Corps Story: SJCC+CS Packs Food for Families in Need

This fall, The Corps Network is featuring Corps stories around the theme of “harvest season.” These stories demonstrate Corps helping address food insecurity.

Story by Jaime Croteau
Strategy and Development Director, San Jose Conservation Corps + Charter School 

Last spring, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world and society retreated inside and adapted to social distancing, the San Jose Conservation Corps + Charter School (SJCC+CS), realized its services would be needed more than ever.

The economic crisis that accompanied the virus has resulted in skyrocketing rates of housing and food insecurity, exacerbating the inequity already present in Silicon Valley. In fact, as measured by the Santa Clara County Hunger Index, food insecurity in the area has doubled during the pandemic.

SJCC+CS, like other Corps, is set up to quickly and efficiently respond to emergencies and unmet community needs. Recognizing this, the City of San Jose contracted SJCC+CS to fill the expanding workforce needs of Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley. Since mid-June, SJCC+CS Corpsmembers have been boxing food for the most vulnerable members of their community, with a current average of about 90 Corpsmembers working every day across three different warehouses.

“It’s really inspiring to see these amazing young people get involved in their community and make a real difference in the lives of so many people.”

“When the pandemic hit our community, the number of people we served doubled in just a matter of weeks. At the same time, we lost a large portion of our volunteer workforce due to stay at home orders…We were in the very challenging position of handing out twice the amount of food, but with a fraction of our volunteers,” said Leslie Bacho, CEO of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. “The members of the San Jose Conservation Corps stepped in at a critical time to fill that void and have helped ensure that nutritious food gets to the people who need it most. It’s really inspiring to see these amazing young people get involved in their community and make a real difference in the lives of so many people.”

Because of the quick response from the community, the city says that a widespread food crisis has been avoided. The scale of this response is seen in the numbers. Since SJCC+CS has been assisting Second Harvest, Corpsmembers and staff have packed approximately 5.5 million pounds of food and have helped feed about 180,000 families.

In order to meet the demand of the project, SJCC+CS has even partnered with other local Corps in California. The Cesar Chavez Environmental Corps, Conservation Corps of Long Beach, Los Angeles Conservation Corps and the California Conservation Corps have all lent a hand to create a great example of cross-corps collaboration while contributing to an impressive impact.

In addition to the positive results for the families receiving food, the project has offered an opportunity for Corpsmembers to develop skills while earning money to support themselves and their families.

“Providing support services during emergencies provides transformational growth opportunities for our young adults as they realize that their efforts can make a meaningful difference to those in need.”

“We are grateful to the City of San Jose for contracting us to provide food boxing services to Second Harvest. For decades, Second Harvest has provided food to SJCC for our Corpsmembers and students. It is great to be able to support Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in return to help feed our community’s most vulnerable people,” said Dorsey Moore, Executive Director of SJCC+CS. “Providing support services during emergencies provides transformational growth opportunities for our young adults as they realize that their efforts can make a meaningful difference to those in need.”

In talking with Corpsmembers involved with the project, it is clear that Dorsey is right about the opportunities for growth.

Corpsmember Eduardo Gonzalez was looking for a warehouse job three months ago when he came across the opportunity to join SJCC. In addition to getting experience in a warehouse like he wanted, he’s also taking on more responsibilities and is currently applying to be a Crew Leader.

“I’ve never had a leadership role and I think it’d be nice to try it out. I feel like with this place I have the experience for it,” says Eduardo.

Dean Nguyen was recruited as a Corpsmember for this project and has moved up to be a Crew Leader, with his eyes on a staff position.

Dean says, “I think that being here helped me learn a lot of skills in the warehouse and in general how a strong management works.” He has used those leadership skills to develop and motivate his own crew, which he describes as “really solid.” Although Dean was originally looking for any job to pay rent, he’s taken full advantage of all that the Corps offers him and appreciates the positive impact of his work.

“It feels nice knowing that me and my crew and the rest of the Corps are helping families in need and it makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger. Helping the community: it’s always good, right?”

We definitely agree, Dean.

 

Not the Beginning and Not the End: A Letter from Julia Hillengas, PowerCorpsPHL

Julia Hillengas is the Executive Director and co-founder of PowerCorpsPHL, a Service and Conservation Corps in Philadelphia, PA. During this unprecedented year of grief, division, and uncertainty, the PowerCorpsPHL community has lost five young people to gun violence or inadequate access to healthcare. Over the summer, in response to an op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer about the city’s rise in gun violence, Julia wrote this open letter to PowerCorpsPHL’s stakeholders about the need to reframe gun violence as a public health issue. We invite you to read Julia’s powerful letter below, and to read our interview with her, where we discuss addressing gun violence, building more equitable non-profits, and authentically supporting Corpsmembers and Corps staff during these trying times.

Photo in banner: Young men from the PowerCorpsPHL community who passed away over this last year.
Rest in Power. 

  

July 2020

“But that is not the beginning or the end. There was more to all of their lives. They were sons, brothers and friends. They were loved. They were here,” writes Helen Urbiñas in her recent op-ed about the life lost in Philadelphia from gun violence this year.

In it she has included a list of names. When I looked over the list, I knew which three to look to out for. I knew they would be there, but I wanted to see them for myself, see if there was other information already linked to their names before we sent over our photos and tributes. I read over the whole list, intensely hoping that there wouldn’t be a surprise we hadn’t known about in a week already heavy with the loss of two beautiful lives.

While no other alumni were listed, a few more names stood out. People I hadn’t met, young people who, in that moment, despite sitting fresh with grief, I wished I had met. They were young people whose names I recognized from their applications to join PowerCorpsPHL.

