Governor Evers proposes scholarship to support AmeriCorps members attending Wisconsin colleges following their service

Earlier this month, Governor Tony Evers included a proposal in his 2025-2027 Executive Budget proposing a state scholarship to support AmeriCorps members who positively impacted the people of Wisconsin through service. The scholarship would provide matching financial support to AmeriCorps members who use the federal education award they earned during their service if they are attending Wisconsin universities, colleges, and technical colleges.

“From supporting our kids and communities to upholding our proud tradition of conservation and protecting Wisconsin’s vital natural resources, AmeriCorps members have consistently demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to service that has paid dividends in our state over the years,” said Gov. Evers. “Through this new scholarship program, we are working to support members’ success just as they have selflessly supported others and encourage folks to pursue service as a pathway to build a future.”

Jeanne Duffy, Executive Director of Serve Wisconsin, emphasized the impact of AmeriCorps service: “Each year, more than 1,100 AmeriCorps members provide over one million hours of service at more than 300 locations across Wisconsin. Their work benefits local communities and helps members develop valuable skills for careers in education, health care, construction, and other high-demand fields. A scholarship to match the federal education award could help bridge the gap between service and higher education, supporting Wisconsin’s workforce needs.”

Beyond workforce development, this scholarship will have lasting benefits for Wisconsin’s higher education system and the state's economy. “By providing additional financial support, we can encourage more young people to engage in national service while also attracting more students to Wisconsin colleges and universities,” Duffy added. “This scholarship would open doors for those who might not otherwise afford higher education helping Wisconsin retain educated, skilled, and civically engaged workers. Investing in these individuals is an investment in the future of our communities and our state.”

Press Release: Governor Evers Proposes Scholarship to Support Wisconsin AmeriCorps Members Following their Service in 2025-27 Executive Budget

MCHS Community Corps member helps launch the Nekoosa Food Pantry

This December, third term Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Community Corps AmeriCorps member Nikki Stearns, who is serving this year at the Nekoosa School District at Alexander Middle School, helped launch the Nekoosa Food Pantry.  “Our food pantry is entirely run on community donations and provides monthly food packages, which include nonperishable food items, resource guides, recipes, and any upcoming community event information for enrolled families,” Nikki explained. “Our only ‘requirement’ to receive support is having at least one child enrolled in the Nekoosa School District. Once a month, families come to Alexander Middle School and a food package is brought out to them.”

The work getting the food pantry launched began transitioning from an idea to a reality at the end of last summer when funding was secured through the Wisconsin Partnership Program, which addresses food insecurity and supports the Feeding the Whole Child, Whole Family, and Whole Community through Civic Engagement initiative. “This was particularly important to me, because I served two terms with MCHS AmeriCorps at the elementary school in Nekoosa and personally saw the impact food insecurity had on students' academic skills,” said Nikki. “With the help of Tracy Vruwink of the South Wood County YMCA and Joe Servant and McKena Smith of Boys & Girls Club of Nekoosa, we've been able to go from the idea of a food pantry in Nekoosa to seeing it become a successful program.”

The Nekoosa Food Pantry has received over 1,200 donations from community members in the last few months to help provide food to district families. At the beginning of the school year, they held a “Food Drive Feud” competition between the grades at Alexander Middle School, which brought in nearly 500 donated items. Building on the success of that event, they also held a drive at Nekoosa High School. “There are currently 21 families enrolled in the Nekoosa Food Pantry program,” Nikki stated. “Right now, we're focused on maintaining donations and are looking into establishing a hydroponic garden to continue supporting families in need in Nekoosa.

Reflecting on her service and the launch of the Nekoosa Food Pantry, Nikki described that "one of the most rewarding parts of serving families through the food pantry has been seeing the community come together to support those in need in Nekoosa. I am privileged to get to interact with the most caring, incredible people in this community every single day."

Media Coverage of the launch of the Nekoosa Food Pantry

• WSAW-TV - Nekoosa School District launches food pantry to combat food insecurity

WisCorps member reflects on life on the road while serving on roving conservation crews

The following blog post was written by WisCorps AmeriCorps member Beth DeFoe, who recently completed serving her third AmeriCorps term. Check out an excerpt of her post entitled Life on The Road: A Reflection, with additional posts from WisCorps members and staff available on the WisCorps blog webpage.

