Project Love Coalition Veteran Development - AmeriCorps VISTA

Save to Favorites

Recruiting Organization: Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group

Gain valuable nonprofit operations experience while making a difference as an AmeriCorps VISTA serving with Project Love Coalition (PLC) of Pittsburgh. PLC empowers veterans in the Pittsburgh region to restore love, pride, and purpose in neighborhoods through STEAM based projects, community building, workforce development, and housing. PLC convenes veterans and other community residents to identify and implement sustainable solutions, building an inclusive and diverse community with more social and economic opportunities in the arts, housing, workforce, and business.

As a member of the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG), Project Love Coalition collaborates with other community-based non-profits across the region to achieve economic justice and racial equity through community revitalization efforts. PCRG sponsors a cohort of 10 AmeriCorps VISTAs who serve for one year at a community-based nonprofit in the Pittsburgh area to grow their organizational capacity to uplift residents out of poverty. As part of the PCRG VISTA cohort, a VISTA member placed at PLC will serve by furthering work that invests in community and economic development to improve quality of life and increase access to capital/economic opportunity for under-resourced communities.

To this end, the VISTA’s core responsibilities during their service year with Project Love Coalition will include generating resources and volunteers for a mixed-use housing development for homeless veterans. The VISTA will manage meetings, programs, and outreach efforts that move the housing project forward. To build capacity for this project, they’ll identify funds, coordinate meetings, develop engagement tracking tools, and assess project needs and performance. They will also build capacity for programs focusing on employment/job training aiming to increase economic opportunities and aid the revitalization of the Hill District. The second core part of this VISTA assignment is developing a communications strategy to strengthen PLC’s outreach and engagement, including expanding website, social media, newsletter, and press content. The VISTA will create a membership outreach and recruitment initiative to increase involvement in the coalition and develop leadership.

The PCRG VISTA program has been successful in advancing the careers of its VISTA members, who are given opportunities for professional development (i.e., classes, conferences, etc.) while gaining experience in nonprofit operations. About 70% of VISTAs that complete their year with one of PCRG’s host sites go on to staff positions at community non-profits, while the other 30% have pursued higher education, often supported by the end-of-service education award. A VISTA year also provides benefits such as student loan deferment, healthcare, childcare assistance, relocation assistance, and more. Learn more about VISTA benefits on the AmeriCorps website: https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/vista/benefits .

Stipend ProvidedFalse

Training ProvidedFalse

Housing AvailableFalse

Language/Cultral Support AvailableFalse

Wheelchair AccessibleFalse

Fee RequiredFalse

Fee Amount: None

This opportunity is recurring