As the tragedies that have hit our community show, we don’t make people bulletproof. In fact, I don’t believe our work saves anyone. Our approach is firmly rooted in creating spaces and supportive networks for young people to do that for themselves. And yet, the thought creeped in: What if they had joined PowerCorpsPHL? Would it have made a difference?

As I wrestled with the potential answers, I also found myself wrestling with the premise itself. Selfishly, I feared what it meant about the value of our work if, in reality, the answer was “no.” But I also feared, and was disappointed in myself, for reverting so quickly to the savior premise to begin with. It’s a cognitive trap, rooted in white-dominant culture, that has long contaminated the waters of the nonprofit world and how people think about social problems.

Say this aloud with me: Gun violence is a public health issue. The disparities in outcomes are tied to the structural inequities caused by systemic racism over generations in our city.

We can’t save anyone, and few people can save themselves, if we’re all still stuck using the same tools that got us here. We need to change how we think and we need to build better tools and systems that align to a richer, more complex understanding of the problems.

The question is really, “What kind of difference would it have made?” Even if the events remained the same, would we collectively have been better if more young people impacted by gun violence, both the victims and the shooters, had experienced more opportunities to see their value for themselves, be recognized by others, feel love, and contribute to a nurturing community? Would this have made our future richer?

Having spent the past two weeks mourning the loss of two alumni – one from gun violence and one from health disparities – and the past six months processing the loss of three more young people lost to gun violence, I don’t even have to think. I already know the answer is yes. I wrote the tributes, I listened to family members, colleagues, and other young people recount the impact and love each person shared with their community, and I know that despite their mistakes or missteps or past harms done, they also brought life and shared the best of themselves with the world. That is their legacy and their gift to us. Let us recognize it, hold it sacred, and allow it to enrich our collective future together.

In love and sadness,

Julia
Executive Director, PowerCorpsPHL

Doing Right By Our Corpsmembers: A Conversation with Julia Hillengas

Julia Hillengas is the Executive Director and co-founder of PowerCorpsPHL, a Service and Conservation Corps in Philadelphia, PA. During this unprecedented year of grief, division, and uncertainty, the PowerCorpsPHL community has lost five young people to gun violence or inadequate access to healthcare. Over the summer, in response to an op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer about the city’s rise in gun violence, Julia wrote this open letter to PowerCorpsPHL’s stakeholders about the need to reframe gun violence as a public health issue. We invite you to read Julia’s powerful letter, and read our interview with her, where we discuss addressing gun violence, building more equitable non-profits, and authentically supporting Corpsmembers and Corps staff during these trying times.

Young men from the PowerCorpsPHL community who passed away over this last year. Rest in Power. 

NAVIGATION

Q1: Intro – What motivated you to write the letter?
Q2: The “savior complex” in non-profit work
Q3: Recruitment
Q4: Coping with grief and trauma
Q5: What can Corps do to support change?
Q6: Addressing gun violence locally and nationally
Q7: What Corpsmembers gain from their experience
Q8: “Not the Beginning and Not the End” – What does that mean?
Resource List

 

Question 1:

What motivated you, in this moment, to write the letter?

 

PowerCorpsPHL has been around for seven years; I was one of the co-founders. From it being an idea, to launching, growing, and evolving, PowerCorpsPHL has been a great part of my life, professionally and personally. Some of my most challenging moments in life, however, were losing 12 young people over those seven years. As of today, five of those losses happened in 2020.

In most major cities, the pandemic caused a huge economic strain. There is a lot of uncertainty. A lot of social supports went away overnight, which led to upticks in domestic violence, but also mental health struggles and a rise in gun violence in urban centers. [There was] a lot more gun violence in Philadelphia, coupled with [the fact that] our Corps is deeply rooted in the Black community here. I’m from Philadelphia and grew up in a Black community; part of my family comes from Jamaica. All of this is deeply personal.

This is not the first time [at PowerCorpsPHL] we’ve talked about racism or systemic racism. In fact, a big part of our mission is trying to understand the system that we operate [in] and fill in gaps to make it more equitable. As a staff, we’ve gone through a year-long discussion of looking at our policies. I think the immensity of finally being heard, through the protests around George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, was empowering. It was also heavy and deep: how many times can you have this conversation, in different ways, and these events still happen?

When I wrote this letter, it was a culmination of all those things. Of trying to figure out how to do right by the young people we work with and meet our mission. We’ve been through a very intense couple of months trying to figure all that out on a very micro-level, and then to have two deaths come back-to-back, in back-to-back weeks. It was a moment of really reflecting on what that means for us in our role and how, even someone like myself, who is the co-founder of a program meant to combat inequity, can still fall into traps. That’s how systematic racism is.

When we talk about systematic racism or systematic inequality or structural inequality, it’s very conceptual. It sounds academic and I think people aren’t aware of what that really looks like day to day. I think there’s been great discussion in the past couple years about unconscious bias, but I think that gets very micro-level, person-to-person. But even through your thought patterns, we’re creating it in there, we’re drinking it in the water, it’s so hard to get away from. I identify as a person of color: my mom is Chinese, from Jamaica; my dad is white. I grew up in primarily Black communities, but even I feel like I’ve been infected with white-dominant culture and white supremacy and I have to actively push back against that. I wrote this, honestly, at a point of exhaustion, in trying to reflect.

 

 

 

Question 2:

In your letter, you write about the “savior complex” that is often present in non-profit work. It’s easy for an organization to fall into a mindset of “we’re here to fix things.” Can you talk about what one might see at an organization that has this mentality and, conversely, what it looks like to embrace a different mindset?

 

Part of it is funders. A lot of times, non-profits are trapped in a system that’s rooted in a mentality of, “We’re going to drop in money here. This organization will provide services and then these people will be safe.” Just the fact that you exist where you do, you’re already in the trap.

