AmeriCorps VISTA, Los Angeles Unified School District

AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the Corporation for National and Community Service’s (CNCS) AmeriCorps network of service programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is the second largest school district in the United States and serves over 655,455 students. Of these students, over 70% qualify for federal poverty assistance.

The LAUSD VISTA Program is a joint effort by the Corporation for National & Community Service and the Los Angeles Unified School District to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income communities out of poverty. Headquartered at the LAUSD Parent Community Student Services Branch, LAUSD VISTAs support family engagement projects that build the capacity of school staff and empower parents to participate in the educational process. This work is vital to LAUSD's mission of all youth achieving and aligns with CNCS' mission of tapping into the ingenuity and can-do spirit of the American people to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing our nation.