Life on The Road: A Reflection

There’s something special about life on the road, even if for a short time. It’s packing your belongings into a couple of bags and knowing that this is all you’ll need for a while. Packing yourself into a six-seater with strangers and understanding that you will have each other to rely on, that they just might become something akin to family. Living outside–with hardly more than a sheet of polyester separating you from the elements, watching the sun rise and set every day, nothing between yourself and the stars as you lock the trailer at night–you start to feel just a little bit different. A little bit stronger and a little more connected. There’s no better place than outdoors to notice as leaves bud in the spring, stretch to catch the sun in the summer, dazzle with vivid color in the fall, and crunch beneath your feet as winter approaches. You learn about the land and the sun, watching as they too, change with the seasons.

There’s something about walking over soft pine needles, smelling the aroma of the woods, and looking ahead to see a line of boots padding home to a circle of tents. Everyone in the same place, perhaps carrying the same kind of loppers, but thinking their unique thoughts and feeling something only they can feel. You’re at once completely alone and more together than you’ve ever been before. It’s waking up, cooking, working, and playing outside every day…

The end of a long day made more satisfying by how hard you’ve worked to get there. I’ve awoken late at night or in the wee hours of the morning to look at lights in the sky, someone whispering, “Beth, you have to come out of there and look up right now, they’re even better than last time.” And as I would shuffle out of my tent and rub the fog from my eyes, I’d see them, my friends with necks craned and mouths open, standing in the vastness of our current wild, before I saw any dancing streaks of green. We’d stand there together, take a photo or two, and look for a moment longer to take it all in, enjoying this reward saved for those who dare to venture out. It was by being there to witness a friend seeing the northern lights for the first time that we came to appreciate the phrase, “Man, I love that for you.”

We live as humans on the road, imperfect and ever-changing, and we understand that nothing goes just right. Until it does. Until it does, only because you possess a shared willingness to learn and grow together. It may not happen as you expect or as you hope, but it happens nonetheless and it is good. What’s at the beginning a mess of needs and opinions, everyone dropped in from their individual lives, becomes a neat stack of understanding and collaboration, a tiny community…

It’s the memory of shared experience that makes everything worthwhile. Knowing that you were lucky to have this opportunity to live outside, explore new places, and think of what’s yet to come. Creating a path for future members to follow, demonstrating how and why it works, and hoping that those who choose this path will find the same joy and satisfaction that you did. Maybe I’m sappy, but the trees out here are too and my uniform can vouch for that! I’ve spent a year of my life doing this stuff, going places and seeing things, making friends and building connections, and I’ve grown through it. Now as I hang up my WisCorps boots and prepare for new adventures, I’ll remember this time on the road. I’ll remember life as a crew watching wildflowers bloom and seasons change, as all the while the trees watched us do the same.

MCHS Recovery Corps member leads Sober Strong program at YMCA of the Chippewa Valley

Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Recovery Corps AmeriCorps member Julie Wilson shows up to group exercise classes at the YMCA of the Chippewa Valley a few times a week to not only get in her workout but also to help women in recovery from substance abuse disorders feel supported.

Julie has incorporated group exercise classes into her service with Recovery Corps, running a Sober Strong program at the YMCA that aims to help women in early recovery which is combined with support meetings on Tuesday mornings and recovery coaching. The Sober Strong program typically serves 10 to 15 women weekly and has more than 35 participants overall. The women receive a free YMCA membership as part of the program, and Julie picks a different exercise class each month to give the participants to check out multiple classes and ensure they will not be the only ones in the recovery group in attendance.

Julie created the program based upon her own experience, explaining that "I'm an individual with lived experience. I am recovering from substance use disorder, complex trauma and a long-term eating disorder, and I got into recovery during COVID." She began going to the YMCA for group classes regularly once lockdowns were lifted and reflected that "oh my goodness, my whole recovery changed. I started building a community in those rooms, and I started getting to know people at the Y. They held me accountable. I held them accountable. And it just started changing things in my brain."

Julie realized from her own experience within those classes that she wanted to create a peer-to-peer support system to help others in recovery. She came up with the idea for the Sober Strong program during an internship she had at the YMCA in the spring of 2023 and discovered Recovery Corps during her research to organize the program. "I found out about AmeriCorps while I was developing the Sober Strong program,” she explained. “We found out about the Recovery Corps through AmeriCorps. We all thought, well, that fits perfectly." 

Media Coverage about the Sober Strong Program

• The Chippewa Herald - Early recovery program for Chippewa Valley women focuses on group exercise

Service story about AmeriCorps member service with

MCHS Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps

February episode of The S-Files podcast

This month on The S-Files, we explored the service story of AmeriCorps member Trisha Bradley, who is currently serving her second term with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Community Corps and previously served with MCHS Recovery Corps. Check out this month's episode below. You can access all of the episodes on The S-Files podcast series website.

