Red Lodge Aging in Place AmeriCorps 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 Red Lodge Community Foundation VISTA will develop a county-wide system to connect seniors and senior support centers with the resources they need to help seniors age in their place of choice. Carbon County, a rural area in southcentral Montana with a poverty rate of 9.7%, has an aging population where 44% of the population is over 55 and growing. Of significant concern to the community is that within the last two years the county has lost both senior assisted living facilities, making it more difficult to stay near family and friends. For seniors residing in their own home, maintenance and major repairs can easily be put aside because of their limited budgets, causing a larger problem that jeopardizes the home's integrity. In addition, because of the vastness of the county, access to necessities, healthcare, medical treatments, and food is a challenge for many seniors. This VISTA project will move seniors out of poverty by connecting them to existing resources and developing a process to identify and assist isolated individuals access services and resources they need to age in place in their community, which will create healthier futures for all Carbon County seniors. Located in Red Lodge, 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!