Goodwill AmeriCorps

Goodwill manages AmeriCorps programs that strengthen communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Northern Vermont by placing AmeriCorps Members in local nonprofits, municipalities, and schools. These AmeriCorps members support the long-term health of communities through their selfless commitment.

• About Us
  Goodwill NNE AmeriCorps consists of four AmeriCorps programs; Goodwill VISTA Partnership, Public Health AmeriCorps, Youth Development Programs, and Manchester Excels.
  
  Since 2015, the Goodwill VISTA Partnership has sought to alleviate poverty in communities across Maine and New Hampshire, from the most rural areas to the most populous cities. VISTA Members work to reduce poverty while engaging through a plethora of forms of indirect service, such as creating and running programs, fundraising and grant writing, communications work, increasing social media presence, recruiting volunteers, as well as assisting with community assessments, among other projects. Focus areas of partner agencies include public health, food security, new Americans, environmental justice, educational support, youth development, housing, and more!
  
  Beginning in 2022, GoodwillNNE’s Public Health AmeriCorps program partners with rural and inner-city health centers and public health agencies to provide AmeriCorps members that will: engage youth in programs to prevent substance misuse; provide “A Matter of Balance” classes to the regions seniors to prevent falls; provide vaccination education to reduce vaccination hesitancy; and research and implement public health interventions to meet the pressing public health needs of underserved communities.
  
  Goodwill NNE’s Youth Development programs place members with community organizations in Maine and New Hampshire to directly serve youth from grades 4-12, many of whom have been impacted by trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Determined by the CDC as a public health need, ACEs can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being, and life opportunities such as education and job potential. The negative impacts of ACEs can be counteracted by mentoring and building relationships with youth to increase the likelihood that those at greater risk will become well-functioning, self-sufficient adults.
  
  Goodwill NNE AmeriCorps partners with the Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) campus-based School of Education for the Manchester Excels program, an innovative program to help aspiring teachers realize their dream.
• Our Impact
  The diverse work of AmeriCorps VISTA members contributes to the capacity-building and organizational-development goals of Maine agencies which contribute invaluable boosts to the wellbeing of communities. In 2018, 34 VISTA members provided 3,000 hours of service, working to recruit over 1,405 new volunteers, leveraging over 1.1 million dollars for host-site organizations, and creating 243 new and enhanced systems and business processes. The positive impact VISTA members offer their local communities is remarkable, and continues to build year after year.
  
  GoodwillNNE Public Health AmeriCorps members will gain experiences in the healthcare field, they will be given CDC-suggested training, and may attain certification as a Community Health Worker. These trainings and experiences will build a strong foundation for members who want a career in healthcare. The overall goal is to improve the public health workforce in the long-run, while serving the community.
  
  Goodwill Youth Development programs aim to introduce stability and positive relationships into the lives of youth by pairing them with AmeriCorps members. These mentors regularly meet one-on-one or in small groups with a caseload of ten students, implementing a personalized approach, and moving away from a “one size fits all” program. Members will utilize their strengths through an immersive learning experience, social and emotional development, and college and career readiness programming. This approach aims to increase youths’ confidence, sense of contribution, self-management, resilience, and social and emotional skills—in essence, serving the whole child.
  
  Manchester Excels AmeriCorps members are co-enrolled in the Master’s in Secondary Education and initial licensure program in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. Manchester Excels members engage directly with middle and high school students in the greater Manchester area, serving for 14 months while taking classes on campus to become a certified New Hampshire teacher. A dedicated faculty advisor and three professors at SNHU, along with experienced on-site teachers, provide expertise, support, and real-time guidance throughout the program. This program prepares members to confidently become certified classroom teachers in middle and/or high schools in one of five content areas. In addition to earning their master’s degree, members earn a certificate in trans-disciplinary competencies including STEM Education Badges.