AmeriCorps NCCC Volunteering at One Heartland

An AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) team is working with One Heartland from July 15 to August 3. The team is working alongside other volunteers as camp staff and assisting with facility maintenance.

The NCCC team of nine from the Vinton campus is helping to ensure the safety and the well-being of each camper as well as planning, preparing and implementing programs. The team members are also assisting in other general camp operations, such as food service, housekeeping, travel and facility maintenance.

One Heartland is a camp run almost entirely by volunteers. By having an AmeriCorps NCCC team, the camp is able to function with more ease as the members can help in assisting with the children. The camp is then able to allow for more campers with the bigger staff.

“One Heartland sounds like a fun place to volunteer and a good project for our team. We look forward to working with children,” says NCCC member John Brantley from Orlando, Fla.

One Heartland has the mission of improving the lives of children, youth and families facing significant health challenges or social isolation. The camp was founded in 1993 and continues to grow each year. It is the largest camping and care program for children who have experience with HIV/AIDS. Most of the children live in poverty and come from 40 different states within the United States. The camp is almost entirely run on volunteers.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, 10-month, residential, national service program in which 2,800 young adults – all 18 to 24 years old- serve nationwide each year. The NCCC program oversees two service tracks – Traditional NCCC and FEMA Corps – and members in these programs serve in teams of eight to twelve on three to seven service projects during their service. NCCC Members serve on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. FEMA Corps Members focus solely on emergency management and long-term recovery projects through FEMA. The North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa is one of five regional campuses in the United States and serves Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The other campuses are located in Baltimore, Md.; Sacramento, Calif.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Denver, Colo.
In exchange for their service, members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC programs, visit the website at www.nationalservice.gov/nccc.