AVESTA Housing Advancement VISTA

Position Summary

Position details

Term Date: Flexible Start Dates for Year-Long Position
Location: Portland, ME
Focus Area: Community Outreach, Poverty

Are you creative, organized, and enthusiastic? Do you want to be part of the solution to the affordable housing crisis? Join us and create sustainable effective communications systems and content!

Avesta is the largest nonprofit affordable housing provider in Northern New England. We are tackling the urgent need for affordable housing, which has a long-lasting impact on our communities. Stable housing provides a foundation for individuals and families to build healthy and fulfilling lives. Avesta’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities by promoting and providing quality affordable homes for people in need. We envision a future where communities thrive because everyone has a place to call home. Avesta works to end the cycle of poverty by providing homes and support services that help very low- and low-income individuals and families achieve housing stability. You can read more about us at AvestaHousing.org. Avesta’s Advancement Team is responsible for raising philanthropic dollars to support the organization’s work. These funds are critical to providing the highest quality of services to Avesta residents and to increasing access to affordable housing in our communities. The Advancement Team is also responsible for public relations and communications efforts that effectively tell the story of the important work Avesta does in the community while highlighting opportunities to partner with the organization to serve low-income community members. This small team would like to increase and improve Avesta’s social media presence, including the use of video and the possible implementation of Instagram to help the public and potential donors better understand the affordable housing landscape and Avesta’s role within it.

The Avesta Housing Advancement Team VISTA member will work directly with the organization’s advancement officer to help develop and execute communication strategies including but not limited to these areas: social media and other online content, writing and visual representation, graphic design, photography, and videography. By improving Avesta’s communications and social media reach, the member will help the organization increase support for our work providing affordable housing for the individuals and families who need it. The member will meet with the Advancement Team and other Avesta departments to determine the ways in which video storytelling might help promote Avesta’s mission.

Benefits

  • Bi-Weekly Living Allowance of $957.46/Biweekly
  • Relocation Allowance of $750 plus $.40 per mile (for those moving more than 50 miles)
  • Health Benefits
  • Childcare Reimbursement if Eligible
  • Student Loan Forbearance for eligible federal loans (interest paid by AmeriCorps)
  • SNAP Eligibility (depending on financial situation)
  • Training and Professional Development
  • Life Navigator (on-staff licensed counselor for members)
  • Choice of Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($7,395) or an end-of-term bonus ($1,800) upon term completion
  • Non-Competitive Eligibility for federal employment for one-year post-term

*Individuals are limited to two full Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards in their lifetime

Already have a MyAmeriCorps account and want to apply for this specific role? You can find that listing on MyAmeriCorps here.

Organization

Avesta Housing

Portland, ME

Goodwill VISTA Partnership

The Goodwill VISTA Partnership works to reduce poverty in communities across Maine and New Hampshire through indirect service, such as creating and running programs, fundraising and grant writing, communications work, increasing social media presence, recruiting volunteers, as well as assisting with community assessments, among other projects. Focus areas of partner agencies include public health, food security, environmental justice, educational support, youth development, housing, and more!