Friends of the Children: Development VISTA

AmeriCorps VISTA  (Volunteers in Service to America) is a National Service Opportunity - not a job or internship. VISTA is an anti-poverty program designed to provide needed resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to increase their capacity to lift communities out of poverty.

The Friends of  the Children VISTA will increase access to the mental health and human services provided by Friends of the Children – MT’s mentoring program by increasing community outreach and developing funding pipelines to expand the reach of program activities. Friends–Montana is most concerned with the urgent needs experienced by Western Montana children who are living with the compounding pressures of trauma and poverty. Many families in Western Montana do not have the support, financial resources, and social capital necessary to thrive in today’s increasingly challenging conditions. Challenges experienced by families in Western Montana include a lack of quality, affordable childcare; a service-based economy where wages have not kept pace with the cost of living; and severe shortages in behavioral and mental health services. Where data is available, these challenges are shown to disproportionately impact our BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ communities. This VISTA project will move low-income individuals out of poverty by building financial and other resource systems within the organization, resulting in increased unconditional, long-term mentoring support for youth facing the steepest barriers. Located in Missoula, MT!

Spend one year engaged in meaningful service to help Montanans access healthcare, healthy foods, education, or housing! AmeriCorps VISTAs bring their talents, skills, and passion to a local organization to help them build their capacity to serve more individuals in their community. You could be writing grants and fundraising, developing strategic communication plans to help more folks engage with resources that could help their families, surveying and evaluating the needs of communities, develop toolkits for public health providers to implement substance abuse prevention programs, and so much more!

We are searching for talented, self-motivated, and hardworking members. In addition to the opportunity to engage in meaningful work, other benefits of VISTA service include:

• End of Service Award: a $7,395 Segal Education Award or $1,800 cash stipend.
• Relocation Allowance: a $750 relocation allowance and reimbursement to and from your new community (if traveling more than 50+ miles to your new community).
• Student Loan Forbearance: an opportunity to forbear eligible student loans.
• Living Allowance: a modest bi-weekly living allowance to cover basic expenses.
• Healthcare Benefit: eligibility to enroll in a Healthcare Allowance or Health Benefit Plan to assist with qualifying medical expenses.
• Non-Competitive Eligibility: a unique hiring path which makes it easier for federal agencies to hire you.
• Valuable Training: numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Montana Community VISTA Partnership is the longest-running project in Montana. By serving as an MCVP VISTA, you will join a vast network of alumni throughout the state and country, building on the legacy of previous members who have fought poverty in Big Sky Country!