It’s important to be really intentional, thoughtful, and deliberate in investing in your staff and professional development – in staff trainings that are great long-term investments, but you aren’t necessarily going to see the results. From a performance standpoint, you’re not going to see a boost in your engagement numbers tomorrow. It’s not that type of training.

I will say that we are intentional about our hiring. Our entire leadership team of six people are people of color. We’re pretty evenly split between men and women. About 30 percent of us are queer and we have representation of folks who identify as Latino, from the Black community, Asian…

In addition to that, about 23 percent of our staff members are alumni of our program, and they’re not just in entry-level positions. Primarily, when we hire alumni, they go into that Crew Leader position, which is not really an entry-level job. However, it is the job that requires the least amount of work experience. Over the past couple years, one of the things I’m most proud of is that we now have three alumni who have either been promoted or hired into a job beyond that Crew Leader role. We have one young person who is in charge of our Culture and Climate and the Corpsmember accountability that comes with that. We have an alum who works on our Projects team, working with service partners to inspect our service sites, get those ready to go, make sure that we’re delivering quality products with our crews. Then we have an alum who works on our Workforce Development team. That had to be done intentionally. We created training pathways for folks to get the skills that we would need. We didn’t lower the bar in terms of expectations.

You need to orient yourself to try and achieve your mission with the folks with whom you want to see that outcome. Not to them and not for them. That’s a common “social discipline window” that comes from restorative practices. If you can change that language, then you have to ask yourself, how do we operate this program with, if we’re used to doing it to or for? Part of that shift is that you need to hire folks who you’ve served in the past. I think there are many other organizations that do really great client and Corpsmember councils and things like that. It’s important to endeavor to make them as authentic as possible. It’s not just asking for survey responses. When you hire staff, they understand the responsibility to deliver.

 

 

 

Question 3:

When reviewing the list of those lost to gun violence, you mention in your letter that you initially thought to yourself, “What if they had joined PowerCorpsPHL? Would it have made a difference?” You go on to address this thought by discussing the savior complex often present in nonprofit work, but we have some questions about your recruitment process.

 

How many young people do you engage and what determines the number of applicants you’re able to accept?

​At any given time we have about 100 young people engaged in different phases of our program. We serve around 150 people formally per year (not including alumni support work). Of that 150, about 100 are new people coming through our doors in a calendar year. We’re an AmeriCorps program, so [AmeriCorps] slots and our additional fundraising are what determine how many people we can accept.

Part of our equity work as an organization is fundraising additional dollars to supplement the AmeriCorps stipend and get it closer to a living wage. Our ability to do that is the number one determinant of how many people we can serve.

What are the factors that might lead you to accept one applicant over another?  ​

PowerCorpsPHL is specifically designed to be a workforce development Corps and to recruit young people who have had little to no formal work experience […] the traditional tools used for “job” vetting are going to screen out the candidates we want.

We lose most people after they apply through essentially self-selection [by the candidate] by not showing up to a recruitment step, not rescheduling, and not responding to multiple forms of communication from us and adults in their life.

That’s frustrating and it’s telling. It’s young people telling us that something about our process isn’t working for them or isn’t coming through clearly enough. Part of our responsibility when we take on our mission is to listen to that feedback and recognize it the same way we would feedback from a formal survey.  To that end, we’ve been beta-testing rolling admissions and designing an on-ramps pre-AmeriCorps component to offer more flexibility and engagement on the young person’s timeline to warm them up to our cohort timelines and expectations.

For young people who do continue to show up and stay in communication, the final step towards being accepted into PowerCorpsPHL is our extended two-week orientation. This serves as an opportunity for both us and the young person to authentically demonstrate what we’re about and where we are. This “final-round” tryout is really where we’re actually making decisions on program acceptance versus just losing candidates to recruitment attrition.

Our alumni tell us the number one thing someone needs to be successful in PowerCorpsPHL is the willingness to change. So, while we’re understanding that we are gently pushing people outside their comfort zone, we’re also looking to see how they respond, adapt, and reflect on that process. For some young people, it’s too much to embrace at that moment in time and we leave the door open for them to come in a later cohort.

 

 

 

Question 4:

What programs, activities, or services do you think Corps can incorporate to support Corpsmembers coping with grief or trauma?

 

Two years ago, we decided to hire an in-house therapeutic counselor that Corpsmembers can access for one-on-one therapy. We also have partnered with social service agencies to do group therapy for very specific purposes. For instance, this includes group therapy for men who have experienced violence.

When COVID hit, our counselor had to really think through how she could engage people and get them interested in therapy, because that’s not typically something Corpsmembers are ready to take on. What she did was offer them a menu of options. We can meet (socially distanced) in person; we can talk on the phone; we can FaceTime; we can just set aside an hour and text each other. Having different ways to be accessible really helps folks who are not used to being offered therapeutic services. Those all come with bigger commitments of either time or money.

I will say, when the pandemic first hit, we had to go fully virtual. We decided we needed to focus on essentially two things:

  1. Daily health and wellness check-ins. There are a lot of different versions of this, but we utilize something called PIES (Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, Spiritually). It’s an activity of asking someone, how are you feeling physically; what are your thoughts; where are you emotionally; and how are you feeling spiritually? What support do you feel you have and what do you need? The first couple of times, it feels long and bulky, but it soon became a daily habit that our crews and staff have done throughout the pandemic. It wasn’t always rosy, but it allowed people time to be able to speak out loud and not have something bottled up inside. It also helps to be in the company of other folks who may also be going through something hard –– you have a feeling of “I’m not alone.”
  2. And then trying to provide some of the things that folks who have more privilege or more social capital would typically have during times of emergency. We brought in a financial advisor to help people try to amplify every dollar that they’re earning. We increased therapeutic support, which is often seen as a luxury. And then helping people get tools for mindfulness.Self-care is this big idea; it can sometimes feel like “the answer to everything” is self-care. But a more concrete way of thinking about it is whether people are carving out time to check in with themselves. And then, are they allowed that time? If you think of self-care in that way, then, as an organization, you can be creative in how you help people get that time and space. When people are stressed, they often don’t take that time for themselves. It literally can be 15 minutes – it’s not going to solve everything, but it does allow people to say what’s on their mind and say it out loud for themselves.

