determine their reading level. Through SFA, Yoganda is giving back to the community where she has lived for much of her life.

April Oakes - Bryant School
April Oakes learned about the AmeriCorps position at Bryant School through a teacher from the school. April provides one on one tutoring for first graders to help improve their reading skills. By helping each student develop the skills and strategies to become an independent strategic reader, April is motivating students to become active readers.

Randi Vaughan - Holmes School
Randi Vaughan is thrilled with her AmeriCorps position because she has lived and raised children in the community and it familiar with the children she is helping. The warm environment of Holmes school makes it a wonderful place for children and staff. Randi tutors through the Success For All (SFA) program which is tailored to meet each student's reading and spelling needs by providing them with one-on-one tutoring each day. The one-on-one instruction allows students who may have fallen behind to catch up on their coursework and help students regain self-esteem in regards to their academic abilities. Randi plans on coming up with a strategy to help the children blend and form sentences and to read fluently with expression, for the coming year.

Maria Lomeli - Holmes School
Maria Lomeli has enjoyed her AmeriCorps experience as a tutor for Holmes School's reading program greatly and has become very involved in her position as a result. Maria works with 12 children from different elementary grade levels in order to improve their reading skills so they are reading at the proper grade level. Teaching reading and spelling and creating activities and incentives for the children is only a portion of Maria's job. Maria is also trying to provide these children with the motivation, respect and praise that many of them do not receive in their homes.

Humboldt Park

Lynn Santoyo - Near Northwest Neighborhood Network
The Near Northwest Neighborhood Network (NNNN) is a non-profit organization that works in the Humboldt Park community on a variety of issues ranging from housing, education, youth, churches and community reinvestment. Lynn is a youth organizer for NNNN and she assists youth organizations in the area by helping with Youth Action team meetings, events and projects, researching youth information, and coordinating with the staff for major activities and events. Lynn also works with area schools and through which she conducts one-on-one meetings with parents, youth and youth organization leaders. These tasks have enables Lynn to make a difference in a variety of ways. She helped organize a youth retreat in Elgin, organizes a parents leadership team meeting and obtained donations from area businesses.

Michael Reyes - Division Street Business Development Association
Michael Reyes was assigned to the Division Street Business Development Association (DSBDA) through the Near Northwest Neighborhood Network (NNNN). Various projects Michael has worked on include the Thanksgiving food drive, Three Kings Day Celebration and the Toys for Tots toy drive.

Dorothy E. Tillmon - The United Blocks of West Humboldt Park
Dorothy, a West Humboldt Park resident, was a member of The United Blocks of West Humboldt Park organization when she encountered the opportunity to become and AmeriCorps member. The organization addresses the problems and concerns of residents and property owners living in West Humboldt Park. Dorothy provides direct service to improve the quality of life of West Humboldt Park residents. As a direct service provider, Dorothy works on issues such as the development or redevelopment of housing, new sidewalks and the repavement of alleys. Dorothy brings residents together in community meetings to talk about issues pertaining to the community, checks on the elderly and provides residents with agency referrals, when appropriate. Dorothy will be working on new programs in the coming year, such as a tutoring program for local elementary school students, the 2002 Senior Brunch, the development of two community gardens and the development of other children's programs.

Kara Olsen - Near Northwest Neighborhood Network, Humboldt Park
After graduating from college in May, Kara gained some experience at The Resurrection Project, a community development corporation in Pilsen, an immigrant neighborhood in Chicago. She is now an AmeriCorps member at the Near Northwest Neighborhood Network (NNNN). NNNN is a community organizing network that brings together over one hundred organizations in the Humboldt Park area, forming a body called the Humboldt Park Empowerment Partnership (HPEP). HPEP is made up of housing organizations, economic development and job training organizations, churches, schools, and other social service agencies who work together to stabilize the neighborhood for current residents. Kara is a part of a housing team at NNNN that works to promote affordable housing development in the Humboldt Park area. The NNNN housing puts on housing fairs, at which the public can come and receive information on homeownership, rental housing, bank financing, and homeownership counseling services. The housing team is working on a pilot program with the City of Chicago's Department of Housing. The goal of the program is to renovate abandoned properties and sell them at an affordable price, or to assist homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure.

