We are thrilled to welcome a new AmeriCorps member this month. Kyle Swatfager will join Jessie and Alina as an AmeriCorps Project Coordinator. Kyle has extensive experience with working with individuals and communities in need, including serving in the AmeriCorps NCCC program. He also has experience with construction and home repair. Kyle holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. Welcome to the Rebuilding Together Twin Cities Team Kyle!
We are thrilled to welcome two new AmeriCorps Members: Alina Stevenson and Jessie Livingston!
Alina holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota. She recently completed a year of service through the AmeriCorps Vista program with Habitat for Humanity in Virginia, Minnesota. Through that position, Alina gained experience working with homeowners, volunteers and donors. Alina also works part-time as a gymnastics coach.
Jessie recently completed her studies at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois. She brings a variety of experience to this position, including working as a preschool teacher, life guard and swim instructor and serving as a volunteer with both Habitat for Humanity and a dog shelter.
This is the sixth year that Rebuilding Together has been awarded an AmeriCorps grant through the Corporation for National and Community Service. The goal of the AmeriCorps CapacityCorps program is to build the capacity of grassroots Rebuilding Together programs so they can be more sustainable, effective, and efficient in helping homeowners in need. Welcome to the team Alina and Jessie!
Rebuilding Together Twin Cities was incredibly fortunate to have Kelly Bandman, Tim Erkel and Brent Suski serve as AmeriCorps Project Coordinators with us over the last year. Their terms of service ended this month, and we would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication.
Tim will be continuing his AmeriCorps service with the Rebuilding Together affiliate in Seattle. Both Brent and Kelly plan to stay in the Twin Cities and continue working in the nonprofit world, helping people in need and working to improve the quality of their lives.
Kelly, Tim and Brent have been incredible to work with over the last year. Your hard work, dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm for our mission have proven invaluable. Best of luck with this next chapter of your lives!
Last month, our AmeriCorps members Tim Erkel, Kelly Bandman and Brent Suski joined forces with more than 60 other AmeriCorps members serving Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country to provide critical repairs for veterans and seniors in need in honor of the Martin Luther King Day of Service. They spent a week repairing nine homes in the Carverdale-Edwards-South Creston Hills (The C-E-C triangle) area of Oklahoma City with the help of area high school students and community members.
Brent said of his experience, “I had an amazing time in Oklahoma City. It was great to have the opportunity to lead and work alongside my fellow CapacityCorps members. Our homeowner, Ms. Anderson, was a delight! While she had gone through some tough times, including battling breast cancer, she was always extremely happy and inviting which made for a great experience. We had a daunting scope of work, but my team tackled it with vigor. I am happy to say that we completely finished everything that we were tasked to do, and leaving Ms. Anderson with a fresh interior and a completely redone exterior.”
Tim was interviewed by a local Oklahoma City TV station about his experience. Tim’s interview is available here.
This work week was hosted by Rebuilding Together Oklahoma City (OKC). Rebuilding Together CapacityCorps is a National Direct AmeriCorps program with 65 full-time members serving at 35 local affiliates in 20 states. Rebuilding Together AmeriCorps members build the capacity of grassroots Rebuilding Together programs so that they become sustainable, effective and efficient in helping additional low-income homeowners in need.