 

 

 

Question 5:

Sadly, there are other Corps that are too familiar with the pain of losing a Corpsmember, an alum, or other young people in the community. There are also Corps that have likely never experienced losses due to gun violence or inequitable healthcare access. What can Corps do – whether they’ve been touched by these inequities or not ­– to support change?

 

It takes everyone, whether you’ve been impacted directly or not. When you’re impacted directly, there’s an urgency to respond in terms of your own health and well-being. When you’re not, I think because it’s tricky and complex work, there can be an initial reaction to numb yourself and not want to engage. Which is understandable.

Change means taking time to understand why gun violence might go up in a pandemic. It takes understanding gun violence as a much more nuanced issue than just “there’s a good guy and a bad guy.” It takes asking critical questions about your own thoughts on why this violence happens. The more that we ask ourselves why something really happened, the closer we get to an accurate answer. With more accurate answers, we can build better solutions.

When people hear of gun violence in the news, it gets framed as “there was a shooter, then this thing happened, the shooter is bad, this person is gone, and their family is sad.” What doesn’t get told are all the things that led up to that moment and all the things that may have happened after that moment. I think about what kind of mindset someone would need to be in to get to a place where, they’re either feeling so desperate for resources to survive or feeling so threatened for their own personal safety, that they would aim a gun at another human. If you understand it in that way, this isn’t a video game. Someone had to get to a certain place in their life where that became an option; we’re not born that way.

Sometimes I hear victim-blaming. “Oh, you were at the wrong place, at the wrong time.” I think the news doesn’t give you the context, but if you’re sitting on your own porch and it’s a stray bullet, that’s not the wrong place, that’s your own house.

It’s critical to engage in thinking through what people experience to get to a place where a gun feels like a solution. It takes feeling deprived of really basic human rights. It takes feeling really beaten down and not in control of their life or what their future could be. I think that if you understand the mindset, then you’re at a better place to understand how to help solve the problem.

 

 

 

Question 6:

From what you have experienced and learned, what do you believe is the most important thing we can do, locally or nationally, to address gun violence? ​

 

We have to reach, welcome, serve, and wrap our arms around the shooters and young people who are vulnerable to becoming shooters. I know that statement can invoke a very visceral reaction in many people because of the harm done by people who shoot guns at other people. Remember, my staff and myself have had our fair share of grieving and yet, if I’m being honest as a professional in this work and as a problem-solver, that is the answer.

I’m not saying we ought to ignore or excuse the immense harm done, or neglect victims and their families. What I’m saying is that no amount of work with victims is going to protect us from the next round of gun violence and no amount of punitive actions towards known shooters will prevent the emergence of yet another person in a desperate state of mind taking up a gun.

On a local level, it’s understanding with nuance and complexity who is vulnerable to becoming a shooter (or shooting again), why, and how we give them another path forward. There’s usually a deep hurt that needs to be healed or a real and imminent threat to survival coupled with a loss of belief in any other type of present or future. So how do we help people heal, work to provide basic safety to all communities, and support people in envisioning a different life for themselves?

I’ve been talking in broad terms here on purpose because, on the national level, we have to stop divorcing the gun violence that happens in cities from the gun violence that happens in suburbs and rural communities. All of my experience has been with urban gun violence in Black communities and yet, does what I say not resonate with some truth when you think of school shootings? While there are some key differences, it is another example of structural racism, toxic thinking, and the impact of generations of racial inequity. If we want to combat that, we have to start thinking and talking differently.

 

 

 

Question 7:

You mention that you don’t believe that your work “saves” anyone. What do you hope your Corpsmembers leave with?

 

I hope they have a better understanding of themselves and the talent they bring to the world. I hope they can see how to get the future they want and know that they have the skills to get there. I hope they feel how valuable they are as persons and community members. I think a lot of times, our young people come in and don’t realize how much positivity they can give to the world. They tend to downplay the amazing things they do, and that is really sad.

Going through the experience of PowerCorpsPHL, they put in a tremendous amount of work for this city: planting thousands of trees, maintaining thousands of acres, making sure that the water is clean and that people have access to nature at a time when nature is the only outlet you have. They did that. That’s powerful to be able to look at a section of a park 20 years from now and know that they put that tree in the ground 20 years ago. I want people to be able to see their own power. To be able to know that, whoever they want to be as they get older, they have it within themselves to realize that and they have a community. They don’t have to do it alone.

 

 

 

Question 8:

The title of your letter – “Not the Beginning and Not the End” – is a line taken from the op-ed you reference. What does the statement mean to you?

 

​It reminds me that I’m one person trying to do my part in a long history of many people doing their part who got us here and produced wisdom that I benefit from. It reminds me that there will be others to come after me whom I can pass the mantle to and that the work will continue. It’s both sad to think how long we’ve been at it and freeing and affirming. Affirming that the myth of a single savior/superhero is nonsense and freeing in reminding me that all I can do is do what I can until I can’t anymore. After that, the community will take what strength they can from that and keeping on going.

 

 

 

Resources

 

Resources for Social-Emotional/Trauma-Informed Check-Ins

Sample 1: PIES

Sample 2: Check-In Example
“Adapted from Sandra Bloom’s Sanctuary Model, this guide was created by FabYouthPhilly’s Center for Youth Development Professionals, a phenomenal practitioner-led, field-strengthening consulting organization.”

