From conservation to education to social activism, AmeriCorps programs help fill need in NH
According to AmeriCorps, more than 2,200 people participated at New Hampshire’s 282 service locations in 2022. There is a broad range of local opportunities – helping those impacted by COVID-19 or the opioid epidemic, aiding communities after disasters, helping seniors and veterans, and being involv
Isabella Giancola of Derry has been keeping a conservation journal documenting her time at Newfound Lake.
One recent entry describes creating a “loon nest raft” for a future pair of loons and their offspring. The raft offers loons structure and shade in their preferred marshy areas, Giancola explained in the journal.
She is one of three watershed stewards serving this summer at Newfound Lake Region Association, one of seven host sites in the Lakes Region Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps state service program.
Watershed stewards at Newfound Lake conduct hands-on environmental education and conservation work, and serve on a half-time (900 hours) basis, from May to October. Some of the seven host sites – which also include Green Mountain Conservation Group, Squam Lakes Conservation Society, Camp Hale, The Nature Conservancy, Mount Washington Observatory, and Lakes Region Conservation Trust – provide full-time (1,700 hours) programs and all programs offer a variety of benefits ranging from housing stipends to education loan forgiveness.
Giancola performs water quality testing, combats erosion, assesses properties, restores and repairs docks, and helps create a plan for the lake’s residents to be more “watershed friendly.”
She says stormwater management – improving rain runoff from housing complexes – has become a big project, especially given July’s heavy rains.
“We fixed a broken culvert that had caved in from all the rain. There was heavy erosion on the side of the road. So we built it up again and cleaned it out so water can flow clear to the lake,” says Giancola, who loves working in this region of New Hampshire.
“You have the Pemigewasset River that runs through Bristol. Newfound Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the United States. And the people here love supporting all the local events. It’s just a really beautiful community,” Giancola says.
According to AmeriCorps, more than 2,200 people participated at New Hampshire’s 282 service locations in 2022. There is a broad range of local opportunities – helping those impacted by COVID-19 or the opioid epidemic, aiding communities after disasters, helping seniors and veterans, and being involved with conservation and climate change efforts. Depending on the program and the individual role, members must be ages 17 to 25, be high school graduates or working toward a GED.
Giancola, who will attend her senior year at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., this fall, found NLRA through her college advisor.
“This was something I really connected to, and I wanted to help out in any way I can. And conservation science is kind of my main focus in school,” Giancola says.
Danielle Plumlee is AmeriCorps program manager for LRCC at Squam Lakes Association.
“I enjoy seeing the next generation of conservation professionals come through the program, gaining the skills, experiences and confidence that sets them up to leave the program and continue on into the field of conservation. It’s always a little bittersweet saying goodbye to the crew that you’ve spent five to 10 months with, but each group teaches me something new,” Plumlee says.
Plumlee’s path was similar to Giancola’s. A 2019 University of Maine graduate, Plumlee joined LRCC to gain experience and certifications. She completed two 900-hour service terms at Squam Lakes, and in 2020 became LRCC program manager.
Plumlee says LRCC AmeriCorps members are a “driving force,” including controlling the spread of invasive variable milfoil at the lake.
“Areas that used to be chock-full of the plant are now held in check with the maintenance efforts of our LRCC divers,” says Plumlee.
Southern New Hampshire University student Rebekah Jardon of Ossipee is seeking a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, with a focus on natural resources and conservation.
After a six-year stint with the U.S. Air Force, Jardon wanted to continue at AmeriCorps through the Lakes Region Conservation Trust.
“I love the outdoors and New Hampshire’s natural heritage, so I wanted to be a part of protecting our outdoor spaces,” she says.
Jardon maintains trails, helps remove invasive plant species, participates in guided hikes and paddles, and monitors conservation easement.
“I get to work with some really great volunteers that do excellent work for the environment,” she says.
While AmeriCorps aids in conservation efforts around the state, service members may be drawn to its other programs. City Year New Hampshire members can mentor kids in Manchester-area schools, while Granite State Education Corps members can provide a support system for students with emotional or social challenges.
Pawn Nitichan, executive director for City Year New Hampshire and senior vice president of City Year, says working with members has kept her inspired.
“I get to work with these amazing young people who are generous, good, passionate and really want to make a difference in the lives of the students,” says Nitichan, who has been with the organization for about 20 years.
Manchester Excels partners with Goodwill AmeriCorps and Southern New Hampshire University. Members in SNHU’s Masters of Education program interact with students in grades 5 through 12 and focus on STEM coursework.
Still other AmeriCorps members are inspired to help domestic abuse survivors.
Allison Calnan of Wakefield, Mass., majored in psychology and criminal justice at Keene State College. After interning at Monadnock Center for Violence and Prevention (MCVP), her supervisor, Kathy Mota, suggested she try the AmeriCorps Victim Assistance Program (AVAP), a program of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV). Members must be 18 or older to apply. Through community service, AVAP members help domestic and sexual violence survivors who are victims of financial abuse. Others may be victims of stalking and human trafficking.
With a focus on economic security and empowerment, AVAPs help people repair their credit, open a bank account, and learn how to budget.
Calnan loved what she was doing and working with her colleagues.
“I wanted to keep helping survivors as best as I could and this program seemed like the way to do just that. This particular program is unlike anything else I’d ever done and it’s a great stepping stone for recent graduates trying to get their foot in the door, so I decided to try it,” says Calnan in an email.
Through the AVAP program, Calnan answers the phone and helps survivors one-on-one.
“We work with survivors every day. This may include responding to the hospital because a client was assaulted, going to court with them to file paperwork or attend hearings, put them into a hotel or our emergency shelter, or help them find shelter elsewhere,” says Calnan, who gets additional training through NHCADSV.
The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence cites statistics from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, which states 99 percent of abusive relationships have some form of financial abuse.
AVAP program manager Lindsey Franck says the AmeriCorps program addresses a crucial need in the community.
“Abusers often control victims’ access to money, because it effectively prevents survivors from escaping the relationship,” says Franck.
AVAP’s economic empowerment programs offer resources and financial literacy services so that survivors can get back on their feet and find independence.
Other members as liaisons between survivors and those in the criminal justice system, can aid in plea discussions or help them find victims’ compensation.
Calnan realizes that AVAP can’t solve every problem that survivors face, but says it’s a start.
“I’ve had to accept that there are going to be times when there’s not much that we are able to do; we do what we can. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is sit, listen, and validate,” says Calnan about the program.
Calnan suggests people keep an open mind when faced with situations of trauma.
“We work with people from all walks of life, and trauma affects everyone differently. I think it’s important that we are all aware of our own biases and how our experiences have shaped our worldview in order to better understand survivors.”
Calnan plans to continue at AVAP for another year, and is contemplating a doctorate in psychology. She’s keeping her options open.
“Regardless of where I end up, I would love to continue helping survivors,” she says.
On the web
- Visit the NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence at https://www.nhcadsv.org/avap.html.
- For more on the economic empowerment programs visit https://www.nhcadsv.org/economicempowerment.html. The Coalition’s 24 /7 statewide helpline is 1-866-644-3574.
- Visit LRCC at: https://www.lakesregionconservationcorps.org
- Find out more about AmeriCorps in New Hampshire at: https://americorps.gov/national-service-report/nh and https://volunteernh.org/national-service/americorps-state-national/