North Lawndale

Diniah Dean - North Lawndale College Prep
Diniah Dean's AmeriCorps volunteer experience has been a prefect complement to her course of study at the Career College of Chicago where she majors in Computer Technology. At her AmeriCorps site, North Lawndale College Prep, Diniah spends the majority of her day in the compute lab where she does everything from assisting students to installing software. Diniah completed a large survey for the Office of Student Life for which she gathered information on what services students need most. Diniah is currently working on constructing a technology brochure for the school. Through AmeriCorps, Diniah feels as if she is giving back to the community and is learning life skills, job skills and people skills.

Michael T. Orr - North Lawndale Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Inc
Michael is a native resident of North Lawndale and is very grateful for the opportunity the AmeriCorps program has given him. The Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago is designed to help people acquire homes, rehabilitate and/or refinance property. At the North Lawndale branch, Michael canvasses the neighborhood and documents abandoned properties and vacant lots where new living units could be built. Michael hopes that his efforts contribute to the revitalization of the North Lawndale community by locating affordable and feasible housing units for residents.

Permelia Tyler - F.A.I.T.H. Inc.
Permelia became an AmeriCorps member after she was already volunteering at F.A.I.T.H. Inc. Permelia became very involved in her volunteer work and AmeriCorps provided a living stipend, so she could continue to contribute to the organization. F.A.I.T.H. Inc. is an organization that advocates for ex-offenders striving to get back on their feet by "helping people help themselves." At F.A.I.T.H. Inc., Permelia is responsible for many activities, which includes interviewing clients, distributing funds and bus passes to clients, and helping during meetings that provide service to clients.

Stanfort Jackson - F.A.I.T.H. Inc.
Stanfort Jackson is working as the Community Outreach Representative for F.A.I.T.H. Inc. F.A.I.T.H. Inc. helps ex-offenders obtain the necessary papers for State Identification cards and helps ex-offenders in their re-integration process from prison to society. Stanfort meets with business owners in the community to find out if they hire or would hire ex-offenders. Through this outreach, Stanfort has met with many influential people and educated them about the work that F.A.I.T.H. Inc. and AmeriCorps promote. Stanfort is looking forward to working on projects that involve mental health and housing issues of ex-offenders in the future.

Samantha Mangrum - African American Aids Network
Samantha Mangrum has an AmeriCorps member position that has placed her at the African American Aids Network (AAAN), which provides under served communities, such as North Lawndale, Roseland and Englewood, with valuable information about HIV/AIDS. This information is provided through health fairs, canvassing, community presentations and outreach services. Because AAAN is affiliated with the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, Samantha is able to work on a variety of health related issues such as asthma, diabetes, family case management and child immunization. Samantha's assignments have ranged from doing HIV testing at health fairs to making community presentations on health careers. This AmeriCorps position has given Samantha on opportunity to network with people who are making a difference in the community and she feels like she is also making a difference.

Southern Seven

Paula Walker - Bethany Village
Bethany Village houses several community-based organizations that serve the Southern Seven region ranging from Haven House Christian Crisis Center to The Union County Child Advocacy Center. Bethany Village offers a clothing closet, food pantry, free counseling services, and homeless crisis intervention. Because of the organizations diverse services, Paula is able to work on a variety of different projects including a community wide collection of supplies for New York rescue workers. Paula set up a computer lab in Bethany Village and began an adult computer literacy program to teach adults one-on-one, so that they learn skills that will help them obtain jobs. In order to assist local seniors, Paula is also involved with a nursing home volunteerism project, as the nursing homes are in great need of volunteers. Paula attends residents council meetings for a local nursing home, assists with volunteer recruitment, recruits volunteers for monthly birthday celebrations and is planning on starting an adopt-a-friend program at one nursing home. Paula hopes his project will engage adults and teenagers from the community.

