“We are constantly reassuring students that everything is going to be okay, but also being super honest that we don’t know where things are going. It’s best to keep them task-oriented.”

Calep Smith
AmeriCorps adviser at Madison High School
Advise TX College Advising Corps at The University of Texas at Austin

When school closures were announced last month in response to COVID-19, the Advise TX College Advising Corps at The University of Texas at Austin sprang into action to ensure they could continue providing support to high school students throughout Texas. College Advising Corps engages recent college graduates as AmeriCorps members to provide on-campus mentorship and training to low-income, underrepresented, and first-generation students pursuing higher education.

“Because this organization was already equipped with the infrastructure to deal with a situation like this, it has been amazing to see all the resources that have been immediately made available to advisers to provide uninterrupted service to the student body,” said Cheryl Sawyer, Advise TX Program Director. “Whether we are physically present or not, our impact is felt, and the students that we serve are not missing a beat in getting the support that they need.”

The transition to virtual advising sessions has been smooth and intuitive for the program, which employs e-mail, text messaging, social media, and online conferencing tools to sustain its efforts. For students who lacked access to technology, AmeriCorps members have worked directly with schools to assist in finding ways to connect with students and keep them on track in their post-high school graduation plans.

To fill the gap in resources typically accessible on campus, several AmeriCorps members affiliated with Advise TX College Advising Corps have created and launched a virtual Go Center, an online portal high school students can visit to learn about college admissions, financial aid, and post-graduation options. The robust website has links to customized content for all 23 Texas high schools served by College Advising Corps at the UT program.

“It’s a tool that advisers can use to help guide their students if they are still hesitant or may not understand certain steps,” said Alexis Maxie, an AmeriCorps member who helped develop the project. “It combines a lot of outside resources so that students don’t have to look too hard to find the help that they need.”

The deeper challenge for AmeriCorps advisers has been coaching students through the anxiety and ambiguity of applying for college and financial aid in the midst of a global pandemic. The already-complex process has been further complicated by shifting deadlines and office closures—which add new barriers to securing required documents like transcripts, recommendation letters, and vaccination records. With many school districts announcing indefinite closures, some students are struggling to adapt to online coursework for the first time, and many are wondering about the logistics of graduation. Others who have already been granted college admission are disappointed and nervous about missing the critical campus orientation this summer.

In the midst of this uncertainty, AmeriCorps members have taken on the role of keeping students focused on their goals and identifying resources to keep them moving forward one step at a time.

“We are constantly reassuring them that everything is going to be okay, but also being super honest that we don’t know where things are going,” said AmeriCorps adviser Calep Smith, who serves at Madison High School in Houston. “It’s best to keep them task-oriented.”

Last week, Zachary Torres, an AmeriCorps adviser serving with Americas High School in El Paso, coached one student through the daunting process of choosing a college to attend. When the student expressed her intense anxiety around not being able to get in contact with admissions offices, Torres was able to secure a virtual online meeting with representatives from The University of Texas at Austin—who announced that the student would be receiving a full scholarship and helped finalize her decision.

“She has been messaging me daily trying to figure out things,” Torres said. “At the end of day, she is going to be able to attend her dream university. She has everything paid for, so that takes a worry off the shoulders of her and her parents. I think it has become a lot easier for her now to get through her days without stressing as much.”

AmeriCorps adviser Devany Cantu, who serves at PSJA Early College High School in the Rio Grande Valley, worked closely with one student who was distressed about the cancellation of his ACT admissions exam, which is a requirement for transferring from a community college to a university. Cantu set up a FaceTime meeting and walked the student step-by-step through the online process of rescheduling the test.

“Students are already worrying about so many other things that sometimes even simple tasks can feel impossible,” Cantu said. “I just let them know like I’m here every step of the way.”

AmeriCorps members are constantly reminding students that despite the physical separation caused by the coronavirus, they are always accessible and available to provide support and guidance. Perhaps more than ever, advisers are gaining a deeper understanding of students’ lives as they navigate responsibilities at home and work and are forced to open up about their stresses and concerns.

“I am the oldest child and a first-generation college student. I had to do everything on my own. Watching the news and the changes that have been happening, I feel empathy for the student who may not have anyone,” Cantu said. “‘I am my students.’ I say that all that time. I have cried I don’t know how many times thinking about them and wondering if we are doing enough, and I am dedicated to them one hundred percent.

“It is not just one family who is experiencing this—there are more stories like that here. Now that a lot of people are losing their jobs, the uncertainty is growing. I hope that all of us AmeriCorps members become a beam of light in these trying and desperate times.”

Sara Shams
AmeriCorps Community Health Advocate
Legacy Community Health

When COVID-19 emerged in the Houston and Beaumont area, Legacy Community Health was at the forefront of the local public health response and was one of the first organizations in the city to provide widely available testing to the community. Legacy serves 130,000 low-income patients regionally, many of whom have limited affordable healthcare options, and the organization has strategically deployed its AmeriCorps program to better serve these vulnerable populations.

“Moving forward, I think AmeriCorps members are going to play an increasingly important role in the in the services that Legacy provides the community,” said Jack Winn, Director of Grants and Programs. “It feels like every week is different than the next. As the weeks have gone on, our members have seen increased needs from individuals who were spending their time and energy worrying about the virus but are now suddenly realizing life has to go on.”

Legacy’s AmeriCorps members work with local communities to address social determinants of health—any factors that might impact an individual’s ability to live a healthy life and access quality healthcare. This encompasses a wide range of issues, including food security, housing and utility assistance, and access to transportation and technology to ensure medical appointments are kept. In the wake of the coronavirus, these needs have been magnified and become even more urgent.

