Karla, Cami, and Rachel at the start of their service in February 2023; Cami and Rachel received certificates of service from Eco3 AmeriCorps VISTA Coordinator, Phil. Karla is serving in Moorhead MN and received her certificate digitally.
Ecolibrium3 AmeriCorps VISTA members dedicate a year of service to help eradicate poverty by building the capacity of the organizations they serve. Three amazing VISTAs started their year of service last February, and their time is wrapping up this month. We are so grateful to all of them for their commitment to service!
Karla Hernandez has served as the Prairie Rose Agricultural Institute for Research, Innovation, and Education (PRAIRIE) Seeding the Future VISTA. PRAIRIE uses regenerative farming practices to address climate change and demonstrate equitable access to food and land.
Karla’s language skills have been indispensable this year. She has acted as a translator for Spanish speakers, helping community members fill out forms and access funds and resources. Karla has helped foster relationships among community members through setting up a resource fair, a suicide prevention training, and other ways for neighbors to connect. During Karla’s time at PRAIRIE she has helped grow the Cultura, Amigos, Salud, Ambiente (CASA) program, a cultural and community center specifically catering to the Latino community in Moorhead.
Campbell “Cami” Fischer has served as the Food Sovereignty VISTA with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, working to increase accessibility to fresh produce and culturally relevant foods. During her year of service, Cami worked to increase accessibility to fresh produce and culturally relevant foods.
Cami greatly enjoyed her year with the Fond du Lac Band. She gained work, agriculture, and community coordination experience. One highlight from the past year was writing and coordinating the grant and community meeting for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health grant, which will be used to put on quarterly honorable harvesting community events. After her service, Cami plans to pursue staying with the Fond du Lac Agricultural Division as a Food Sovereignty Outreach Coordinator.
Rachel Vaughn is serving as a Change and Community Outreach VISTA with at Lincoln Park Children and Families Collaborative (LPCFC). She has assisted in various administrative duties to help the community of Lincoln Park thrive through their youth and family programs and events. Over the course of her time with the Collaborative, Rachel assisted in various administrative duties to help the community of Lincoln Park thrive through youth and family programs and events. While working at LPCFC as an AmeriCorps VISTA Rachel was able to connect to the community on a personal level. She built relationships while connecting families to food, managed a program that gives free children’s books to the community, and assisted in the development of a Family Resource Center. Her favorite part of her service has been the friendships she has made with her fellow AmeriCorps members as well as the staff at her host site. As her service ends, Rachel plans to stay in Duluth and pursue a job in the nonprofit field.
During their year of service, these VISTA members had an incredible impact on the organizations and communities in which they served. Ecolibrium3 is grateful to work with these amazing individuals. Thank you Karla, Cami, and Rachel!