Sara Bowles - Guardian Family Services
Sara Bowles became an AmeriCorps member so that she could be involved in her community while attending community college. Sara works at Guardian Family Services, which is a non-profit organization that serves as a shelter and crisis center for victims of family violence. Guardian Family Services believes that all people have the right to be free from harm, to be respected, and to determine and pursue their goals. To accomplish this mission and create a violence free environment in its service area, Guardian Family Services increases public awareness about domestic violence, provides shelter, counseling, education, support and a twenty-four hour hotline for victims of domestic violence and their children. Sara provides all aspects to clients staying at the shelter and walk-in clients. This includes legal and medical advocacy, referrals, transportation, community education and professional training. Working at Guardian Family Services has provided Sara with a variety of opportunities that benefit her community; Sara is working in project "Angel Tree" to ensure that needy children in Massac County receive Christmas Presents and she will be involved in delivering meals to the needs for the Community Christmas Dinner. Sara also has handed out information on domestic violence throughout the community and received training from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Kristen Bowen - Shawnee Community College Adult Education
Kristen Bowen has entered her second year working as an AmeriCorps member at Shawnee Community College where she works on issues of adult education and family literacy. Through various projects, such as family reading nights at local schools, Kristen has seen how much the students she works with enjoy the reading activities provided for them. A highlight for Kristen has been working with Shawnee Community College's Gear Up Program through which she assists in classrooms and provides incentives for the students to become involved. Kristen is very enthusiastic about developing more projects from her AmeriCorps position and seeing positive results.

Erin Cain - Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture
Erin Cain became interested in AmeriCorps when she realized that it would help her to gain valuable job experience and enable her to give something back to the community by helping people to appreciate their natural resources. Erin's position is based out of Cache River State Natural Area, which is approximately 14,000 acres and best known for its nature preserves and state champion trees. There are a wide variety of services Erin is contributing to through her AmeriCorps position, including conducting educational programs for school groups and community members, assisting visitors, maintaining brochures and information, assisting with maintenance duties, helping local historical societies and working with other agencies to conduct research for the River Watch program, bird and frog surveys. In the future, Erin will continue to work with groups of elementary and high school students to bring to life what they learn in science class and she will work on spring shorebird surveys, frog and toad surveys and formulating environmental education material for schools.

Natalie West - Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Natalie West has always enjoyed the outdoors and the natural world is an integral and influential part of her personal worldview. Natalie was raised with a strong personal connection to the land and has grown to see it as an important part of the community to which she belongs. The Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge is a part of the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture which, through a partnership with various other organizations, was created to protect and restore 60,000 acres of wetlands along the Cache River corridor. Natalie's responsibilities as an AmeriCorps member include public outreach and education, which includes working with school groups, developing programs, facilitating public events, working with Refuge volunteers and a variety of other activities, ranging from biological studies and restoration to maintenance and fire management. Through AmeriCorps, Natalie is working to educate and encourage people to appreciate and understand their environment as intrinsic to their quality of life, both for individuals and the communities to which they belong.

Deloris Oliver - Shawnee Community College
Deloris Oliver learned about AmeriCorps while attending Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois. Deloris lives in Cairo, attends community college and volunteers at the Cairo Extension Center of Shawnee Community College. The extension center is a computer lab and Deloris helps students and community members in a variety of ways. Deloris helps students secure Federal Student Aid by assisting them with their computer applications, assists students with general computer skills, registers adults for GED classes and assists students with schoolwork. This AmeriCorps position has enabled Deloris to take on other tasks within the community. With a team of Shawnee College Administrators, Deloris has worked in the community by encouraging individuals to enroll at the Extension Center. In addition to the time devoted to the AmeriCorps program, Deloris is a volunteer secretary for the Cairo Boys and Girls Club where she is helping the club accomplish their goal of becoming a charter member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Rock Island

Information forthcoming

Little Village

Information forthcoming

Maywood

Information forthcoming