“I thought I was ready for the new changes due to COVID-19, but I believe that it was not what any of us had expected,” AmeriCorps member Sara Shams said. “As I work mostly with immigrants and refugees, I realized that they feel a great deal of fear and anxiety. Imagine coming to a new country during a pandemic and a quarantine lock down, and you don’t know what to do or where to get help, and you hear false rumors about what is to come.”

Shams has been on the front lines directly assisting multiple families facing dire circumstances in the midst of the pandemic. In the past month, she recalls receiving an emotional call from a mother of four children on the brink of eviction from her apartment, so Shams sprang into action to identify rent assistance resources to keep them housed. She also learned of a family that had recently immigrated to Houston and found themselves in a completely bare apartment; Shams rallied the community to provide them with food and basic home essentials.

“It is not just one family who is experiencing this—there are more stories like that here,” Shams said. “Now that a lot of people are losing their jobs, the uncertainty is growing. I hope that all of us AmeriCorps members become a beam of light in these trying and desperate times.”

AmeriCorps has offered critical support to the coronavirus response effort in Houston. Legacy’s multilingual members have taken on the task of translating COVID-19 materials into a variety of languages to keep the city’s vast and diverse immigrant communities informed. Others are addressing the shortage of personal protective equipment by recruiting volunteers to sew facemasks for medical staff at local clinics and hospitals.

AmeriCorps member Larianna Varnado seized the opportunity to volunteer at the regional Texas Department State Health Services office, where she was trained to assist with contact tracing, phone line communications, and protective equipment distribution. Working closely with response leaders also means that she remains abreast of the latest public information and resources, which she is able to pass along to patients at Legacy.

“It has been a mind-blowing experience to work with senior-level epidemiologists to help map the Texas regions to ultimately minimize risk, answer general questions from the public about testing and resources, and also respond to the PPE shortage in Texas by helping pack boxes to distribute to different clinics,” Varnado said.

In the coming months, Legacy is expecting a spike in need as rising unemployment increases the uninsured patient population seeking affordable healthcare options, while COVID-19 continues to strain medical resources citywide. To address the anticipated demand, Legacy has turned to AmeriCorps as a potential solution.

“We are looking into how we can involve AmeriCorps members in increasing our capacity to provide healthcare services for those who have a hard time making it into the clinic physically and analyzing the true depth of impact to the community,” Winn said. “Our AmeriCorps members are so deeply like connected to their communities. The opportunity to use AmeriCorps members in assessing community need is very strong.”

“I personally never thought I was considered an essential employee until this all unfolded, and I was told my service was needed now more than ever.”

Sarah Flores
Parents as Teachers AmeriCorps member
United Way of El Paso County

Parenting can be a challenge even in the best of times. To support struggling families, United Way of El Paso County (UWEPC) offers Parents as Teachers, a home visitation program that fosters positive interactions between parents and their young children, with an ultimate goal of promoting kindergarten readiness and long-term education success. AmeriCorps members work alongside families in their own homes to assess basic household needs and provide training and activities to ensure developmental milestones are achieved.

But when social distancing measures were announced in El Paso last month in response to the coronavirus, the team had to adapt. When possible, curriculum has been revised for online delivery, and AmeriCorps members use video conferencing tools to continue conducting interactive lessons with families. To ensure parents have materials to keep their children engaged and learning, members have been packing activity kits with coloring books and art supplies and dropping them off at individual homes.

But beyond the instruction and skill-building that parents receive, even the simple routine of virtually checking in and being available as outlet for social interaction has been a gift in itself. AmeriCorps members give many families a link to the outside world and friendly place to turn for support and assistance.

“That’s something that we definitely always try to be cognizant of, but especially more so now with everyone being confined to their homes,” said Christina Lamour, UWEPC Vice President of Community Impact. “It is starting to be stressful for everybody for different reasons, and so we are looking at various ways to ease that stress and make sure our families feel supported.”

For instance, when retailer World Market donated its inventory of Easter candy and decorations to UWEPC after local business closures were announced, AmeriCorps members led the effort to carefully distribute the spring-themed treats into care packages that were delivered to about 150 families. The gesture brought some much-needed holiday cheer to children throughout the community.

“I’m without words,” said one parent, who is caring for three children under the age of 5. “This has been a tough time and you’ve made this better than ever.”

As local families endure the strain of the coronavirus and its societal effects, the vital necessity of supporting the family unit as a whole has emerged as a clear priority. UWEPC’s programs are constructed to address the focus areas of education, health, basic needs, and financial stability—issues that are more intertwined than ever as many families struggle to parent while also coping with potential layoffs, furloughs, and other economic hardships.

To address these interdependent needs, AmeriCorps has pivoted to expand service to new audiences within UWEPC. AmeriCorps have become a vital source of volunteers to pack groceries at local food banks and pantries. In addition, they assemble and deliver care kits containing cleaning supplies and toiletries to homebound senior citizens.

“We are now facing unchartered waters with the pandemic of COVID-19. Each and every member has stepped up beyond what we already do in order to continue to service our families during these uncertain times,” said Sarah Flores, a Parents as Teachers AmeriCorps member. “I personally never thought I was considered an essential employee until this all unfolded, and I was told my service was needed now more than ever.”

As UWEPC determines its next steps during these unprecedented times, national service proving to be a valuable asset for filling the gaps in service. While their commitment remains to promote school readiness among young children, the definition of what that entails and the role AmeriCorps members play in supporting El Paso families continues to expand and evolve in new and exciting ways.

“Their heart is in it, and they are willing to do what is needed to be done,” Lamour said. “Our AmeriCorps members are really great at what they do, and you can tell from the way that they interact with folks that that they’re really passionate about the work that they’re doing.”