Throughout the life of the Coalition, more than 200 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers have been placed in literacy agencies all over Tennessee.  These full-time volunteers build capacity for the organizations they work with, performing indirect rather than direct service.  For instance, a VISTA member would not primarily teach learners to read, but would instead recruit and train volunteer tutors.  This creates sustainability for the organization, so that the VISTA's efforts will continue beyond their year of service.  The Coalition's VISTA Literacy Project exists thanks to the Corporation for National & Community Service.

The Coalition's AmeriCorps VISTA Literacy Project aims to:

• Expand existing volunteer programs and/or develop a volunteer program as appropriate.

• Use community contacts and develop new ones to raise awareness of services available to learners and of the value of the agency’s programs to the community as a whole.  They will help solicit donations of in-kind goods and services to sustain the agency’s ability to provide those programs to learners.

• Solicit financial support from individuals, businesses and foundations to supplement the agency’s annual budget and/or fund specific programs.

• Enhance agency systems and infrastructure to better equip the agency to serve community need.

Find out more about hosting an AmeriCorps VISTA or becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA on the corresponding pages.  The Tennessee Literacy Coalition can only place VISTAs in Tennessee, so if your program is in another state, please contact your Corporation for National & Community Service state office.

All VISTA members must attend Pre-Service Orientation (PSO).  This is a three day long training, that occurs just before a VISTA member's service year begins.  Generally, the PSOs that our VISTA members attend are held in Atlanta.  The day after the completion of PSO marks the first day of VISTA member service.  Future Pre-Service Orientations for 2009 are listed below.