Service: The gift that keeps giving

In a year that robbed many Alaskans of their sense of routine – their quality time together, their health, their livelihoods – AmeriCorps members were given the greatest gift, the gift to serve. 2020 was hard on our state, our country, and on the entire world. We watched as any sense of normalcy faded away during an unprecedented pandemic, school and business closures, and the loss of Americans to a novel coronavirus.

Yet, here in Alaska, we are known for taking great care of our neighbors and communities no matter what is happening in the world at large. We rank fifth in the nation for volunteerism, even as we face larger obstacles to service than most communities. This year, it is no surprise that over 200 AmeriCorps members showed up day in and day out to serve their neighbors, strengthen their communities, and give the gift of service – a gift that is multiplied each time it is given.

AmeriCorps programs are designed to be locally driven. Organizations that have identified a need in their community that can benefit from “people power” apply to the state agency Serve Alaska or AmeriCorps for funding to host a cadre of members to serve for a few weeks up to a full year. This past year, members served at more than 100 locations across Alaska, including schools, parks, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veteran’s facilities, justice centers, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations. If you call, these humble and energetic volunteers answer.

As the pandemic hit and the world changed forever, AmeriCorps members went above and beyond in service to their communities and the great state of Alaska. The service members leaned into the word of the year for 2020 and “pivoted” in their service, shifting to virtual service, gatherings, and training.

Just a few of the innovative solutions delivered by the service members during this tumultuous year include tutoring students online, fabricating over 500 masks, and performing wellness checks for elders throughout the state. Members knew that the risk of losing young students’ attention and growth during the pandemic was at an all-time high and responded by creating over 2,200 learning packets for youth. The learning packets were delivered directly to the students’ homes, eliminating as many obstacles to success as they could. Members organized personal protective equipment (PPE) drives and became advocates for their incarcerated clients to ensure their health and basic human needs were being met. It was humbling and inspiring to watch the AmeriCorps members eagerly serve alongside their community during such a challenging time.

In the spirit of true servant leaders, these volunteers gained as much as they gave through their service in 2020. They learned and grew as they connected with some of the most vulnerable in our communities. In a year where we were more isolated than ever, the gift of service is the gift that kept on giving.

Serve Alaska promotes and supports volunteerism across the state and brings AmeriCorps programs to Alaska. It is overseen by no fewer than 15 and no more than 25 voting Commission members appointed by the Governor. The Serve Alaska sub-grantees operate in almost every region of the state, bringing much needed support and training to rural and urban Alaska. Serve Alaska is housed within the Division for Community and Regional Affairs and the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development at the State of Alaska. For more information on Serve Alaska, please visit www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/dcra/ServeAlaska.

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges, through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

Sandra Moller is the Director of the Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA). For more information on DCRA, please visit https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/dcra.