By: Aimee White

I've often joked to my friends and family that they should've handed me a food stamps application when they gave me my college diploma. Everyone always laughs, but it's true: I'm a 22 year old college graduate on food stamps.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth by any means, but my parents did what they could to provide for my brother and I and we never went without. We didn't necessarily have things in excess, but we were always fed, had clothes on our backs, and a roof to sleep under. In essence, I was very lucky.

So you can imagine that it was a hard pill to swallow to have to apply for food stamps once I became an AmeriCorps VISTA member. It's an even more humbling experience to have to find the Department of Human Services building and to write your case worker's name on the outside of your envelope. I have to think to myself, "I have my bachelor's in social work, yet I have a case worker?" It's always a bit ironic.

The truth is, no one is above receiving help. Being a VISTA is an excellent opportunity to not only help those living in poverty but to really relate to them the best that we can. It's hard to gain people's trust and to prove to them that you're capable of helping them, but it's even harder when either of you sense an imbalance in privilege. I have always felt very lucky to have been given the opportunity to get a college education, and I feel like I would be wasting it if I didn't use to help those less fortunate than me.

Reading how to help someone out of a textbook and actually doing it are two totally different things, and AmeriCorps has given me the chance to learn that firsthand. Although I work at building the capacity of my local branch of Safe Place instead of directly with the youth, I can still see the benefits of my outreach every day. No matter how little it seems like I'm accomplishing some days, I know that it's more than this program had six months ago, and it's enough to make me proud.

Aimee White is a VISTA for the Safe Place Program at LINK House in Kingsport, TN

^{By: Lisa-Sun Gresham}

Every day I am reminded of how daunting life can seemingly be facing the struggles of living at the poverty level. Unexpected accidents, a car breaks down, a sudden and unforeseen illness, budgeting for food, gas, rent and utilities while working diligently to keep warm, safe, and dry is a challenge for anyone regardless of status, prestige, or income. The circumstances of life pile up like mountains before our very eyes but that isn't the hardest part, what it really boils down to is that it is not hard to climb a mountain, it is hard choosing which mountain to climb first. When you have troubles many times it looks like nothing will improve, that any effort is a drop in the bucket, and I can say that I am happily adding myself as one more drop.

Looking back I had just graduated from college with three choices: AmeriCorps, Graduate school, or trying to find a job. My decision was AmeriCorps which is what brought me to YMCA Safe Place Services hundreds of miles away from home. I truly wouldn't have it any other way because I have gained friendships, camaraderie, skills to live independently, and a bountiful wealth of knowledge about the non-profit sector, as well as personal growth and self-revelatory experiences. I wondered what it meant to "build capacity" for my agency and so far my greatest contribution has been research, writing and editing grant proposals. I never thought I would learn so much in-depth information about the various programs here just by writing.

Each component of Shelter House, Y-NOW, Street Outreach, and Project Safe Place is immensely valuable to the community of teens and families served here in Louisville. I typically spend my days quietly working in a back room office and as I sit, floating on the air are the conversations of the staff speaking passionately, joyfully about the daily goings on in the building. Their words give me strength, encouragement and insight into what it takes to reunify families and support the development of youth into leaders capable of overcoming obstacles.

Giving back to the community through service to others, becoming a mentor in the Y-NOW Mentoring Children of Prisoners program and learning how to listen to the often unheard voices of at-risk youth has been life-changing for me mentally and emotionally. In the face of poverty I have chosen to light a candle rather than curse the darkness, and in this way I hope to make the lives of those I touch a bit better every day.

Lisa-Sun Greshman is a VISTA for the Safe Place Program at YMCA Safe Place Services in Louisville, KY

I struggled for a week with this entry, there have been so many experiences that I could blog about. I wanted to praise Youth Services System, Inc. and all that they do within this community. I wanted to praise the executive director, John Moses, whose leadership and selfless dedication is an inspiration. I wanted to praise the community, for their support; the awesome members of "my" Safe Place Advisory Committee, who stick with me; and development director, Mike Toothman, my current supervisor, for taking me under his wing.

I know that it appears that "I" am doing great things here in my VISTA assignment; I don't see it that way. Great things come from the energy and support of the amazing individuals that I have around me.

Why do I serve? That is simple; I serve because I was asked to. When I hit a brick wall or get overwhelmed, I remind myself that I am here for a reason. Sometimes it is just about this day, sometimes this moment. I may never know the purpose for my being here, or the difference that it may make. It doesn't matter; I just feel honored to have been chosen.

The late Ron Mulholland, founder of Youth Services, Inc. said, "A statement made in clear and unequivocal language-we care about kids. That there is no other priority, or agenda other than kids, and that we individually and corporately will sacrifice ourselves for kids."

I believe in the Safe Place Program, I believe in this agency, this community-MY community. It is that passion that I believe others can see when I talk about the Youth Services System Safe Place Program. To me, that is what makes the difference.

Sondra Jackson is a VISTA for the Safe Place Program at Youth Service Systems in Wheeling, WV

[T]he first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?".

I have spent a lot of time waxing philosophical to any who will listen about the impact that joining AmeriCorps has had on my life; I quit a job I genuinely enjoyed, left the big City, my friends, my apartment, the life I had built for myself and traded it for a car that b/rarely works, a miniscule income, a strange town, and a profound sense of uncertainty. I can even go on and on about why I did it: restlessness, a desire to give back, my passion for education, an urge to reprioritize my life. But at the end of the day, I have to remind myself that these things really shouldn't matter very much.

