America’s greatness comes from the extraordinary acts of ordinary citizens.
In communities across the country – urban and rural – AmeriCorps harnesses the power of service from ordinary Americans to provide on-the-ground support to essential community programs in schools, food banks, homeless shelters, youth organizations, veterans’ facilities, and other nonprofit, tribal, and faith-based organizations. This year, Seed Coalition has the privilege to sponsor 6 AmeriCorps VISTA members and more than 60 AmeriCorps State & National members across Minnesota and Iowa. The week of March 9 to March 15 marks AmeriCorps Week, and we are honored to highlight some of the national service members getting things done for our coalition’s campuses and communities. Below we asked three Seed Co AmeriCorps members to share about why they serve and the impact they have on their communities.
Ashlee Sammons, the Community Youth Space Developer VISTA at The Bridge of Storm Lake in Storm Lake, Iowa, is currently serving her second VISTA term through Seed Coalition. Ashlee says, “I signed up for another year of VISTA because I wanted to help make an impact with the youth in my community. Last year, I was able to make connections with many students. I hope that this year I can not only be a role model in my community but also create a space for youth to come and enjoy!”
Andrew McMenomy is a fourth-year student at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, majoring in Finance, Business Management, and Human Resources Management. He serves as an AmeriCorps Mustang Peer Mentor at MMU, where he mentors incoming first-year students from low-income households and other underrepresented backgrounds. He states, “I serve for AmeriCorps State because I believe in mentoring students holistically and helping them develop the skills, confidence, and resources they need to succeed in all areas of life. In my final semester, I hope to help students build confidence, develop their leadership skills, and create a strong foundation for their college success.”
Karima Koko is a repeating AmeriCorps State service member at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. She states, “I serve with AmeriCorps State because I am passionate about supporting students in many aspects of their academic and personal lives. Whether it’s providing emotional support, helping them navigate their class schedules, or simply being a resource they can turn to… [I appreciate the opportunity to] encourage student engagement and help them feel more connected to their campus community.” In her service role, Karima also provides support at the campus food pantry, and added that her AmeriCorps service has helped her grow personally and professionally, giving her a deeper understanding of service and community support.
Seed Coalition would like to formally thank Ashlee, Andrew, Karima, and all of our Seed Coalition National Service Members for their commitment to bettering their communities by showing up each and every day. AmeriCorps motto is “Getting things done for America,” and your hard work does not go unnoticed. We hope you feel celebrated this AmeriCorps Week!
