AmeriCorp VISTA 50TH Anniversary

On December 12, 2015, The STAND Foundation joined with AmeriCorp VISTA members from around the state of Arkansas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of AmeriCorp VISTA. The ceremony was held at The Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Over 100 current and former VISTA members were present for the program. Noted speakers included, Dean Skip Rutherford, state director for The Corporation of National and Community Service, Opal Sims, and state program specialist, Derek Cromwell. Paul Monteiro, former national director of AmeriCorp VISTA, served as the keynote speaker for the event.

VISTA was founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 as a national service program designed specifically to fight poverty in America. In 1993, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs.

Members make a year-long, full-time commitment to serve on a specific project at a nonprofit organization or public agency. They focus their efforts to build the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of organizations that fight illiteracy, improve health services, foster economic development, and otherwise assist low-income communities.