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Dear 2020-21 JVs,
Hello again from Portland. On behalf of the whole JVC Northwest staff, I wanted to reach out with a very important communication at this time in preparation for your year of service. First, we must acknowledge the upheaval and uprising of our country at this current moment. I am sad, angry, worried.
Access our official statement about the racism in our midst and our continued call to be part of movements that strive for justice and equity. Even with these mixed emotions, I remain hopeful and determined. Your choice to serve with us soon is one of my personal reasons to be hopeful.
All of this, of course, is in the midst of the current global pandemic. I know your lives have been upended in countless ways and that the uncertainty of the world likely impacts your view of the future. Today, we are here to provide just a bit more clarity that will help you step along the path of making preparations.
Recently, our staff made the decision to hold Orientation in locales, rather than gathered all together at one time in Oregon. Our state orders around large gatherings made our typical plan for Orientation impossible. We will lose and miss some elements of that experience. But we are also excited to be with you in adapted ways. We think Orientation in locales will in fact be more effective in some ways, and for this, we are hopeful and optimistic that your first couple of weeks as a JV will be good ones.
We know for you, this may also be a big mental shift as to how you were thinking of your service year. We have done some planning for this shift and want to share some of those plans with you now, knowing that there will be much more to share as we approach August. Below you will find more detailed information to help you plan for that travel and start (or continuance) of your JV experience.
Our theme for this year's Orientation is Radically Re-Imagine and I could not think of a more apt descriptor for what we will engage in together during your year of service. Read more about our theme here on our Orientation site. We are looking forward to accompanying you on this journey and grateful you have committed to a year of radical re-imagining with JVC Northwest.
Peace,
Greg Carpinello
JVC Northwest Executive Director
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A note about the "Northwest"
As you enthusiastically tell friends and loved ones of your upcoming year of service, please be mindful of saying "
JVC Northwest" rather than simply "JVC." As you may remember from the webinar and interview, JVC Northwest is a separate organization from JVC based in Baltimore. We appreciate you accurately referencing JVC Northwest when you share news about your next year with us.
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What will Orientation look like?
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Orientation is an essential part of the JV year that offers a chance for you to explore the four values of JVC Northwest, your reasons for joining the program, and your hopes for the coming year. We will gather virtually across our locales to offer space to dive deeper into understanding your identity, the identities of your community mates, and how you can grow your connections throughout the year. We will continue to update our Orientation website with new information and be in communication via email. Ensure that "@jvcnorthwest.org" is on your safe sender list so you receive necessary communications. This year, Orientation will be a combination of:
- Virtual Sessions (live and recorded)
- Learning modules (online and community led) to fill your tool kit for a year of service
- Virtual and social but physically distant meet ups with your fellow JVs
- Conversations with your Program Coordinator (PC) and other JVC Northwest Staff
- Orientation to your locale/new home, setting up your space together, and getting to know your Support People
- Quiet time for prayer and reflection- independently, in community, and with all JVs
- Social Gatherings, Games, and Fun
Orientation will help your community start your year of service with a common foundation and some important tools and insights to bring to your experience. More information will be shared with you about the logistics of Orientation and your service start date as we approach August and know more about how the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting your specific locale and service site.
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We will send more detailed information about travel arrangements and Orientation logistics will be shared with you soon, including a travel form to complete on your Knack account, but for now, with the move to in locale arrival, we ask that plan to arrive in your locale
on Monday, August 3 by 2:00 p.m.
We will have community members in locale ready to support you in getting from transportation hubs (most typically airports) to your JV house. If your position requires bringing a vehicle to locale, you can head straight to the JV house on August 3. We will assist you in coordinating access to the house with the Support Community. If you are unsure which transportation center is closest to your locale, please access this list here and be in touch with questions.
If you will serving in one of our Alaska locales (Anchorage, Bethel, Juneau, or Sitka), we will share more specific information about your travel from the Lower 48 to our locales in Alaska, as flight frequency and timing is unique. Please wait to book your travel until after you've received this information.
Please note: JVC Northwest is unfortunately unable to accommodate JVs arriving in locale before August 3. JVs arriving before that date are responsible for finding their own accommodations until August 3. If you have an individual circumstance where you might need more support, please reach out to Chris Suriano at csuriano@jvcnorthwest.org.
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Please continue to complete all onboarding forms in your applicant portal. All forms and deadlines can be found online where you completed and submitted your application.
Access your account here
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Criminal History Check (CHC) Process: in the next week we will add a new tab to the onboarding forms in the applicant portal for the CHC process. This will involve instructions for completing your CHC through TrueScreen and FieldPrint.
I-9 and W-4: keep an eye on your inbox for an email from no-reply@hrdirectapps.com. HRDirectApps is the portal we use for completing the I-9 and W-4, the federal forms we need you to complete. Please follow the directions in the email to complete those two forms.
Additional year JVs who served their first year with JVC Northwest do not need to submit a new Criminal History Check Authorization Form, Government Issued ID, or Medical Form.
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Selecting Health Insurance
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Each JV is required to have health insurance that meets Minimal Essential Coverage (MEC) standards for the duration of the service year. Note that coverage must be effective upon your arrival at Orientation.
Please find the current benefit summary for our plan
here
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Please speak with your family and consider your specific health-related needs regarding health insurance options for your service year:
1) Staying on your own/a family plan. Please be sure to investigate if the coverage you are on will cover claims in the locale where you will be serving.
2) Enrolling in JVC Northwest's plan. This is a basic health plan (not including Dental or Vision). JVC Northwest pays the cost of the monthly premium, while JV AmeriCorps members pay all other costs for care. Independent JVs can request assistance from JVC Northwest for claims until the policy deductible is met.
Likewise, AmeriCorps JVs who have high monthly costs for prescriptions can request assistance for a portion of their prescription costs.
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For those of you with student loans,
please contact your respective lender immediately and tell them you will be participating in a year of full-time service
with JVC Northwest (as well as if your placement is an AmeriCorps position). Many public loans (and some private loans) allow options for postponement or reduction of payments for a year of volunteer service, but not all do. It is best to be aware of forbearance and deferment options (or whether you have no options at all) prior to your service year, so you can plan accordingly.
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Since 2010, JVC Northwest and our Partner Agencies have collaborated in our AmeriCorps program,
engaging over 100 members each year in full-time meaningful service opportunities
in Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Washington
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We are grateful to CNCS
(Corporation for National and Community Service)
for the funding we have received as an AmeriCorps National Direct Grantee. It is a mutually beneficial collaboration for Partner Agencies, JV/AmeriCorps members, and JVC Northwest, and allows us to serve in areas of great need.
AmeriCorps-funded aspects of the JVC Northwest program are contingent upon the availability of Congressional appropriations.
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We will be in touch soon about travel logistics and more information about in locale Orientation. Later in July, you will receive an email with an introduction to your community members, the address and phone number for your community house, and more information about Orientation sessions.
We would like to express again our excitement in welcoming you, while we cannot gather together at this moment, we are so excited for you to join our community. JVC Northwest is proud to part of the struggle for equity through authentic relationships, accompaniment, and learning. Thank you so much for your "yes" to a year with us!
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Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest
P.O. Box 22125 |
Portland, OR 97269
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