Family Support Network 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 Family Support Network VISTA will improve mental health and reduce poverty of low-income families by building a strong volunteer program to increase the accessibility of services. The Family Support Network (FSN) works with some of the most vulnerable children and families in the Billings Metro area. Their primary clientele are children and families involved with Children’s Protection Services (CPS). FSN teaches families parenting and nurturing skills, provides supervised visitation, and offers mental health and substance abuse counseling and case management. In addition, FSN has developed partnerships to provide food and nutrition classes to the families they serve. This VISTA project is designed to reduce barriers and increase access to life-changing services provided by FSN. This VISTA project will move families involved in the Children’s Protection system out of poverty by increasing access to services resulting in strong families and financial independence.

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!