AmeriCorps VISTA

Each year, AmeriCorps VISTA offers over 8,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to address the root causes of poverty through a year of service. For over 50 years, VISTA members have been performing indirect service by developing new programs, raising funds, recruiting volunteers, managing projects, building capacity, and assisting families in breaking the cycle of poverty.

For recent graduates, VISTA provides real-world experience unmatched by any entry-level job. For those with a more extensive work record, VISTA allows members to apply their veteran skills and knowledge to serious social problems. In return for a year of service, each VISTA member receives a modest living allowance, health benefits, training opportunities, student loan forbearance or deferment, and ongoing professional development. Upon completing their terms, VISTAs obtain a Segal Education Award along with a year of non-competitive eligibility for a federal government position. The greatest benefit of all, however, is the chance to positively impact one’s community and country. 

PCRG and AmeriCorps VISTA

The rapidly changing landscape of Pittsburgh-area neighborhoods and municipalities poses unique challenges and opportunities for grassroots organizations. In some areas, rapid growth threatens to displace low to moderate-income residents, while other neighborhoods suffer from long-standing decay and under-investment. PCRG VISTAs placed with PCRG and its community-focused partners aim to build the programming, resources, and organizational capacity necessary to capitalize on these changes. Not surprisingly, their assignments reflect the remarkable diversity of Greater Pittsburgh, concerning issues as varied as urban blight, affordable housing, and entrepreneur development. 

PCRG is one of the thousands of active AmeriCorps VISTA sponsors nationwide. We place VISTAs at partner nonprofits across the Pittsburgh region and directly with PCRG. Besides those assigned to PCRG, our members have serviced The Buhl Foundation, Manchester Citizens Corporation, Perry Hilltop/Fineview Citizens Council, Hazelwood Initiative, New Sun Rising, and Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED).