AmeriCorps
What Goodwill NNE AmeriCorps Does
Goodwill manages AmeriCorps programs that strengthen communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont by placing volunteers in local nonprofits, municipalities, and schools. These AmeriCorps members support the long-term health of communities through their selfless commitment.
20,619
Total hours served – 2024
49
locations served
128
members and volunteers
Find the Program That is Right for You
Education
Manchester Excels
Goodwill NNE AmeriCorps partners with the Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) campus-based School of Education for the Manchester Excels program, an innovative program to help aspiring teachers realize their dream.
“When I heard about the Manchester Excels program, it so perfectly aligned with my desire for community engagement and working towards a teaching certificate and education degree that I applied to it within an hour of hearing about it.”
Manchester Excels AmeriCorps members are co-enrolled in the Master’s in Secondary Education and initial licensure program in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. Manchester Excels members engage directly with middle and high school students in the greater Manchester area, serving for 13 months while taking classes on campus to become a certified New Hampshire teacher. A dedicated faculty advisor and three professors at SNHU, along with experienced on-site teachers, provide expertise, support, and real-time guidance throughout the program. This program prepares members to confidently become certified classroom teachers in middle and/or high schools in one of five content areas. In addition to earning their master’s degree, members earn a certificate in trans-disciplinary competencies including STEM Education Badges.
Cohorts start every June and conclude in July of the following year. This includes serving full-time as a clinical teaching assistant in a local classroom September–June. The cost of tuition at SNHU is supported by the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award as well as a bi-weekly stipend from AmeriCorps.
Interested candidates should submit an application to the Manchester Excels program through Southern New Hampshire University. To learn more from our staff, please contact Program Coordinator, Jenna Rouleau at Jenna.Rouleau@goodwillnne.org or (603) 573-1923.
Public Health
Goodwill NNE’s GoodHealth Works AmeriCorps program helps strengthen the public health workforce in Maine by placing AmeriCorps members in health centers, substance use recovery programs, public schools, and other community-based organizations to address urgent community health needs.
AmeriCorps members engage youth in substance use prevention programs, develop food security initiatives, provide education around vaccinations, create community integration opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and research and implement interventions to address the pressing health challenges faced by underserved communities. Through this work, members gain meaningful hands-on experience and are often hired into professional public health roles immediately after completing their term of service.
Members receive CDC training and complete site-based workforce development training leading to one of three certifications: Recovery Coach, Emerging Youth Development Leaders Fellowship, or Maine Community Health Worker. These trainings and experiences help build a strong foundation for those pursuing careers in public health. The overarching goal is to improve health outcomes for communities today while developing a resilient public health workforce for the future.
To express interest in becoming a member or hosting a member, please complete our interest survey or contact Program Coordinator, Delaney Donovan at delaney.donovan@goodwillnne.org or (207) 298-8828.
Summer AmeriCorps Terms
AmeriCorps is a great opportunity to get meaningful professional experience while on school break.Through the Public Health AmeriCorps and GoodwillHealth Works AmeriCorps programs, Goodwill NNE offers 300- and 450-hour direct service positions in partnership with summer youth development and public health programs across Maine.
Upon successful completion of their term, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, loan forbearance on qualified student loans, and interest accrual paid off upon successful term completion.
To express interest in becoming a member or hosting a member, please complete our interest survey or contact Program Coordinator, Delaney Donovan at delaney.donovan@goodwillnne.org or (207) 298-8828.
Addressing Poverty
The Goodwill VISTA Partnership
Since 2015, the Goodwill VISTA Partnership has sought to alleviate poverty in communities across Maine and New Hampshire from the most rural areas to the most populous cities. At present, members are placed in partner agencies situated from the Seacoast of New Hampshire to the border towns of Lubec and Limestone, Maine.
The diverse work of our AmeriCorps VISTA members contributes to the capacity-building and organizational-development goals of local agencies, including schools and nonprofits, providing invaluable boosts to the wellbeing of communities. Our VISTA Members work to reduce poverty at these organizations through indirect service such as creating new programs, assisting with community assessments, fundraising and grant writing, communications work, increasing social media presence, and recruiting and managing volunteers among other projects. The organizations we partner with focus on important community issues including but not limited to affordable housing, support for seniors, food security, assisting New Americans, educational support, and accessible transportation.
In 2023, our VISTA members provided over 3,000 hours of service, working to recruit over 1,405 new volunteers, leveraging over 1.1 million dollars for host-site organizations, and creating 243 new and enhanced systems and business processes. The positive impact VISTA members offer their local communities is remarkable and continues to build year after year.
To learn more about becoming a Goodwill VISTA Partnership host site or member, please contact Scott Dupee at Scott.Dupee@goodwillnne.org or (603) 229-7235.
About AmeriCorps
Benefits to being an AmeriCorps member:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($7,395*)
- Bi-Weekly Living Allowance (approximately $1,000 for full-time members; varies depending on location)
- Student Loan Forbearance for eligible federal loans (interest paid by AmeriCorps)
- Childcare reimbursement if eligible
- Health Benefits
- Training and Professional Development
- Relocation Assistance (VISTA only)
- Non-Competitive Eligibility for federal employment (for 1 year after program completion; VISTA only)
- Life Navigator (on-staff licensed counselor for members)
Want to host an AmeriCorps member at your school or organization?
Goodwill is always looking to expand its partners across northern New England. If your organization could benefit from the assistance of an AmeriCorps or AmeriCorps VISTA member, we would love to hear from you. Host site organizations are responsible for providing a designated supervisor, suitable workspace, onsite orientation, and support and resources to help AmeriCorps members achieve personal and professional goals. If you are interested in partnering with AmeriCorps and hosting a member at your organization, get in touch by filling out our interest survey. To learn more through our social media, view videos, or sign up for our newsletter, click here!
