AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) provides opportunities for people of all backgrounds and interests to help address pressing issues through national service and volunteerism. Through six key areas, AmeriCorps VISTAs work to make an impact through disaster services and support, economic opportunities and development, public education, environmental stewardship, healthy communities, and supporting veterans and military families.

New this year, EPA Region 7 (KS, NE, MO, IA, and adjoining Tribal Nations) partnered with the AmeriCorps VISTA program to launch the Green VISTA Corps Program. This program provides opportunities for community groups and volunteers to make meaningful change toward advancing environmental justice and anti-poverty efforts in historically underserved areas.

In an effort to support this partnership in Region 7, the Heartland Environmental Justice Center convened community members and organizations to brainstorm how a Green VISTA volunteer could support environmental justice efforts in Wichita, KS. Through coordination between EPA and nonprofit organizations in the area, we were able to support Storytime Village in their effort  develop an opportunity for a Green VISTA volunteer to support the organization’s efforts to research and inform the community about the significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts that neighborhoods in Wichita experience. Through efforts to address various environmental injustice issues, the Green VISTA volunteer will support Black and Latino/a communities in the north end of the city.  

The collaborative efforts of community members and organizations resulted in bringing a brand new program to the city. The group’s effort will have a lasting impact on the people and neighborhoods that the new Wichita Green VISTA volunteer serves.