Inspiring Stories about AmeriCorps*Texas Members

May 14th, 2009 - Posted by OneStar Foundation - No Comments

Recently, we asked our AmeriCorps*Texas grantees to share their stories of success with us. Here are four of the many inspiring stories we heard.

• Communities in Schools – Heart of Texas: Lisa Martinez started the AmeriCorps program with MCYC Community Servers, thanks to persuasive encouragement from her mother. But once Lisa began the program, it was her own experience of meaningful service, challenging mentors and coworkers, students in need and a passion for teaching others about healthy living that motivated her to show up at her service site each day. Lisa had a long list of work experience, but nothing that held as much meaning and relevance to life and her future plans as her AmeriCorps*Texas service. Lisa served with the Heart of Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse as a Prevention Specialist. She taught children and youth about the effects of drug and alcohol on their own bodies, and on the people they love, which was something Lisa had experienced in her own life. Being challenged to grow in her skills as an educator and counselor, Lisa decided she wanted to pursue a degree in social work. Because of the level of maturity, passion, and expertise with which she delivered services for HOTCADA, when they had an open position for a full-time Prevention Specialist with their organization, they readily hired Lisa. She began working for them as a full-time employee the day after her AmeriCorps*Texas term of service ended. She is also starting the process of pursuing her social work degree at McLennan Community College. She is a true, inspiring success story.
• AVANCE – El Paso Chapter: Nancy is in her second year as an AmeriCorps member. She helps teach children up to four years old in the AVANCE Even Start Family Literacy Program at Lamar Elementary School in El Paso Independent School District. She also makes home visits to the mothers of the children. Nancy is an example of personal growth through AmeriCorps service. Nancy was a teen mother who had her first child at age 15, and her child was born with a dislocated hip and received medical help through the Shriners program. In August 2005, when she was 20 years old, she started coming to the AVANCE Even Start program and took parenting, English as a second language and General Educational Development (GED) classes. She dreamed of getting an accounting degree, since her favorite subject was math. In January 2007, she began her AmeriCorps*Texas service, and a few months later, she passed all five GED tests and attained her diploma. Now, because of her AmeriCorps service at AVANCE, she wants to use her education award to get a Bachelor’s degree in education. “I am amazed how much the children and I have learned this year at the Center,” said Lisa. “I can really say that we have grown together. I also have learned to help the mothers to better raise their children. I had the opportunity to counsel some of the mothers about the safety of their children and to be more responsible for them. I feel very proud of my success. My goals are to continue serving with AmeriCorps, become more confident in English, and then use my scholarship to get a BA in Early Education. I have discovered how much I like to teach young children.”
• Goodwill Industries of Central East Texas: One member, Denice Cooper, was honored as the 2008 Goodwill Industries International Volunteer of the Year. After a perilous escape from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, Denice relocated to Nacogdoches, where she dedicated herself to helping her fellow evacuees as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer. She decided to continue her AmeriCorps service by serving as an AmeriCorps*State member at the Goodwill Industries of Central East Texas at Lufkin, where she provides individual and group mentoring as well as structured activities for children with mental and emotional disabilities. She also mentors adults with disabilities who are entering the workforce and need ongoing support. “Denice was selected to mentor our workforce clients because of her compassion and her inspiring example of how to transform hardship into success,” said Nancy Bledsoe, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Goodwill Industries of Central East Texas. “She has turned the trauma of her Katrina experience into personal motivation and speaks of her journey as a gift.” Cooper, now 62, also initiated a “Getting Fit for Life” walking group that she facilitates weekly, sometimes bringing in speakers who present during the walk. “Volunteers are the hidden gems within Goodwill Industries, as evidenced by Denice’s enormous contributions to the Lufkin Goodwill and her community,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “She leads and teaches by example, transforming the lives of so many in the process.”
• Keep Austin Housed: An elderly gentleman came to my office one day and said, “I can barely read, I’m old and I need a job or I will be homeless again. Do you think it’s possible for someone like me to get hired?” I immediately told him that it was most definitely possible, and after a few words of encouragement, we created a plan. His dream was to become a supervisor and work in the cleaning service industry because it was something he enjoyed and it didn’t seem like work to him. Over time, I saw his look of despair slowly turned into a look of optimism. As we chipped away at his lack of confidence, we simultaneously built up it by pointing out all of his past successes. He was five years clean and sober, he started a small lawn-care business and he was asked to speak at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting by someone who had influenced him along his journey to a better life. I pointed out to him that those are qualities of a successful person and a leader. After a few meetings together, he was pumped with confidence and ready to try for that dream job. After several weeks, he came in one day and said, “You said it was possible but I must admit I wasn’t convinced in the beginning and I thought you were just being nice to this old man but…..I got a job! It’s not just an ordinary job either; it’s the job that I’ve wished to have for the longest time.” He is now a supervisor for a cleaning company and has a small crew working under him. He was also connected with Austin Literacy and is signed up for their next session. The hours of his new job allow him to attend classes and he can concentrate on establishing his own business without interfering with his new job and classes. His mind is clearer and he has a steady income to pay for his rent. Getting this type of intensive services is harder to receive in a regular office setting because of time and large caseloads. But because we had an AmeriCorps*Texas member there to fill in those service gaps, he was able to do more than achieve his dream job—he maintained his housing, acquired a newfound confidence in his abilities and became a success story.

Do you have an inspiring story from your AmeriCorps*Texas experience? If so, please share it in our Comments section.

Tags: AmeriCorps·AmeriCorps Week·AmeriCorps*Texas·OneStar Foundation·Volunteer Recognition·Volunteerism·Volunteers