In light of the recent economic downturn, many non-profit and educational organizations have been forced to make cuts to their programs.  These challenges directly reduce their ability to support their communities. CalSERVES AmeriCorps VIP is working to meet this need and strengthen these important organizations.

The Mission of CalSERVES-AmeriCorps Volunteer Infrastructure Project (VIP) is to provide essential services to California's highest-need families and children.  VIP Fellows help create volunteer programs at community organizations that provide services to combat issues such as hunger, homelessness, literacy, and education.

Our unique structure is future focused - members are working hard now to create a volunteer system that will allow community organizations to provide essential services for years to come.   VIP Fellows focus a majority of their time on building capacity to ensure an organization's success and health moving forward.

The design of our program allows us to serve a large and diverse population.  With 140 full time AmeriCorps VIP members in 18 California counties, we have already placed 16,010 volunteers at various high-need organizations!

The scope of our program is diverse and far-reaching - you will find a VIP Fellow at the food bank in San Luis Obispo, after school program in Sonoma County, women's center in Santa Cruz, and community center in San Diego.  As a result, our program identifies with all of the "Serve America Act Focus Areas."

"The AmeriCorps VIP program has proven not only to be beneficial, but necessary. Spread between two warehouses, the Food Bank only comprises of 23 paid employees, otherwise we gratefully rely on our pool of 400+ volunteers!  Our VIP fellows Stephanie Lossinsky and Megan Chicoine both handle our large database of volunteers, as they work and orchestrate opportunities for those who want to participate in the community. It is so important to nurture and establish positive, fun relations with the generous people who want to help the county, and Stephanie and Megan surely do that with great verve, leadership, and administration." -Wendy Lewis, the Associate Executive Director of the Food Bank Coalition:

"On March 22nd Santa Cruz hosted its second annual Project Homeless Connect in the downtown Civic Center. This project led over a thousand homeless individuals and families to 60 different agency resources that they would otherwise not have access to, including health care, housing opportunities, and a hot meal. Volunteers ran every aspect of this community-building day. United Way VIP Sean Griffin helped recruit, train, and place 450 volunteers for the event." -Lauren Serpa, VIP Statewide Leader

"At the Fresno County EOC Sanctuary this month the real difference that was made was in helping the Street Outreach clients we serve. Assisting them with basic human needs, helping them transition to stable housing and provide other resources that will benefit them is how I feel Iʼve made a difference."   -Volunteer at FCEOC