 

Resources for Noticing, Identifying, Understanding, and Countering Oppressive Systems

Membership Renewal Season, FY21: Thank You For Your Membership in The Corps Network

 

The start of a new fiscal year means it’s time to consider renewal of your membership in The Corps Network.

The Corps Network values each of our member organizations for your unique contributions to communities across the country. As you reflect on this past year and consider your continued membership in The Corps Network, please review our FY21 Membership Guide and click here (or see below) to read a letter from our President & CEO.

 

Logistics

  • Full Service and Conservation Corps: During the week of October 5, each Full Service and Conservation Corps member of The Corps Network should have received information about renewing your membership and completing the Annual Corps Profile survey. This year’s renewal process involves completing a dues calculation form and renewal commitment letter via DocuSign, followed by submitting your appropriate dues payment. If you have any questions about the renewal process or would like to discuss your membership, please contact Bobby Tillett, [email protected], or Lashauntya Moore, [email protected].
  • Affiliates and AmeriCorps Basic Members: Each Affiliate and AmeriCorps Basic member of The Corps Network also should have received an email from our Member Services Team. The renewal process involves submitting your appropriate dues payment and returning your completed renewal application form. Questions can be directed to Lashauntya Moore, [email protected].

 

 

A Letter From Our President & CEO

Click here to view as PDF

Dear Member Corps,

I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to each of your organizations, staff members, and Corpsmembers. This past year has been marked by grief and anxiety. A pandemic, a series of historic natural disasters, and the continuation of violence and racial injustices inflicted upon Black and Brown communities, all weigh on our collective pursuit for healthier communities and a more equitable future. I give my condolences to everyone who lost loved ones or their sense of security or faced a setback or detour in their plans for the future this past year.

While acknowledging the challenges of our current moment, the work of your organizations and Corpsmembers gives me reason for hope. When cities and states locked down, Corps rose to the occasion to serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. As communities in the West and the Gulf experience fires and hurricanes, Corps have ensured the safety of their Corpmembers while addressing critical community needs. When the nation mourned the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the many others lost to police and racial injustice, Corps acknowledged their Corpsmembers’ pain and encouraged them to use their voices to pursue change.

It is said that adversity can bring out the best or the worst in people. I believe 2020 has brought out the best in the Corps community. Many Corps shared their COVID-19 protocols to protect not just their own Corpsmembers, but to help keep all Corpsmembers safe. Many Corps joined The Corps Network’s Town Halls to give examples of how Corps could support the mental health of Corpsmembers and the needs of local public health entities. Over email chains, working groups, our new online community, and countless phone calls, we leaned on each other to weather setbacks and build contingency plans. There is little doubt that we will end this year a stronger community than before. I have hope that these strengthened ties will propel us to meet new challenges and create opportunity out of struggle.

To quote Dr. Cornel West, “Optimism for me has never been an option. Because there’s too much suffering in the world…But hope is something else, you see, because hope is not spectatorial. It’s participatory. Hope is a verb as much as a virtue. Hope is as much a consequence of your action as it is a source of your action.” As we move forward, let us steel ourselves by knowing that through our actions as individuals, as organizations, and as a movement, we can not only hope for a better future, but we can be the source of hope for the thousands of Corpsmembers and community members looking to us for leadership.

With gratitude for the hope that you have given me in these difficult times, I want to thank you for continuing to be a member of the Corps community and allowing me the honor of serving alongside you.

In Service,

Mary Ellen Sprenkel
President & CEO
The Corps Network

 

Highlights: FY2020 Accomplishments

Coronavirus Response

  • Awarded 30 Corps a total of $250,000 in emergency funding to help cover costs associated with ensuring the safe and continued engagement of Corpsmembers during COVID-19.
  • Launched Corps Connect and The Corps Network Town Hall to bring the Corps community together around important and timely topics.
  • Created the COVID-19 Resource Library to share evolving information and promising practices. Among other topics, the library provides information on navigating the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, developing COVID-19 safety protocols, and guidance from partner agencies and local governments.

Programs and Services

  • Awarded over $6 million in AmeriCorps scholarships to Service and Conservation Corps participants through the Education Award Program.
  • Provided funding to support over 1,000 Corpsmember positions at Corps engaged in GulfCorps, the Opportunity Youth Service Initiative, the AmeriCorps Transportation & Infrastructure Program, the USFS Resource Assistants Program, and our National Park Service and US Fish & Wildlife Service National Cooperative Agreements.
  • Developed the 6-part “Impact of One” Professional Development Curriculum, which was piloted among GulfCorps programs.
  • Launched updates to The Corps Network’s Jobs at Corps platform to improve the user experience for people searching for service or job opportunities, and make it easier for Corps to manage open positions.

Racial Justice

  • Launched the Silence in Not an Option seminar series, which engages Corps staff in discussions around the social construction of race and the impact of racial inequality on their community and Corpsmembers.

Advocacy

  • Worked with external partners and coalitions to advocate for the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act – an unprecedented piece of legislation that will invest $1.9 billion annually to address deferred maintenance needs on federal lands and support local and state parks by permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund at its full $900 million per year authorization.
  • Built a nationwide coalition calling for the establishment of a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps to help put Americans, unemployed due to COVID-19, back to work addressing critical conservation and environmental needs.

Events

  • Hosted The Corps Network’s 35th Anniversary National Conference, which included more than 40 individual sessions.
  • Successfully organized the first virtual Corpsmember Professional Development Day, which brought together Corpsmembers, agency partners, and employers from across the country.

Annual Corps Profile, FY20

 

It’s time to complete the Annual Corps Profile survey!

