AmeriCorps VISTA

AmeriCorps VISTA
Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Agency executive	Michael Smith, CEO;
Parent agency	AmeriCorps
Website	americorps.gov

AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program designed to alleviate poverty. President John F. Kennedy originated the idea for VISTA, which was founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965, and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993.^[1] VISTA is an acronym for Volunteers in Service to America.

On March 11, 2018, President Donald Trump sent his official Fiscal Year 2020 (FY 2020) Budget request to Congress. As outlined in his previous fiscal year budgets, this budget proposes the elimination of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) in FY 2020. It provides funding for an orderly shutdown, including all CNCS programs, such as Senior Corps and AmeriCorps (which includes VISTA and NCCC).^[2] In FY 2019, VISTA was funded at its FY 2017 and FY 2018 levels of $92,364,000 while AmeriCorps (not NCCC) and Senior Corps received increases in their funding levels.

Background

VISTA is an anti-poverty program created by Lyndon Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as the domestic version of the Peace Corps.^[3] Initially, the program increased employment opportunities for conscientious people who felt they could contribute tangibly to the War on Poverty. Volunteers served in communities throughout the U.S., focusing on enriching educational programs and vocational training for the nation's underprivileged classes.

As defined under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act (DVSA) of 1973, VISTA's legislative purpose is to supplement efforts to fight poverty in low-income communities by engaging Americans from all walks of life in a year of full-time service. VISTA members support the program's purpose through three primary objectives: 1) encouraging volunteer service at the local level, 2) generating the commitment of private sector resources, and 3) strengthening local agencies and organizations that serve low-income communities. There are approximately 5,000 VISTA members serving in over 900 projects throughout the nation.

During the Clinton Administration, VISTA was brought under the newly created AmeriCorps program, a division of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and was renamed "AmeriCorps*VISTA". VISTA members sign up with a host agency for a full-time term of service – 365 days. In return for their service, members are provided with orientation and training, a living stipend calculated at no less than 105% of the poverty line, settling in and transportation costs, child care benefits, and a basic health care plan. Upon completion of their one-year term, VISTA members have the option of receiving a cash award or the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.^[4] There is also the option for individuals to serve as Summer Associates for terms of 8, 9 or 10 weeks alongside full-time VISTA members for a reduced AmeriCorps Education Award.

Directors

The first Director of VISTA was Glenn W. Ferguson and there have been many appointed and acting Directors since then.^[5] Margaret Garvey currently serves as the acting Director for AmeriCorps VISTA.^[6]

	Director	Service Dates	Appointed by	Notes
1	Glenn W. Ferguson	1964 – ?	Johnson
	Padraic Kennedy	? – 1966		acting director
2	William Crook	1966–1968	Johnson
	Padraic Kennedy	1968–1970		acting Director
	C.R. Lane	1970		acting Director
3	Carol Khosrovi	1970 – ?^[7]	Nixon
4	Frank E. Williams	? – 1975 – ?
5	Margery Tabankin	1977	Carter	Director
6	James H. Burnley IV	1981–1982	Reagan
7	Jane A. Kenny	1986–1989		Director
	Diana London	1989 – 1993		Acting Director
8	James Scheibel	1993 –	Clinton
9	Paul Monteiro	2014–2015	Obama	Director
11	Max Finberg^[8]	2015–2017	Obama	Director
11	Eileen Conoboy	Jan 2017–Sept 2019		Acting Director
12	Desiree Tucker-Sorini	Sept 2019-Jan 2021	Trump	Director
13	Meg Ansara	Jan 2021–Feb 2023	Biden	Director
14	Carly Bruder	Feb 2023– April 2024		Acting Director
15	Margaret (Maggie) Garvey	April 2024–Current		Acting Director

Oversight

Created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, the Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducts and supervises independent and objective audits and investigations of Corporation programs and operations. Based on the results of these audits, reviews, and investigations, the OIG recommends policies to promote economy and efficiency and prevent and detect fraud and abuse in the Corporation's programs and operations.

Member pledge

AmeriCorps VISTA members are required by federal law to take the same oath that federal employees take:^[9]

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. [So help me God.]^[10]

References

^ "AmeriCorps | Corporation for National and Community Service". Americorps.gov. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 2013-09-17. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy envisioned a national service corps "to help provide urgently needed services in urban and rural poverty areas." Less than two years later, as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty," President Kennedy's dream was realized when President and First Lady [Lady] Bird Johnson welcomed the first group of 20 VISTA volunteers.
^ "Budget". Corporation for National and Community Service. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
^ "President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society ... included a domestic equivalent of the Peace Corps called Volunteers in Service to America, or VISTA." (Neuman 2009, p. 3): Neuman, Scott (21 April 2009), National Service Act continues U.S. tradition (PDF), National Public Radio (NPR.org), archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2012
^ "H.R. 3794". Archived from the original on 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
^ "VISTA Timeline". Corporation for National and Community Service. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
^ "Margaret Garvey | AmeriCorps".
^ "Director Named for Vista". The V-line. 6 (6). Office of Economic Opportunity. 25 September 1970.
^ "Conversation with Max Finberg – Director of AmeriCorps VISTA".
^ "Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-09-21.
^ "5 U.S. Code § 3331.Oath of office". Cornell Law School. Retrieved 2020-09-21.

External links

Official website
A Personal Journey of Images from 1968 to 1969 by a VISTA volunteer
Finding Aid: Billy E. Barnes Photographic Collection, 1959–1996, in the North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, UNC–Chapel Hill

[1] "AmeriCorps | Corporation for National and Community Service". Americorps.gov. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 2013-09-17. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy envisioned a national service corps "to help provide urgently needed services in urban and rural poverty areas." Less than two years later, as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty," President Kennedy's dream was realized when President and First Lady [Lady] Bird Johnson welcomed the first group of 20 VISTA volunteers.

[2] "Budget". Corporation for National and Community Service. Retrieved 2017-12-28.

[nprVISTA-3] "President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society ... included a domestic equivalent of the Peace Corps called Volunteers in Service to America, or VISTA." (Neuman 2009, p. 3): Neuman, Scott (21 April 2009), National Service Act continues U.S. tradition (PDF), National Public Radio (NPR.org), archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2012

[4] "H.R. 3794". Archived from the original on 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2012-08-08.

[5] "VISTA Timeline". Corporation for National and Community Service. Retrieved 27 August 2018.

[6] "Margaret Garvey | AmeriCorps".

[7] "Director Named for Vista". The V-line. 6 (6). Office of Economic Opportunity. 25 September 1970.

[8] "Conversation with Max Finberg – Director of AmeriCorps VISTA".

[9] "Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-09-21.

[10] "5 U.S. Code § 3331.Oath of office". Cornell Law School. Retrieved 2020-09-21.

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v t e Lyndon B. Johnson
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