Supporting Public Health with MCHS Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps

In this episode of The S-Files, we are exploring the service story of AmeriCorps member Trisha Bradley, who is currently serving her second term with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Community Corps at the Dodge County Public Health Department and a previously term with MCHS Recovery Corps. Trisha describes how she helps get information out to the public about health concerns as part of her service at the Dodge County Public Health Department, ranging from spreading the word about recent food recalls to giving presentations about the impacts of social isolation on mental health. She also discusses her efforts helping the health department complete its Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan, including doing focus groups and surveys to help assess community needs and creating standard operating procedures. Trisha then describes her service with MCHS Recovery Corps, providing coaching and resources to support individuals in recovery from substance abuse disorders. Listen in to learn about why the MCHS midterm training was one of her favorite experiences from her AmeriCorps service and how the training and professional development she received because of her AmeriCorps service helped lead her to a full-time job helping families that she will have following her service. (listen to episode here)

Deadline to submit nominations for the

2025 Governor's Service Awards is March 17

The Annual Governor's Service Awards honors outstanding national service members, volunteers, and programs. Those honored by these awards will have made significant contributions to Wisconsin through their service, with their generous service impacting the lives of countless Wisconsinites. Awards will recognize outstanding national service by individuals and programs serving through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors and the tremendous impact volunteers make throughout the state by honoring a Volunteer of the Year from multiple categories of volunteer service.

Nominations for the 2025 Governor's Service Awards are due on Monday, March 17, with the 2025 nomination form and information on past recipients available on the Serve Wisconsin website at https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/governors-service-awards, with specific resources listed below.

• Nominations Overview for 2025 Governor’s Service Awards - includes information on nomination categories, award eligibility, the questions/prompts on the nomination form, submitting supporting materials, and the scoring process
• 2025 Nomination Form - nominations can be submitted by completing the online form available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WI2025GSA

Please contact kyle.clower@wisconsin.gov with any questions regarding the nomination process or for any additional information.

Wisconsin National Service Participants coming together for AmeriCorps Day at the Capitol on March 19

Serve Wisconsin is coordinating AmeriCorps Day at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 19. AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and staff from AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs throughout Wisconsin will participate in the event. Attendees will staff informational tables from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the First Floor Rotunda, which will be filled with program banners and information about service throughout the state. Event participants will meet with Wisconsin Senate and Assembly members or their staff to highlight the impact that AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors have on communities throughout Wisconsin.

If you are interested in participating in AmeriCorps Day at the State Capitol on March 19, please complete the RSVP form. If you have any questions about this event or to let us know about your participation, please contact Kyle Clower at kyle.clower@wisconsin.gov or 608-576-5373.

Deadline for AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Papers for Projects beginning by August 2025 is March 27

Does your organization address poverty and need assistance building its capacity to serve more people or increase efficiency? We are looking to expand in Wisconsin, AmeriCorps VISTA could be the resource you need!

March 27th is the deadline for nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in sponsoring an AmeriCorps VISTA project to submit a concept paper. Applicants with a successful concept paper will submit a full application for a three-year project period of approximately August 2025-July 2028. Resources, training, upcoming webinar dates, and other information on the application process are available on AmeriCorps' website.

The AmeriCorps North Central regional office team is able to assist you as you develop your concept paper and application. Projects must be developed in accordance with the AmeriCorps VISTA’s core principles: anti-poverty focus; community empowerment; sustainable solutions; and capacity building. Some examples of activities are building a volunteer recruitment and management system, conducting fundraising or select grant writing activities, researching, and building a data collection system, streamlining internal processes (such as intake, client tracking, data collection and reporting), providing data analysis, and more! If it is a capacity building activity, VISTA may be able to help.

Your application will outline the specific activities and goals of the VISTA members and project. If you are awarded a VISTA project, you will work to recruit a team of at least 3-8 VISTA members who will serve in a full-time capacity for one year. (AmeriCorps' has a national recruitment platform and recruiters to help with this.) You will provide the supplies, equipment, and oversight for the VISTA members and AmeriCorps will provide them with a stipend and health care benefits. And you will report to AmeriCorps on the VISTA member accomplishments. AmeriCorps will be here to support you throughout the process. If you have questions or would like to sponsor an AmeriCorps VISTA project, please contact the AmeriCorps Regional Office at WI@americorps.gov. 

Deadline for NCCC AmeriCorps Concept Papers for Projects in September-November 2025 is April 29

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

The deadline for submitting a concept form is April 29 for nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in working with an AmeriCorps NCCC team next year between September 12, 2025, and November 10, 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, 2024. 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.

Serve Wisconsin | servewisconsin.wi.gov | AmeriCorps

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