Especially on this National Day of Service, NLADA is excited that all 17 AmeriCorps VISTA members of the very first Defending Communities in Service cohort are hard at work in their host communities. From Texas to Guam, from Wisconsin to California and from Oklahoma to New York, members are working on distinct projects each with clear, measurable impact designed to not only support long-term change in their host communities but also to be available to scale broadly.

These wonderful VISTA members need you - and your passionate commitment to service nationwide. Your generous donation will make this program successful. Together we are answering public defenders’ urgent call for assistance to modernize their approaches to evidence-based practices, data management, and community partnerships.
NLADA is at the vanguard of volunteerism and service within public defense. In fact, our Defending Communities in Service program is the very first AmeriCorps program placing VISTA members directly into public defender offices on a national scale. Year 1 of this innovative program is off to an auspicious start, so much so that in Year 2 we anticipate more than doubling the number of Defending Communities in Service members.

Over the next three years, our VISTA members will, with your support, develop and implement more than 170 processes in support of strong, effective data systems and strengthen relationships with more than 650 community based organization. We will also train more than 1,300 individuals so they can in turn empower their communities and offices to better pursue criminal justice reform.

It is an exciting time for service within our equal justice community. Don’t miss out on developments with NLADA’s Defending Communities in Services VISTA program. Explore our website, blog, and Instagram .