Author's Note

As an AmeriCorps*VISTA, I’ve dedicated a year of my life towards ending poverty in America — a lofty goal, to say the least. VISTAs serve their years in “indirect service,” working towards AmeriCorps’ goals in a programmatic, behind-the-scenes method. Essentially, as a VISTA I haven’t been rebuilding houses or tutoring children; I’ve been working to secure grants and create resources for those men and women who do serve directly in their communities.

While I’ve loved my year of service, it has sometimes been difficult to see how my efforts have an impact on low-income neighborhoods. I can’t look at a roof and know I’ve shingled it; I can’t look at a city park and remember hauling trash away to clean it up. I’ve had to simply continue working and trust that my efforts have made a difference somewhere I’m not able to see firsthand.

Working on these case studies has served as my Legacy Project — a capstone endeavor, a massive months-long effort that allows the Points of Light Foundation’s VISTAs to take charge and manage their own project. Through the course of this task, I have been able to see the wide-ranging effects of outreach to underserved communities, and in particular the effects of the work done by VISTAs. By speaking with people who serve communities in areas like Baton Rouge, La., rural Gaylord, Mich., and a housing project in Toledo, Ohio, I have gained a better understanding than ever before of the wide-ranging effects that volunteer service can have in low-income communities.

From teaching youth in the foster care system basic banking skills to helping men and women with poor self esteem to discover their unrealized strengths, the good work done by Volunteer Centers and their volunteers across the country is incredible. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to learn more about these efforts and to share them with a wider audience.

Every day across the country, neighbors are helping neighbors. Here you will find a few of these stories. We hope to grow this repository of success stories and effective practices as neighboring spreads across the country and inspire people to try neighboring in their community. Following are a few examples of neighboring.

--Abbey Kos