What is the Annual Corps Profile?
This survey is a request for Corpsmember and Project data from each of our 130+ Full Service and Conservation Corps member organizations. Completion of the survey is required to be a member in good standing. Having current and accurate data about the Corps community is essential to The Corps Network’s efforts to better serve and advocate for the Corps movement as a whole. We routinely use data collected through the profile to demonstrate the power of Corps to lawmakers, partners, potential funders, media outlets, and other important stakeholders. Thank you to our member organizations for your help in collecting this critical information.

  • Deadline to complete survey – November 20, 2020
  • Go to survey – click here
  • Information and FAQs – click here for Annual Profile instructions and answers to frequently asked questions.
    • Q&A Session: On October 20, The Corps Network’s Member Services Team hosted a Q&A session to answer questions about this year’s Annual Corps Profile survey.
      Watch recording   |   Download slides
  • Additional Questions? – Please contact Bobby Tillett or Lashauntya Moore from our Member Services Team

 

Banner Photo: Audra Melton for The Nature Conservancy. Picture of Conservation Corps of the Forgotten Coast.

A Message From Our President & CEO: National Service Brings Out Our Best

 

To echo the words of Barbara Stewart, CEO of AmeriCorps, “Service to others is at the heart of who we are as Americans. A sense of shared responsibility is woven into the fabric of our nation.”

Today, September 29, The Corps Network joins the national service community in celebrating the launch of new branding for AmeriCorps.

Founded in 1985, The Corps Network saw the creation of AmeriCorps in the early 1990s. The Corps Network and many Service and Conservation Corps across the country have been proud AmeriCorps grantees for decades. We understand the power of national service to unite people for the common purpose of making our country stronger.

We often hear people remark that AmeriCorps members, like those enrolled at Service and Conservation Corps, are one of “the best kept secrets” in our country. As America confronts a public health crisis, record-breaking natural disasters, and increased food insecurity, AmeriCorps cannot remain a “secret.” Right now, there are thousands of AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers across the country addressing these challenges and other issues our communities face. AmeriCorps members will continue these critical service activities under the new branding; we hope what will change is that more people will be aware of AmeriCorps and its impact.

The Corps Network is proud that Service and Conservation Corps annually enroll thousands of the more than 270,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers. We look forward to this new chapter in the history of national service.

9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance – 2020

Most young people currently participating in Service and Conservation Corps are too young to remember the events of September 11, 2001. This fact makes the purpose behind the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance all the more meaningful. On Friday, in spite of challenges presented by COVID-19, Corps across the country hosted observances and activities. Through recognizing the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance, we can continue to keep memories alive and honor the lives lost; we will never forget. Read a few examples of Corps’ activities below.

[Photo in banner: CAC AmeriCorps, 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance 2020]

 

 

American Conservation Experience

Four Corpsmembers with American Conservation Experience from the Mountain West Branch  in Hurricane, UT teamed up for a volunteer project at Snow Canyon State Park to remove trash from lava tubes.

Why no masks? Once assembled, ACE crews operate as a family unit, with protocols to protect them from exposure to those outside of their team.

 

American YouthWorks,
Texas Conservation Corps

To honor September 11, Corpsmembers and staff with Texas Conservation Corps, a program of American YouthWorks, usually support the Austin Fire Department in their commemorative event for firefighters. Due to COVID-19, there was no public event this year. However, crews continued their service projects and improved the community’s habitat and green spaces. While out on site, members constructed AmeriCorps “A’s” with their tools in recognition of national service and conservation.

 

CAC AmeriCorps

Corpsmembers with CAC AmeriCorps in Knoxville, TN, gathered members across five different sites to honor the survivors and victims of 9/11. In these different service projects, Corpsmembers planted seeds and removed invasive species at Beardsley Farm, assisted with preparing food kits for Mobile Meals Kitchen, constructed outdoor benches at Dogwood Elementary School, helped clean the outdoor habitat at South Doyle Middle School, and removed litter from the river with volunteers from Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.

 

Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps

In Wisconsin, Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (GLCCC) joined the Racine Fire Department for a small, in-person remembrance. Corpsmembers from GLCCC and personnel from the Racine Fire Department took turns reading 343 names of first responders who lost their lives responding to the September 11 attacks. Many Corpsmembers at GLCCC receive training and certifications to pursue jobs as first responders.

Speaking about the observance, GLCCC Director Chris Litzau said, “It’s important for us to keep those memories alive…It becomes a tactile event (for students) rather than just reading about it in the news or seeing it on TV. It was just such a rewarding experience.”

 

Los Angeles Conservation Corps

Corpsmembers from Los Angeles Conservation Corps’ YouthBuild and AmeriCorps programs helped dig out invasive species in East Los Angeles.

 

Maine Conservation Corps

Fifteen AmeriCorps Environmental Stewards from Maine Conservation Corps came together for two days to recognize the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. They completed much needed maintenance on hiking trails at Mount Kineo State Park. Their accomplishments included constructing 143 feet of bog bridges, installing 11 stepping stones, clearing six miles of corridor, installing new signs, removing two hazard trees from a campsite, making improvements on a short trail to a privy, and conducting an inventory of all the trails on Mount Kineo.

In addition to the service project, MCC members wrote notes of gratitude to businesses, individuals, and organizations throughout Maine and across the country, thanking frontline workers and others assisting in the response to COVID-19 and wildfires.

 

Mile High Youth Corps

Corpsmembers and staff from Mile High Youth Corps in Colorado partnered with Letters Against Isolation. Corpsmembers were matched with senior living facilities to write letters to residents experiencing social isolation during COVID-19. Through this exercise, Corpsmembers were prompted to reflect on parallels between the current public health crisis and the anxiety following the 9/11 attacks, noting how small acts of kindness can make a big difference during trying times. The goal of this project was to help bring a little cheer to older community members.

