Greater South Sound Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) connects organizations that lift people out of poverty with AmeriCorps members who want to make a difference.
Members serve in an organization’s office full time for at least one year, gaining experience that prepares them for a life of service in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. Member assignments may include fundraising, communications, technology systems, program development, volunteer recruitment, or other capacity building projects. Any nonprofit, government agency, or educational institution in Thurston, Pierce, Clallam, Lewis, Mason, Jefferson, or Grays Harbor County can apply to host an AmeriCorps member. Since 2015, our members have generated over four million dollars in cash and in-kind donations for their host organizations.
Become an AmeriCorps Member
Sign up for email alerts about new opportunities.
Watch our Virtual Information Session (less than 5 minutes).
Contact Emily Lynch, Greater South Sound Recruitment VISTA Leader, at recruitmentvistaleader@unitedway-thurston.org for more information.
Eligibility
Individuals must be 18 years or older to serve with AmeriCorps VISTA. There is no upper age limit. Seniors and retired people are welcome to apply. Members must be able to commit to serving the full term of service. The term of service is one year for VISTA and VISTA Leader positions, and 10 weeks for Summer Associates.
How to Apply
Here is a guide explaining how to complete the My AmeriCorps application. To access My AmeriCorps, check out our list of open positions below, and click “click here to learn more and apply." Please contact recruitmentvistaleader@unitedway-thurston.org with any questions about the application process.
Benefits of Service
View full details on VISTA Campus.
Benefits for Full Year VISTA
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Bi-weekly living allowance of $513.94-$613.48 (pre-tax)
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End-of-Service Award: choice of $6,195 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or approximately $1,800 cash stipend
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Healthcare
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Childcare assistance if eligible
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Loan forbearance and interest accrual payment or deferment on qualified student loans
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Service-Related Transportation
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Relocation Assistance ($750)
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Comprehensive leave benefit
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High-quality training, orientation, and professional development
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Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) status for one year upon completion of service
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Unique team experience as part of United Way and AmeriCorps networks
Benefits for Summer Associates
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Bi-weekly living allowance of $513.94-$613.48 (pre-tax)
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End-of-Service Award: choice of $1,311 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or $273-345 cash stipend
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Service-related transportation reimbursement
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High-quality training, orientation, and professional development
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Unique team experience as part of United Way and AmeriCorps networks
Summer Associate Opportunities
Term of Service: June 7, 2021 - August 15, 2021 (10 weeks, 40 hours/week)
- Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (Port Townsend, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Boys and Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula (Port Angeles, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Quixote Village (Olympia, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- ROOF Community Services (Rochester, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Nourish Pierce County (Tacoma, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Making A Difference Foundation (Tacoma, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Emergency Food Network's Mother Earth Farm (Tacoma, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Oasis Youth Center (Tacoma, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
- Mountain View Community Center (Edgewood, WA) - Click here to learn more and apply!
VISTA Opportunities (Full Year)
Year of Service: August 16, 2021 - August 15, 2022 (1 Year, 40 hours/week)
Turning Pointe Survivor Advocacy Center (Shelton, WA) - Communications and Marketing Coordinator VISTA
Use your creative, strategic and planning skills to help us get our message out to donors, clients and the community. We are looking for you to help us coordinate our messaging efforts.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Northwest Cooperative Development Center (Olympia, WA) - Cooperative Special Projects Coordinator VISTA
The special projects coordinator turns emerging co-op concepts into realities by researching their feasibility, convening stakeholders, developing strategies, and executing project launch plans.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Quixote Village (Olympia, WA) - Community Connection Coordinator VISTA
We are a tiny home village providing permanent supportive housing, community and rich
peer mentorship for 30 formerly homeless adults in Olympia.
Click here to learn more and apply!
South Sound YMCA (Olympia, WA) - Advancement & Outreach Coordinator VISTA
Make a lasting impact and launch your nonprofit career by learning how to implement best practices in fundraising and communications…the most important skills for nonprofit leaders!
Click here to learn more and apply!
United Way of Thurston County (Olympia, WA) - Community Engagement VISTA
Develop your program coordination skills and start your nonprofit career!
Click here to learn more and apply!
United Way of Thurston County (Olympia, WA) - Social Media VISTA
Develop your digital communications skills and start your nonprofit career!
Click here to learn more and apply!
Orting Veterans Village (Orting, WA) - Community Engagement Coordinator VISTA
Want to make a difference in a veterans life? Join us at the Orting Veterans Village and work with homeless veterans in a communal atmosphere.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Emergency Food Network (Tacoma, WA) - Community Outreach VISTA
Join Emergency Food Network’s team! Manage outreach to expand our community involvement so we can provide our neighbors in need with a diverse and nutritious food supply so that no person goes hungry.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Making A Difference Foundation (Tacoma, WA) - Mobile Food Bank and Home Delivery Volunteer Coordinator VISTA
MADF is a nonprofit, charitable organization with the mission to make a difference in the lives of others one person at a time by helping them acquire food, housing encouragement and opportunity.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Multicultural Child & Family Hope Center (Tacoma, WA) - Family Support Recruitment and Marketing VISTA
Provide marketing, engagement and recruitment efforts to support children and families dealing with barriers to stability and success.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Nourish Pierce County (Tacoma, WA) - Food Drive Coordinator VISTA
Help Nourish to feed over 75,000 of our neighbors in need. You can be a part of a great team that helps our 26 food distribution sites have the resources in place to sustain operations year round.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Pierce County Medical Reserve Corps (Tacoma, WA) - Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer and Program Coordinator VISTA
Are you interested in public health, medicine, and emergency response? Come support and train the 750+ volunteers that respond to emergencies and provide free health services in our community.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Saint Vincent de Paul (Tacoma, WA) - Development Associate VISTA
Gain skills in fundraising and grant writing while supporting a long running homelessness prevention program for Tacoma residents.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity (Tacoma, WA) - Retail and Marketing Specialist VISTA
Join Habitat for Humanity in Tacoma, WA and lead the development of a corporate partner material donation program to build our organization's capacity to serve our community.
