Thoughts from our senior program director, Stacey Grant on service and effecting change.
Working in the field of comprehensive community development, I think a lot about change. Change in the work we do; change in the communities we serve; change in the people we work alongside. From the homes built and the clients counseled to get better paying jobs, to the youth provided positive out-of-school alternatives, the list of member accomplishments can go on and on.
LISC’s AmeriCorps members, whether young or more seasoned, are taking up the leadership challenge and making lasting, positive changes. They are at the forefront in helping people help themselves to gain access to scarce employment opportunities, aiding families in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure to find viable refinancing options and working with youth to provide safe alternatives through after-school programming.
And that’s the heart of the matter; isn’t it? We have to see the connections of our work and come together to make a difference that benefits us all. Every person is needed to make a contribution. It is our partnerships, our collaborative efforts and the trust we hold in one another that lead to change. We all possess talents that have made, can make and will continue to make a difference; no matter how big or small our role may seem at the time. I believe that every current and former LISC AmeriCorps member has contributed their all to the promise of a better community and has made a difference.
“You can really change the world if you care enough,” someone once said. The members selected to serve with our program are women and men who truly care about their communities. Our members will change our world with the hope and pride they have in making our neighborhoods better places.
Yours in service,
Stacey Grant
Senior Program Director, LISC AmeriCorps