The week before this past Christmas, I found myself in Homeward Bound's rec room, a guest at a party that was being thrown by a group of community members for the youth staying in the shelter. The space was full of people: employees, kids, volunteers, cheer-bringers. In the middle of the festivities, a policeman appeared at the door with a young man in tow, a runaway who was far from home. The shelter coordinator, Kate Arthur, went into immediate action, rallying together the shelter employees to process the new addition. The young man not only received immediate counseling and support but was soon in the thrust of the party, receiving gifts as just another member of this unorthodox family.

I don't know what the future has in store for that young man, but with an unfortunate number of runaways trying to survive on the streets, I think it's important that he was able to sleep on a bed, under a roof, surrounded by people with a genuine concern for his welfare.

What is my role in all of this? It feels so small. When I hit constant road blocks, see constant disappointment, I feel as if I have done nothing to help youth like that aforementioned young man. I wonder if it is even worth me being here. These are the moments, at the end of days such as this, when I must remember that it does not matter why I have chosen to be here, why it does not matter how this makes me feel. I was the first person to open the door for the policeman that night and it is easy for me to take on the attitude that anyone could have done it, that others would have been more initially helpful to him, but if it had not been me, who would it have been? Who should it have been?

As MLK day quickly approaches, it is easy for me to stop to consider how fortunate I am to be an African-American female with a college degree, to be thankful that I can sit in the front of the bus, eat at a lunch counter, use a public restroom, etc. and I do believe that it is important for me to do so. I also believe that it was part of Dr. King's dream for all to be so fortunate and, as it stands, there are still youth of myriad race, class, intelligence who don't have a chance to live so safe a life. Because this chasm has been naught to me, it is my responsibility to turn around and help to build the bridge for the youth who follow, regardless of how good or bad the effort makes me feel at times, regardless of whether or not, in the end, I gave up everything only to be the person who opened one front door for one young man.

Marian Kelly is the Safe Place VISTA at the Homeward Bound Runaway Shelter in Covington, KY.

Becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA happened unexpectedly for me. After graduating college, I was in search of the 'dream post-college job' that the diploma I had just received promised would be out there. However, I had unknowingly graduated at the worst time possible with the economy falling headfirst into a recession. Even though I had the magic piece of paper that was suppose to open doors for me in the job market, it didn't seem to mean so much anymore. Determined to find a job that was similar to my degree, the job posting for a VISTA at the National Safe Place office caught my eye. Not knowing what the words 'VISTA' or 'AmeriCorps' meant I soon discovered a program that would not only provide me a job that was rewarding and fulfilling but would teach me more about life than any schooling or job could.

Being a part of this program has changed me. Ghandi has said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." I feel his words can sum up my experience so far with the VISTA program and National Safe Place. The goal of VISTA is to help build capacity in non-profit organizations and sustainable programs that will help communities and individuals out of poverty. Basically, being on the front lines of the war on poverty by immersing yourself in the community you are working with and experiencing firsthand what it means to live at poverty level.

Enlisting in the AmeriCorps VISTA, I had no assumptions that I could easily come into the community and solve its poverty problems. Even so, once I understood the reality of what poverty meant, how it was created and generated over and over again; I knew the job at hand was bigger than me or any one person. I accepted that the work I would be doing would only put a dent into the bigger picture yet it made me determined to make my mark in some way.

So, I jumped in head first with the National Safe Place program which is a great program for VISTA because it can help prevent poverty at the beginning of one's life. I learned all about the history of Safe Place, the goals, the programs, and the agencies. I helped launch an innovative new texting initiative titled "TXT 4 Help" so teens can quickly find a Safe Place location no matter where they are. I created a consistent presence for National Safe Place within social media and updated the forums that currently existed. I maintained a focus on editing and updating the programs of Safe Place and assisted NSP staff daily with any and all tasks and projects.

The amazing thing about Safe Place I quickly learned was the power a small group of people can have to create change and better opportunities in our communities. When you think of a national headquarters you assume a large group of people with multiple resources to create and sustain a program across the country. The National Safe Place office did not fit that criteria; though they are only an office of five, their passion, commitment, and vision to the organization is what makes it such a powerful and resourceful program around the United States. I think it is because of their passionate hard work that the program is so successful across the country through support to the agency coordinators, outreach workers, VISTAs, and volunteers.

With the Martin Luther King, Jr. day of service quickly approaching, I have been thinking about my impact as well as the impact our VISTAs in the local Safe Place agencies have had on the program. For myself, I sometimes feel that the daily office tasks seems minor to the great work our VISTAs have had in their agencies and communities; some being the only reason Safe Place is afloat in their communities. But I have come to realize our work as a whole has a Butterfly Effect. One small action puts an even bigger action into motion which in turn can create great change. All the supposed 'minor' work we do for the Safe Place program can have a greater effect on the citizens of the community in which we work.

Poverty has a similar effect. One small action such as being late on a payment or losing a job or car can send a person in a downward spiral into poverty before they know it. With the current economic state, people with degrees or high paying jobs are hitting rock bottom with one swift lay-off. Whatever impact I can make within this organization, no matter how small, I hope can have a positive effect to set in motion even bigger things to come and hopefully better the lives for the youth within our communities.

At my VISTA Orientation I learned that change is a gradual process and I will go into my next six months with Safe Place and VISTA with this thought: "To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded".