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NEW ORLEANS – Mayor LaToya Cantrell today announced the launch of the first-ever City of New Orleans AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program. This federally funded grant program will create 11 full-time one-year service opportunities, spanning across five City departments and the District C City Council Office.
“This partnership with AmeriCorps will fuel job creation and bolster support across multiple City departments so we can better serve our residents,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
“I am excited to host a VISTA member in my office as we work to increase the amount of community outreach and constituent involvement in Council-related matters,” said Kristin Gisleson Palmer, Councilmember, District C.
The agency sponsor, AmeriCorps VISTA, is a federal program dedicated to ending poverty through national service to build the capacity of organizations serving low-income communities. AmeriCorps VISTA’s mission is to engage members in a year of full-time service to strengthen organizations that eliminate or alleviate poverty through the mobilization of community volunteers and resources.
The City of New Orleans AmeriCorps VISTA program will focus on addressing anti-poverty measures and capacity building for the participating City Departments. The specific department projects will focus on developing the department’s internal and external operations, helping each department to provide critical services to the public. The VISTA projects will seek to enhance these services and determine if the services offered by each department are in line with assisting our most vulnerable residents including low-income families and individuals within the City of New Orleans.
"The additional support provided by this program will allow our City departments to focus on programs and services that have a direct impact on our most vulnerable communities. We are excited to partner with AmeriCorps VISTA and launch this program for the first time in the history of City Hall and the Mayor’s Office,” said Justin Boone, Director of City of New Orleans VISTA program.
Below is a list of service opportunities for applicants:
- VISTA Leader-Mayor’s Office
- The VISTA Leader will work alongside the City of New Orleans, Mayor’s Office staff to support the service of the VISTA members. Under the direction of the VISTA Leader, the VISTA members will work within City departments to help strengthen, expand and increase the capacity of each department and their programs.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- Office of Criminal Justice (OCJC)
- The VISTA member will support OCJC and create a data analysis plan, focusing on ethnic and racial disparities at various points in the Orleans Parish criminal justice system. The VISTA Member will assist in the development and facilitation of an ethnic and racial disparity working group consisting of agencies, community groups and external partners.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP)
- The VISTA member will develop effective, inclusive and innovative outreach and engagement initiatives that increase awareness of NOHSEP programs to support low-income residents in hurricane preparedness and COVID-19 protective measures and relief.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- New Orleans Health Department (NOHD): Homelessness
- The VISTA member will work to produce an update of the City’s 10-year plan to end homelessness, develop a NOHD plan to address homelessness caused by COVID-19, and assist NOHD’s homelessness outreach efforts.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- New Orleans Health Department (NOHD): COVID-19
- The VISTA member will support NOHD’s COVID-19 response including the long-term planning for testing and vaccinations, updating vaccination administration plans, updating the City’s disease outbreak plan, and more.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- Office of Transportation (OT)
- The VISTA Member will build out and deliver the actions and objective of the Moving New Orleans Transportation Action Plan, develop and implement a communications and engagement strategy, and build capacity for the Office by developing a branding strategy.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- Office of Youth and Families (OYF)
- The VISTA Members will support the development and implementation of the City’s Learning Hubs, develop strategies that build capacity with partners, develop strategies for key City departments to collaborate, develop and utilize a progress monitoring system that evaluates the success and effectiveness of the hubs, and more.
Read the full listing by clicking here.
- District C City Council Office
For more CNO AmeriCorps VISTA program information, please email Justin Boone, CNO AmeriCorps VISTA Director, at justin.boone@nola.gov. For general AmeriCorps information visit nationalservice.gov.
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