MFS AmeriCorps
MFS proudly engages a team of AmeriCorps Members each year for a term of public service, ranging from a few months to a full year of service in our programs and communities. Members provide direct service support to address critical community needs, while also gaining valuable professional and personal experience, insights, and growth for their next steps after service.
Find Yourself Through Service
“My AmeriCorps service helped me realize that youth work was my calling. It would’ve taken me much longer to get on this career path without my AmeriCorps experience.”
-MFS AmeriCorps Member with Community Schools, 2013
LEARN MORE
"One of my favorite parts about being an AmeriCorps for the Hunger Relief program is I was able to learn that there are many people in need of food, and I am very grateful to be able to be a part of the food pantries where I can give them that! "
-Emily Lee, former high school volunteer and two time MFS AmeriCorps member
Why Serve?
Some perks of serving:
A $25,721 living allowance for the term of service, which includes $1,000 member transition assistance distributed within first week of service
An education award of $7,395 after successful completion of service
Part-time (20-25 hrs/week) positions available for certain sites/programs
Testimonials
Listen to three MFS AmeriCorps members & one Program Manager share stories of their work in “Self Discovery Through Service“, an episode of MFS’s Moving Lives Forward podcast:
“My AmeriCorps position with MFS allowed me to explore my passion for food justice and food security. The month after my service year ended, I was hired to start and run a school-based food pantry at one of our nearby SUN sites. I believe that the professional experiences and networking I gained during my AmeriCorps year were critical in my success in my current position.”
–Community Schools member, 2013 (and current Hunger Relief Program Coordinator)
“Serving with MFS AmeriCorps was valuable in helping me define my own professional goals, and ultimately in pursuing a career in pediatrics. Many Interviewers and employers have noted this experience as one of the most impressive and important on my CV. Additionally, I am personally very proud of the work I did with MFS AmeriCorps, and I would recommend it to others who are interested in learning about advocacy, community, and relationship building.”
-AmeriCorps member, 2013 & 2014
By the Numbers
(Snapshot from 2019 Service Year)
Our Hunger Relief team distributed 1,165,197 lbs of fresh and non-perishable food at our weekly school food pantries
67% of our youth served in our Economic Empowerment program reported an increase in financial knowledge and confidence
More than 60 languages are spoken across our Community School and Early Childhood Development program sites
Since its start, the Intergenerational Pen Pal program has exchanged 139 letters (and drawings!) between older adults and youth in our service communities
More than 20% of MFS permanent staff have served at least one year of AmeriCorps
“My service with AmeriCorps was a stepping stone on my way to a career in public service in the field of International Environmental Policy. The experience of project management and the micro/local level and the trainings I received gave me the tools needed to pursue a career on an international scale.”
-Community Schools member, 2012
VIDEOS
Why Do You Serve? (2016) - AmeriCorps Members tell us why serving is so important to them
AmeriCorps Programs Across Oregon (2022) - Virtual Info Session
Taking Action - from AmeriCorps National