Click here to learn more and apply!
United Way of Pierce County (Tacoma, WA) - 2-Gen Engagement Coordinator VISTA
Helping children and their families break down barriers to self-sufficiency by building collaborations in the community that support and foster multi-generational success.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Year of Service: November 2021 - November 2022 (1 Year, 40 hours/week)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA) - 253 Impact Coordinator VISTA
Make a difference with youth and connect to community! Big Brothers Big Sisters is seeking a dynamic VISTA to ensure all Pierce County youth reach their full potential through mentoring.
Click here to learn more and apply!
Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (Olympia, WA) - Emergency Preparedness and Response VISTA
Do you want to support those most in need during a disaster and after? Join us in making a whole community difference!
Click here to learn more and apply!
VISTA Leader Opportunities (Full Year)
Applications for 2021-2022 have closed.
VISTA Leaders must have prior AmeriCorps State/National/NCCC, Peace Corps, or AmeriCorps VISTA experience.
Recruitment VISTA Leader at United Way of Thurston County (Olympia, WA)
As the VISTA Leader for recruitment, your Year of Service will focus on 1) Working with 19 hiring managers at local nonprofits to recruit and interview a diverse team of qualified AmeriCorps members to serve in United Way of Thurston County's Greater South Sound VISTA program and 2) Researching and meeting with potential new host sites that are fighting poverty in our region.
Engagement VISTA Leader at United Way of Thurston County (Olympia, WA)
As the remote Engagement VISTA Leader for Greater South Sound VISTA, you will develop strategies to ensure each AmeriCorps has a positive experience during their Year of Service. You will be responsible for planning team meetings, offering peer support to members, creating engaging digital communications to reach members, and more.
Become a Host Site
To sign up for email alerts about new hosting opportunities, click here.
For more information on becoming a host site, call 360-515-4791.
Applications to become a host site for 2021-2022 have closed. However, applications to be on the wait list are still being accepted. Applications to become a host site for 2022-2023 will open December 2021.
FAQ for Prospective Host Sites
Current AmeriCorps VISTA Projects
2-Gen Community Engagement Coordinator VISTA at United Way of Pierce County
253 Impact Coordinator VISTA at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound
Achievement Gap Coordinator VISTA at South Sound YMCA
Community Engagement Specialist VISTA at Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity
Community Engagement VISTA at United Way of Thurston County
Community Outreach Coordinator VISTA at Emergency Food Network
Community Outreach Coordinator VISTA at St. Vincent de Paul Tacoma, Pierce County
Emergency Preparedness & Response Associate VISTA at Thurston County Public Health and Social Services
Family Support Partnership Community Training Coordinator VISTA at Tacoma Pierce County Health Department
Food Drive & Volunteer Outreach Coordinator VISTA at Nourish Pierce County
Literacy and Learning Outreach and Engagement VISTA at South Sound Reading Foundation
Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer & Program Coordinator VISTA at Pierce County Medical Reserve Corps
Resiliency Learning and Outreach Coordinator at United Way of Clallam County
Retail Procurement and Marketing Coordinator VISTA at Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity
Veterans Community Connection Coordinator at Quixote Communities
Volunteer Training Development Coordinator VISTA at People First of Washington
Our Impact in the Greater South Sound
"Greater South Sound VISTA has given me the professional confidence boost I needed."
Sunny Cada, Food Drive & Volunteer Outreach Coordinator VISTA at Nourish Pierce County
Never in a million years did I ever think that I would be working with website and program development like I am doing right now - completely revamping the food drive portion of our website, incorporating a new food drive tracking system, and fundraising platform to ensure sustainability in the food drive program.
It is super exciting and I have really surprised myself. It has given me the professional confidence boost I needed and I just hope that I can continue to build on these new skills.
"Planning this event was a fantastic learning experience."
Audrey Widner, Resource Development Coordinator VISTA at Washington Trafficking Prevention
This past month in our VISTA service we helped Washington Trafficking Prevention put on its second annual fundraiser and organizational relaunch event. Before this fundraiser, I had never planned an event anywhere near this size and level of impact. Throughout the planning of this event I worked on everything from designing flyers and social media graphics, drafting and sending out email campaigns to supporters, booking a venue, filming and editing a promotional video, and securing in-kind donations from local community partners. My fellow VISTA Isiah played a critical role in this event as well by finding and on-boarding volunteers to help run the event. Thanks to our entire team, the night ended up being a huge success. In addition to the money we raised, and perhaps equally important, was the way we were able to bring our supporters together for a night of raising awareness and compelling care for such an important cause. Overall being a part of planning and overseeing this event was a fantastic learning experience for both Isiah and myself. (Also pictured: Isiah Cocroft, Youth Engagement Coordinator at Washington Trafficking Prevention)