2024: A Year in Review

Highlights from Wisconsin AmeriCorps Service

As the year comes to a close, we wanted to thank all AmeriCorps members, program staff, host site supervisors, community volunteers, and everyone who helps make a difference in communities across Wisconsin.

AmeriCorps Programs

During the 2023-2024 program year, 790 AmeriCorps members with 26 AmeriCorps programs served over 587,000 hours, making a significant difference in communities throughout the state. Some of the impacts of their service include:

• 17,142 Wisconsin students (111 Pre-K students, 15,604 K-12 students, and 1,427 post-secondary students) participated in AmeriCorps educational programming focusing on literacy, tutoring, academic coaching, nutrition education, environmental education, after-school and extended learning programs, and college preparation and success.
• 1,910 individuals participated in health-based programming focused on health education, healthy living, health care access, community resource navigation, or recovery from substance addiction
• 1,057 individuals with disabilities participated in therapeutic recreational activities
• 900 youth facing housing insecurity received face-to-face crisis intervention services, and 886 homeless or runaway youth returned home or to a safe alternative placement
• 7 single-family homes were constructed or repaired to be sold to low-income individuals, families, or people with disabilities 
• 571 acres of parks and public land and 169 miles of trails and rivers were improved 
• 260 organizations received capacity-building services
• 6,092 volunteers were recruited, and they provided 96,335 hours of volunteer service in support of AmeriCorps programs

"Making an Impact through Sustainable Urban Design"

Blog Post from WisCorps AmeriCorps member

The following blog post was written by WisCorps AmeriCorps member Leo Strand, who is currently serving as the Sustainability Coordinator at The City of La Crosse. Check out an excerpt of his post entitled Making an Impact through Sustainable Urban Design, with additional posts from WisCorps members and staff available on the WisCorps blog webpage.

Making an Impact through Sustainable Urban Design

I joined WisCorps to get hands-on experience in sustainability with the City of La Crosse. This experience has provided the opportunity to implement the City’s Climate Action Plan, which covers a variety of sustainability initiatives including urban tree canopy, public transportation, reducing air pollution, community engagement, and teaching the general public about sustainable practices…

As the Sustainability Coordinator, my role is to maintain the environmental certification through data that supports the plan’s impact. I also actively educate middle and high school students about the impacts sustainable urban design has on our environment…

The projects I’m most proud of involve the Urban Planning Curriculum. This past Fall, we held a Sustainability Design Competition for 7th-grade students. My mentor, Lewis Kuhlman of the City of La Crosse Planning Department, and I met with these students for nearly five weeks. Our goal was to educate on how sustainability relates to urban planning. 

The process started with brainstorming ideas for what urban planning looks like. At first the ideas were mostly amusement parks, shopping malls, and sports complexes but over time, we showed the kids how to design an area with a sense of place and a real benefit to the community. The kids ended up having ideas such as mental health facilities surrounded by prairie restorations, a homeless shelter with a job center, buildings that had green and/or solar roofs, many community gardens, and various other great ideas. It was incredible to see how these kids obtained the importance of urban planning’s impact on people and why it’s also important for the longevity of our communities, including our environment….

Finding this position has allowed me to be creative and engage our community. Through this term or service, I’ve found that sustainability and urban planning truly empowers a community and sets a city up for long-term success.

MCHS Community Corps AmeriCorps member organizes events to distribute baby items and holiday gifts to families in need in Jefferson and Walworth counties

Over the last three months, Marshfield Clinic Health System - Community Corps AmeriCorps member Sage Spear organized two large events as part of her service at the United Way of Jefferson & North Walworth Counties to distribute items to community members in need. 

The first was the Parent Perks event on October 12, which provided 8,393 new and gently used baby items free of charge to over 100 families in Jefferson and Walworth counties. Sage explained that “I collected lots of donations for this and spent hours sorting it to make it as accessible as possible... This included diapers, wipes, clothing, breast pumps, books, and lots of other miscellaneous items.” 

Sage reflected that “for me, the best part of this event was being able to touch hands with the community and see the impact it was making, face to face.” Sage described one of these interactions when “a woman approached me with items in her arms and text translated from Spanish to English on her phone. It said "Is everything free? I have nothing for my baby." I know that she most likely had limited resources, and not many people in her life to point her in the right direction, and I can't imagine how scary it is to not be able to communicate with the people around you to get the things you need to provide for your family.”

The second event she supported at United Way of Jefferson & North Walworth Counties was their Holiday Helpers initiative, which is a program that provides toys and gifts to families in need during the holiday season. The event required obtaining and sorting items requested by children and working with volunteers to be able to distribute all of the gifts on December 14. 