Why no masks? This photo highlights Mile High Youth Corps’ YouthBuild Health and Wellness program, working pre-COVID with their partners at Bessie’s Hope to provide elder care support.

 

Northwest Youth Corps

Young adult crews from Northwest Youth Corps spent the day serving on different projects in Oregon and Washington. Crew 27 spent the day serving in the Deschutes National Forest building a new section of trail to the summit of Mount Bachelor. Crew 29 spent the day conducting 430 feet of wildlife fence enhancements at John Day National Monument. In Washington, Crew 28 spent the day with Thurston County – Chambers’ Drainage District where they performed annual maintenance on the lakes drainage that was irrigated in 1923 to allow for farming in the communities surrounding Olympia, WA.

Why no masks? NYC teams, once assembled, operate as a family unit. The Corps built protocols to protect Corpsmembers from people outside their team, not each other.

 

A Message from Our President and CEO: We Need More Anti-Racism Training, Not Less

 

Dear Friends of The Corps Network,

On September 4, the White House released a memo stating that agencies within the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government must cease using federal dollars to fund trainings on critical race theory for government employees. I am disappointed and saddened by the Administration’s decision to take this action, as I know from experience the benefits of such training both personally and professionally.

Several years ago, before the most recent incidents of police brutality against Black people and the subsequent protests across the country, The Corps Network decided to become more informed about disparities among and inequities directed at certain populations. In February of 2017, the theme for The Corps Network’s national conference was “Moving Forward Together: Promoting Racial, Environmental and Community Equity.” We framed this event as an invitation to our Corps and partners to join us on a journey to examine our work, our organizations, and ourselves as individuals. We stated our intention as an organization to question our assumptions and work purposefully to confront racism and advance equity.

Since 2017, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The Corps Network’s Moving Forward Initiative (MFI) has continued to pursue this work internally, with the Corps community, and with our partners, including those within the federal government. Learning opportunities provided to me through our MFI have been transformational for me. Not only is The Corps Network better able to serve all our Corps and all their Corpsmembers, and better able to promote our mission and meet our organizational goals, I am a better leader, a better colleague, a better friend and in short, a better person.

As events of this year have reminded us, our country has a way to go on the journey to achieving equity. We understand that the road on this journey is long and challenging, but The Corps Network is committed to continuing this critical work, even when there are obstacles in our path. I hope the Administration will reconsider its position on critical race theory training and join us in this work.  I invite you to join us as well.

Mary Ellen Sprenkel
President & CEO
The Corps Network

Banner Image: Art by Mark Bradford, “Black Venus” – 2005

A Message from Our President & CEO: September 1, 2020


Corps in the Conversation
[Photo in banner: Maine Conservation Corps, Summer 2020]

 

Dear Friends,

I don’t know if you’re still counting, but it’s now been nearly 30 weeks since The Corps Network team started working remotely. As COVID-19 continues to affect our lives, it might seem hard to find things to celebrate, but I’m pleased to report a few pieces of good news for the Corps community.

 

Legislation.

For one, Service and Conservation Corps continue to be a popular topic on Capitol Hill: several bills have been proposed to revive the Civilian Conservation Corps of the New Deal Era. Most recently, Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Corey Booker (D-NJ) combined two earlier bills and introduced The 21st Century Conservation Corps Act. This bill would help expand existing Corps through investments and encouraging resource managers to partner with Corps on projects to maintain our public lands and waters.

Relatedly, the president recently signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law. I was grateful to be invited to a reception at the Department of the Interior to recognize this historic achievement. This legislation will invest in addressing the nearly $20 billion maintenance backlog on our federal lands and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This could mean many more projects for Corps, which translates into opportunities for more young people to serve and learn outdoors.

Funding the LWCF could generate opportunities to engage more Corpsmembers close-to-home at state and local parks. We gratefully appreciate the support for Corps among leaders at state and local resource management agencies.

I encourage you to read my recent essay on what the GAOA could mean for our young people. For a more comprehensive breakdown of legislative updates, see this helpful blog from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team.

 

Moving Forward. Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

In other good news, I am excited to share that The Corps Network recently received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to continue to support our Moving Forward Initiative (MFI). Launched in 2017 with a grant from WKKF, Moving Forward is a multi-faceted effort to assist the Service and Conservation Corps community in addressing racism, advancing equity, and authentically supporting young people of color on the path to careers in conservation. Over three years, this new funding will enable The Corps Network to assist Corps in implementing racial equity plans, facilitating meaningful conversations around race, and providing young people of color with learning and workforce development opportunities to help them harness their potential on the path to conservation careers.

 

Leadership Updates.

Another piece of good news is that The Corps Network’s Board of Directors has elected two new Vice-Chairs: Stephanie Davison and Carlos Monje. Both Stephanie and Carlos bring years of experience and wisdom to our Board and a passion for social justice and youth development. We are grateful to have not one Vice-Chair to provide expert guidance and inspiration, but two. Learn more here.

As the summer begins to wind down, Corps programs continue. It is good to see Corps recruiting Corpsmembers and planning projects for the fall. Hopefully we will soon see even more opportunities for young people to serve.

 

Mary Ellen Sprenkel
President & CEO
The Corps Network

Update from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team – September 1, 2020

It’s been a busy summer for Corps in the field and in conversations in Washington, DC.
Scroll below to learn the latest.
Photo above in banner from the Architect of the Capitol

 

Stimulus and 21st Century CCC Outreach

Back in April, The Corps Network responded to calls to establish a “21st Century CCC” by drafting an outline of our initial set of recommendations for creating a modern version of the New Deal Era program. Since then, we convened a group of conservation and recreation groups to develop a robust vision for a 21st Century CCC. These ideas have been shared with House and Senate leadership and our key champions on the Hill.

