The Ohio Community Service Council, the state service commission, is initiating a three-year “AmeriCorps*VISTA Supporting Ohio Citizen Corps” project in November 2007. VISTA members will strategically develop and/or strengthen a variety of disaster preparedness & response initiatives throughout the state. Eight Regional VISTA Members and one VISTA Leader will be assigned; regional members will be placed with four Lead Volunteer Centers that serve as Ohio Citizen Corps support agencies.
Project goals include:
1. Assist low income and special needs populations (older adults, non-English speaking and persons with disabilities) to become better prepared for disasters.
2. Continue development of Volunteer Reception Centers to ensure 80% of Ohio’s counties will be supported if disasters occur.
3. Enhance Ohio’s Citizen Corps program with an emphasis on increasing participation of low income and special needs populations.