Project LEAP
Leadership Education to Address Poverty
SMILE Center
There are currently eight programs in the Fresno area that are recruiting VISTA members as part of Project LEAP (Leadership Education to Address Poverty). Applications for VISTA positions are being accepted now, unless otherwise noted. A brief summary of each program follows. For a more in depth description of each VISTA assignment, follow the link after each summary.
Fresno READS: Recruits, trains, and places university students as reading tutors for children in kindergarten through third grade. The Fresno READS VISTA will coordinate all aspects of this project and will be based at California State University, Fresno.
Jumpstart: Brings together at-risk preschool children and university students through one-to-one relationships that focus on building literacy in combination with social and emotional readiness. The VISTA works with other Jumpstart staff to support all aspects of this nationally recognized program.
ReadFresno: Pairs volunteer readers with children in grades 1-3 as well as distributes books and other educational materials, free of charge, to schools and organizations serving low-income families and at-risk youth in Fresno County. The VISTA volunteer would focus on the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan to acquire and distribute books, and research other needed resources, to expand the program throughout Fresno County with the goal to make ReadFresno replicable and sustainable.
Resource Development/Communiy Relations: This VISTA member, based at Lutheran Campus Ministry, will develop and coordinate the fundraising and resource development efforts of the project through grant writing, fundraising events, and building relationships with key partners in the community.
SMILE Center: Offers after-school tutoring and mentoring support for at-risk children at two local elementary schools, utilizing students from California State University, Fresno. The VISTA member will serve as the Program Coordinator and will provide leadership for the recruitment, training and placement of the SMILE Center tutors/mentors.
University HOPE: Builds homes for low-income families, and engages in other neighborhood revitalization projects as needed. The University HOPE VISTA member will provide planning and leadership support for all elements of this housing project, including the development of relationships with University and community volunteers and construction professionals.
AmeriCorps VISTA Opportunities
Focus Forward: Works to build community support of programs and services for children and youth in the Fresno County juvenile justice and child welfare systems. The VISTA members will be responsible for coordinating the activities of the Focus Forward after-care programs that provide tutoring and mentoring resources for incarcerated youth as they transition back into the community.
Reading and Beyond: This VISTA member will be responsible for developing and leading educational programs for children and families at one of 12 community learning sites in Fresno. Coordinators also have an opportunity to motivate and support college student tutors and volunteers and parents. Coordinators will receive initial and ongoing training and support.
AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) provides full-time members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations, and public agencies to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty.
For more information about Project LEAP, please contact:
Kelly Miller
Project LEAP VISTA Coordinator
(559) 224-9058
kcmiller09@gmail.com
Project LEAP VISTA Coordinator
(559) 224-9058
kcmiller09@gmail.com
Chris Fiorentino
Project LEAP Director
(559) 278-7079
chrisf@csufresno.edu
Project LEAP Director
(559) 278-7079
chrisf@csufresno.edu
Fresno, California