This blog post was written by Gerolly Lorenzo, Service Year Expansion Manager.
As soon as our country began feeling the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, AmeriCorps members stepped up to serve and #GetThingsDone. In Philadelphia, AmeriCorps members have been integral to supporting food access services. Without missing a beat, 131 volunteers and staff, including members from PowerCorpsPHL, Digital Service Fellows, Promise Corps, Artist Year, and AmeriCorps NextSteps distributed meals to students and families across 49 student meal sites.
AmeriCorps members like PowercorpsPHL’s Alijandrina Martinez have been volunteering alongside staff to ensure students have access to healthy, fresh foods, even when they’re not in school. Alijandrina has been volunteering at South Philadelphia High School where she is “so proud to have been a part of something that is the epitome of essential during this pandemic.”
Like all AmeriCorps members, Alijandrina took the AmeriCorps pledge to get things done for America – to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier. While each program is unique, every AmeriCorps member is united in their commitment to service, a commitment that remains true even during this global pandemic.
The Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service convenes the National Service Task Force Program Council, a coalition of over 25 service year programs in Philadelphia. The National Service Program Council meets monthly to share best practices and resources with one another to improve their programs. This unified network allowed for a quick and efficient response, permitting AmeriCorps members to be redeployed immediately to support the school district’s food operations since the schools closed in Philadelphia.
AmeriCorps members and City staff worked alongside School District Food Services staff to distribute 996,330 meals, feeding 181,785 students in Philadelphia over a 5-week span, finished on April 20. The road to COVID-19 recovery is long, but our AmeriCorps members have demonstrated a clear commitment to making sure our communities receive the support they need to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, #NationalServiceReponds because the need for service members to step up is greater now than ever before. So as we continue to thank those on the frontlines, let’s make sure to show our support to our national service members, who have upheld their pledge to Make Better Happen for our most vulnerable communities during these challenging times. If you are interested in giving back and supporting COVID-19 response efforts, like our AmeriCorps members, consider volunteering with local organizations providing life-sustaining services.
