Homeless Services of Aroostook Resource Development & Volunteer Capacity VISTA

One shelter. One mission. Countless lives changed. Join the only homeless shelter serving Aroostook County, Maine—the largest county east of the Mississippi and one of the state’s most rural regions. 

Homeless Services of Aroostook (HSA) is a nonprofit organization that has served individuals and families experiencing homelessness throughout Aroostook County since 1984. Founded by Sister Mary O’Donnell, HSA is the only general homeless shelter serving Maine’s largest and most rural county.

The agency operates 57 year-round shelter beds through its emergency shelter and Aroostook Bridge programs, with an additional 15 seasonal beds available during the winter Warming Shelter program to ensure no one is left without a safe place during extreme weather.

HSA provides essential basic needs, including safe shelter, meals, showers, laundry facilities, case management, housing navigation, and connections to community resources that help individuals and families achieve long-term housing stability. As a nonprofit organization, HSA relies heavily on community support through volunteers, individual donors, businesses, foundations, and grant funding. An AmeriCorps VISTA member would play a critical role in strengthening the organization’s long-term sustainability by expanding and managing HSA’s volunteer program, building community partnerships, researching grant opportunities, and assisting with grant writing to secure additional funding for programs and operations. Mission: Homeless Services of Aroostook strives to provide compassionate support, safe shelter, and essential resources to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. We are committed to empowering lives through housing, advocacy, and pathways to self-sufficiency, fostering dignity and hope for a brighter future. For more information, please visit www.aroostookhomeless.org

Homeless Services of Aroostook (HSA) provides emergency shelter, basic human needs, and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness across Aroostook County. As housing instability continues to rise, HSA is working to expand its capacity through strengthened funding streams and a more structured, sustainable volunteer program. 

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will strengthen Homeless Services of Aroostook’s organizational capacity by expanding grant development efforts and building a sustainable volunteer management program. Responsibilities include researching funding opportunities, assisting with grant writing, developing grant tracking systems, compiling data for proposals, and creating grant templates and funding calendars. The member will also recruit volunteers, develop volunteer position descriptions, establish onboarding and training materials, create policies and procedures, implement a volunteer database, and develop strategies for volunteer recruitment, retention, and recognition. Additional activities include collaborating with staff and community partners, documenting systems for long-term sustainability, training staff on new tools, and recommending strategies to increase volunteer engagement and resource development to support HSA’s mission of serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

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)
• 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
• Extensive Training
• Meals

*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.

The positive impact VISTA members offer their local communities is remarkable and continues to build year after year. Descriptions of all Goodwill AmeriCorps Positions can be found at: goodwillnne.org/jobs/americorps/positions/.