“We were able to provide 317 children with gifts this year, including something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. This number has almost tripled from the number of children UWJNWC was able to serve in previous years,” Sage explained. “We had some of the sweetest kids that were thrilled to receive the gifts this year, taking photos in the lobby, and one cute little girl twirling in circles with her Barbie.”

Social Media Coverage of the Parent Perks event:

• Video by Sage Spear highlighting preparation for Parent Perks: A Day in my life serving with AmeriCorps and United Way

Isac's Service Story - Growing as a Teacher and Making a Difference with Teach For America Milwaukee

Isac Wineke is a first-year Teach For America (TFA) Milwaukee AmeriCorps member teaching high school world history in Milwaukee. The following is an excerpt from a story about their service experience so far, which was written by Lina Nguyen, Senior Associate of Operations for Teach for America Milwaukee, with the full description available here.

…Early in their career, Isac sees this chapter as a crucial learning experience, no matter where it leads. With the ongoing teacher shortage and retention challenges, they believe that their contribution to education is making a difference—and they’re excited to see where the journey takes them.

Growing up, Isac considered becoming a teacher. However, they chose a different path, pursuing a degree in urban studies and geography with the intention of entering the field of city planning. Even though teaching wasn't their initial choice, the seed of interest in education was always there. With the mindset of going to graduate school for urban planning, Isac was on the cusp of following that path—until a pivotal moment changed everything. Andréz Munoz, a recruiter for Teach For America, came to speak in their class at UW-Milwaukee. Andréz’s passionate discussion about the impact of education and the mission of TFA resonated with Isac in a way they hadn’t expected. After a one-on-one conversation with Andréz, they felt inspired to reconsider teaching and apply for the last deadline. It was a leap, but one that felt aligned with their desire to make a meaningful difference in their community…

The summer practicum experience, while challenging at times, was ultimately a valuable opportunity for growth…Isac was also grateful for the chance to work at their placement school as it allowed them to make early relationship connections with their students. Through the practicum experience, Isac learned important lessons about flexibility, communication, and the power of a supportive teaching community.

Now, four months into teaching, Isac feels much more confident in their role. The job has turned out to be far more than just delivering content; it’s about developing critical skills—particularly reading comprehension—among students who face significant challenges. At first, Isac felt pressure to focus on the content itself, but over time, they realized that the real impact comes from helping students build the skills they need to succeed, both in and out of the classroom. It’s this realization that fuels Isac’s passion for teaching…

Looking forward, Isac is excited for the chance to recharge during a well-earned break but is also eager to return to the classroom and apply everything they’ve learned so far. They’re already looking ahead to their second year, excited about the possibility of starting fresh and using the lessons of the past year to make an even greater impact.

For Isac, this journey is just beginning. While there are undoubtedly more challenges to face, they feel confident that their experience with Teach For America Milwaukee and AmeriCorps is shaping them into a more resilient, thoughtful, and committed educator. No matter what the future holds, Isac is determined to continue making a difference—and that’s the most important thing.

MCHS Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps AmeriCorps members gather from across Wisconsin

On Friday, December 6, over 60 Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) AmeriCorps Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps members from across the state gathered in Stevens Point, WI for the 2nd annual Fall Meet-up. The one-day event was filled with a combination of training and networking activities.

MCHS AmeriCorps staff Christina Garcia facilitated Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training, which taught attendees how to recognize someone in a mental health crisis and then get them the proper care they need. Members also gained insight from one of their fellow AmeriCorps members Dylan Bolin, who is serving at Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and gave an interactive and engaging presentation on public speaking.  Additional activities for that day included roundtable discussions, networking activities, elevator speech practice, and some fun minute to win it games!

Attendees of the event walked away saying “It was very nice to meet other members and get to know them on a face-to-face basis” and “I truly love coming to events for AmeriCorps. I always leave feeling better connected to my service and purpose which set me on this path in the first place.”

MCHS AmeriCorps members from across the state will convene once again in person this coming March, for a larger three-day training event in Wisconsin Dells. 

Service story from AmeriCorps member with WI Dept. of Public Instruction AmeriCorps Farm to School

December episode of The S-Files podcast

This month on The S-Files, we explored the service story of AmeriCorps member Nicole Eshelman, who is currently serving her second term with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction AmeriCorps Farm to School program. Check out this month's episode below. You can access all of the episodes on The S-Files podcast series website.