 

Legislative Updates

 

CORPS Act

Status
    • Introduced in the Senate on June 16 by U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE.), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Angus King (I-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME).
    • The bill currently has 17 co-sponsors, including Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Chairman of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. His co-sponsorship could help with provisions of the CORPS Act being included in the next stimulus bill.

 

What Would It Do?

The CORPS Act is based on the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, introduced by Sen. Coons in May. Among other provisions, the CORPS Act would:

    • Expand national service positions for a three-year response and recovery period. The number of positions could grow from 75,000 to 150,000 the first year and then steadily to 250,000 by year-three.
    • Prioritize funding for activities directly related to response and recovery, such as:
      • Public health services
      • Programs that support economic opportunity
      • Education support (including for adult learners)
      • Services that combat nutrition insecurity
    • Ensure that individuals’ financial resources do not limit participation by temporarily increasing the AmeriCorps living allowance to 175 percent of the federal poverty line and tying the value of the Segal Education Award to twice the value of the maximum Pell grant, harmonizing the treatment of both with other programs by making them nontaxable.
    • Invite participation by a diverse range of Americans by launching an awareness and outreach campaign on response service opportunities and supporting the Volunteer Generation Fund.
    • Click for a fact sheet from the office of Sen. Coons.

 

What’s Next?

The path forward is to try to get supplemental funding and provisions from the legislation into the next COVID relief package. Congress and the White House are in negotiations about the next stimulus bill. The CORPS Act was not included in the various stimulus bills that Senate Republicans introduced in late July, but, at this stage in the negotiation process, we’re told the CORPS Act is being given serious consideration as Senior Senate Republicans have expressed their support.

 

Great American Outdoors Act

Status

The president signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law on August 4, 2020.

 

What Will It Do?

This law is mainly comprised of two previous bills, the Restore Our Parks Act and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act. It is the most significant investment in conservation funding in decades. It seeks to address the deferred maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian

Education. This law could be a potential windfall of project work for Corps. The Corps Network worked with the office of Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) on an amendment that would, to the maximum extent practicable, give preference to Corps for the deferred maintenance project work funded in this bill. There was a worry that opening the bill up to the amendment process would ultimately ruin the bill’s chance of passing the Senate. Sen. Hirono filed her amendment but did not request a vote on it.

 

What’s Next?

The Corps Network has begun outreach to our federal partners to gain a better understanding of how and when the funds will be used for project work. We have also reached out to our Congressional champions to ask for them to weigh in with the federal land management agencies regarding a role for Corps in implementation.

 

 

Civilian Conservation Corps Bills

Several bills have been introduced regarding creation of a modern Civilian Conservation Corps, reminiscent of the program from the New Deal Era. Of those bills, the ones that The Corps Network has been involved in developing include:

The 21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act

On May 11, 2020, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the 21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act. This bill would provide significant investment in wildfire prevention and resiliency efforts. The Corps Network worked closely with Sen. Wyden’s staff on the development of this legislation and drafted the Department of Labor provision in the bill. This provision is for $9 billion for the Department of Labor to establish a Civilian Conservation Corps program. These funds would be used by qualified Corps to increase job training and hiring, specifically for outdoor jobs helping restore public lands and watersheds. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), along with Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), introduced the House companion bill on June 18, 2020. The bills from both Sen. Wyden and Rep. Neguse include “Corps preference” language. This language encourages partnering with qualified Corps to the maximum extent practicable on the projects funded through these bills.

 

The 21st Century Conservation Corps Act

On August 5, 2020, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Corey Booker (D-NJ), introduced The 21st Century Conservation Corps Act. This legislation combines provisions from Senator Wyden’s previously introduced 21st Century Conservation Corps for our Health and Our Jobs Act and from Senator Booker’s Climate Stewardship Act of 2019. It includes the provision directing funding to the Department of Labor for a Civilian Conservation Corps program. It also includes a Reforest America Grant program that gives priority to applications that include qualified Corps and a focus on urban reforestation.

 

The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

On June 30, 2020, the Democratic Members of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released an action plan. This action plan includes several recommendations on how to solve the climate crisis. They recommend reestablishing the Civilian Conservation Corps and establishing a Climate Resilience Service Corps. The latter is based off of legislation that The Corps Network worked on with the office of Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), The Climate Resiliency Service Corps Act of 2019. It also references Rep. Joe Neguse’s (D-CO) 21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act. On August 25, 2020, the Senate Democrats Climate Committee released their own action plan, which also calls for a CCC.

 

 

Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR Act)

Status

On July 29, 2020, the House Natural Resources Committee held a markup (process by which a U.S. congressional committee debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation) that included Rep. Deb Haaland’s (D-NM) Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act. This legislation sets and revises provisions regarding special recreation permits for use by individuals and groups engaging in recreational activities on federal recreational lands and water. The Democratic Committee staff incorporated in the SOAR Act the “Corps preference” language found in Rep. Neguse’s 21st Century Conservation Corps for our Jobs and Health Act. By including this language in more legislation, the hope is that it will set a precedent for the language to be included in applicable legislation moving forward. The bill passed out of Committee and is believed to be a strong candidate to be on the House’s calendar in the fall.

 

What Would It Do?

If signed into law as written with the Corps preference, Conservation Corps programs operating under PLC authority would be preferred partners for related recreation projects and would also benefit from a matching funds waiver. Presumably, this would allow Corps to field more positions and with better member benefits.

 

What’s Next?

This legislation is considered a top contender to be included on the House’s suspension calendar in the fall. Moving a bill through a process under “suspension of the rules” allows for quickly passing non-controversial bills in the House of Representatives, often limiting debate and without amendments.