AmeriCorps Southern Region Campus opened in Vicksburg in 2010 in the former All Saints’ Episcopal School’s administrative buildings and dorms. Since that time corps members have provided assistance to schools, communities and churches. Additionally AmeriCorps builds character in those that volunteer. Young people in search of purpose in their lives often stay committed to service wherever they go in life as a result of their AmeriCorps experiences.
“For those that are worried about your generation, I would simply tell them to come to AmeriCorps and see what y’all do,” Governor Phil Bryant said during a 2013 graduation at the campus. “I want to congratulate you on your achievements … The sheer benefit and joy of helping people you don’t know — there’s nothing greater than when that person says thank you.”
Four teams of members from across the country have been working on projects at the Vicksburg National Military Park, Crawford Street United Methodist Church, Sherman Avenue Elementary and with the City of Vicksburg since March 7 and will be wrapping up this week.
“NCCC is more committed than ever to having Vicksburg residents benefit from hosting our campus,” Rich Smith, Deputy Region Director for Programming for the Southern Region, said. “Our teams this month are improving our city’s parks, providing more attention and encouragement to our children, and enabling critical home improvements to take place this summer.”
The teams in Vicksburg are winding down and putting their finishing touches on projects this week before heading out to their next sites in new locations around the Southeast. New teams, with large shoes to fill, will come in and take their place, continuing to help Vicksburg continue to better itself and maybe recover another lost gem.
In August 2013 Vicksburg businesswoman Linda Fondren gave outgoing AmeriCorps workers some advice for planning their futures: “help others, that brings us together in a way nothing else can,” she said. “Be able to work and serve your community and serve each other. It is the way we can make life better.”
AmeriCorps has indeed made a big impact in a short period of time here in our community. They can make us a better community, a stronger nation and a stronger people. It’s worth the investment. AmeriCorps NCCC has made a big impact here. We hope it’s a relationship that continues for many years to come.