Building the Capacity of Schools to Support Farm to School Programming

In this episode of The S-Files, we are exploring the service done by AmeriCorps member Nicole Eshelman, who is serving her second term with Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction AmeriCorps Farm to School. She is serving students in the greater La Crosse area the last two years, based at the Holmen School District and Extension La Crosse County - University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nicole describes the variety of service activities she has done supporting the sustainability of Farm to School programming at thirty-four schools across the region, including fostering partnerships with various community organizations to bolster various Farm to School lessons and activities. She also discusses leading nutrition education lessons for a wide range of students, from 4K to seniors in high school, and how she adapts concepts and activities for different grade levels. Listen to learn how Nicole began her AmeriCorps service as a way to use her degree focusing on health and wellness management and program building after making a career change and how she has found enjoyment making an impact in the community by being a part of providing healthier meals and nutrition, environmental, and garden education for her own children and those across all of the schools she serves. (listen to the episode here)

Serve Wisconsin is offering a grant opportunity for organizations to strengthen their volunteer programs

Serve Wisconsin is now accepting grant applications to enhance volunteer initiatives within community-based organizations, with grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, Indian Tribes, local governments, schools, institutions of higher education, and state agencies. Grants can fund activities such as volunteer recruitment, engagement, and training; organizing days of service, and providing disaster preparedness training. Serve Wisconsin strongly encourages applications from organizations focused on disaster preparedness, programs engaging older adult volunteers, and youth-led initiatives.

Grant funds will reimburse approved expenses through September 30, 2025. Applicants must provide a 1:1 match, which can be met through external funding or in-kind contributions. Awards will be determined through a competitive process, with evaluations based on innovation, project size and scope, and organizational readiness to implement the proposed initiatives.

Volunteer engagement grants will be available on a rolling basis while funds remain.

For more information and to apply, please visit the Volunteer Generation Fund page on the Serve Wisconsin website: https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/volunteer-generation-fund.

Volunteer for MLK Day of Service on January 20

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream.  The MLK Day of Service is one of only two national days of service in the United States; the other is the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, and is led by AmeriCorps

Each year, hundreds of projects across Wisconsin and the nation are completed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. By serving, you can honor Dr. King's legacy by working towards creating a more just and equitable society where everyone is valued and respected through service. Service can help bring people together, and bridge divides that may otherwise exist. When we help others in need, we can begin to see each other's humanity and put aside our differences. Please consider volunteering to help create lasting change in our communities.

Past MLK Day of Service projects have included a wide range of impactful activities: constructing homes, sorting donations at food banks, preparing and serving meals, painting school murals, organizing supplies for educators, assembling appreciation kits for teachers, facilitating youth workshops, supporting community celebrations, and collaborating with local organizations on various initiatives.

For more information on MLK Day of Service, including how to find or register a project, access the MLK Day page of the AmeriCorps website.

Deadline for NCCC AmeriCorps Concept Papers for Projects in May-August 2025 is January 7

Does your organization need assistance meeting critical needs in your community?

The deadline for submitting a concept form is January 7 for nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in working with an AmeriCorps NCCC team next year between May 1 and June 24, 2025 or June 21 and August 1, 2025. Information on the application process is available in the AmeriCorps NCCC Request for Proposal (RFP) for 2025 service dates.

AmeriCorps NCCC teams are 18-26 year-olds traveling regionally to help communities meet their critical needs by completing projects that typically last 6-8 weeks. NCCC partners with a variety of nonprofit organizations, government entities (federal, state, or local), educational institutions, neighborhood associations, Native American Tribal Councils, and community-based or faith-based organizations to complete projects that address compelling community needs. These projects address five main service areas: natural and other disasters, energy conservation, environmental stewardship and conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development.

As an example, the Maple 7 AmeriCorps NCCC team served at the YMCA of the North Camp St. Croix in Hudson, WI, from September 14 through November 12. The AmeriCorps NCCC team’s work will preserve and build on the camp’s natural resources to allow for hands-on, engaging environmental education, create easier access for people of varying abilities to experience a natural and agricultural setting, improve the climate-resilience of trails, prairie, and forests, and other initiatives. While serving at the camp, they contributed to project goals through trail-building assistance in a ravine area, assisted with tree planting to expand the maple syrup program, raspberry planting to create a pick-your-own patch, fence building and repair for farm/garden, greenhouse maintenance, forest management, invasive plant removal and outdoor and indoor maintenance tasks on their 100 buildings.

For those interested in taking an active role in promoting national service and volunteerism in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board has a vacancies for a board member for the following appointment type:



• A service program representative between the ages of 16 and 25

Those interested in serving must complete an application to the governor for the appointment. The online application for a board position can be found HERE, with additional information on the application process found at Apply to Serve - Governor Tony Evers. If you are interested in serving on the board and have any questions, please contact Serve Wisconsin Executive Director Jeanne Duffy at jeanne.duffy@wisconsin.gov.

Serve Wisconsin | servewisconsin.wi.gov | AmeriCorps

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