Hi! I’m Amy Hingeveld and I am the AmeriCorps member serving as the Community Engagement Coordinator at Riverview Gardens®.
You may be asking yourself, “What even is AmeriCorps and how is it related to Riverview Gardens”? If so, you are reading the right blog! AmeriCorps is like the Peace Corps in that members strive to bring positive change and impact to a specific area. The difference is that AmeriCorps is a domestic, grant-funded program. Members such as myself, apply to specific host sites and if chosen, commit to a yearlong term of service. My program is through The Weight of the Fox Valley, and I am lucky enough to be serving at Riverview Gardens.
So, how did I get here? I graduated from college without a strong vision of where to go and what to do. I did, however, know a few things. I love being outside and I wanted to impact people in a very tangible way. I thought, maybe there was a way to combine them and I looked for opportunities that would provide me with those things. Low and behold, I found this posting for a yearlong term of service with AmeriCorps at Riverview Gardens. These two organizations together have enabled me to add value to my community, all while enjoying the great outdoors down on the Urban Farm.
I’ll be serving through the summer season, so make sure to stop by the farm to say hello and even volunteer!
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