Join Our AmeriCorps Network
National Service with Housing Action Illinois
Each year, Housing Action matches AmeriCorps members with community-based organizations across Illinois. AmeriCorps is a national service program that connects people and organizations to help end poverty and strengthen communities.
AmeriCorps members take on a variety of roles at their host organizations, all aimed at helping our communities thrive. They expand the scale of programs and services, implement new projects, and build capacity to further the long-term sustainability of anti-poverty programs at their host organizations.
Since 2010, Housing Action has managed a network of AmeriCorps members in the VISTA program, with up to 30 full-year AmeriCorps members and 30+ AmeriCorps Summer Associates serving each year. AmeriCorps members serve at their host organizations for a full year or for eight to ten weeks as a Summer Associate (June through August).
Host an AmeriCorps Member
AmeriCorps members can help your organization build the capacity to advance its mission in new ways, implement pilot projects and new programs, and grow existing services and programs.
Each year, Housing Action matches up to 30 full-year AmeriCorps members and 30+ Summer Associates with host sites across the state. We typically accept applications for host sites from December to February. We begin recruiting AmeriCorps members in March. Full-year AmeriCorps members usually begin in August, while Summer Associates begin in June.
Host sites must be members of the Housing Action Illinois coalition and pay a project participation fee to begin recruiting for their position once accepted. For more information, please see the Host Site Application Instruction & Resource Packet.
Applications to host 2023-2024 AmeriCorps members are closed. Interested host sites can view the online application in preparation for the next cycle. Host site applications will reopen in winter 2023 for 2024-2025 AmeriCorps positions.
Want to hear from others who have hosted an AmeriCorps member? Check out testimonials from our AmeriCorps members’ supervisors »
Interested in Serving?
AmeriCorps is a national service program that connects people and organizations to help end poverty and strengthen communities. Since 2010, Housing Action has managed a network of AmeriCorps members in the VISTA program, with up to 30 full-year AmeriCorps members and 30+ AmeriCorps Summer Associates serving each year. As an AmeriCorps member, you help nonprofit organizations build their capacity to meet community needs by improving and expanding their services and creating new programs.
AmeriCorps members serve full-time at their host organizations. Service terms last either 12 months or for 8 to 10 weeks (Summer Associates serve between June and August). Find an opportunity that fits you »
Apply Now
Applications for 2023-2024 AmeriCorps positions are now closed. Check back in the spring for positions starting summer 2024!
There are two ways to apply to our positions: through Housing Action’s Quick Application or through the AmeriCorps portal.
We received feedback that the AmeriCorps portal can be confusing and complicated to use, so we created our Quick Application as a way to make applying and interviewing for our positions simpler and more accessible. When you fill out the Quick Application, you can choose to apply for a specific position or be considered for multiple positions in our network.
If you are offered a position, you will still need to complete an official application on the AmeriCorps portal prior to starting service. For assistance using the AmeriCorps portal, read detailed instructions on how to apply »
Application Steps & Timeline
We begin accepting applications on a rolling basis for our summer and full-year AmeriCorps positions in February. Summer AmeriCorps members serve from June to August, while full-year AmeriCorps members serve for 12 months and typically start in August.
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- February – Applications Open
- April – Application Review Period Begins
- April-July – Interviews with Host Sites
- May 19 – Application Deadline for Summer Associate Positions
- June – Service Begins: Summer Associate Positions
- July 14 – Application Deadline for Full-Year Positions
- August – Service Begins: Full-Year Positions
2023–2024 Open Positions
The AmeriCorps VISTA Program is a national service program that connects people and organizations to help end poverty and strengthen communities. Summer AmeriCorps members commit to serve communities full-time for 8-10 weeks from June to August, while full-year AmeriCorps members serve with organizations for 12 months (typically starting in August). Most of our positions are located in Illinois, but AmeriCorps members serving in our Housing Counseling Corps can be matched with housing counseling agencies nationwide.
What does service look like?
As a full-year AmeriCorps member in the VISTA program, you would perform indirect service, which includes activities that help an organization enhance its mission, strategy, skills, and infrastructure to fulfill its mission. You would serve in an office setting, and your responsibilities might include:- Writing grants
- Organizing a volunteer program
- Developing a curriculum for a training
- Other kinds of program design and implementation
What type of compensation and benefits are available?
AmeriCorps members are full-time volunteers—VISTA stands for Volunteers In Service To America. However, AmeriCorps members do receive a modest living allowance to help cover basic expenses. With approval from their supervisors, AmeriCorps members can also work a job in their spare time, but they must be available to serve during regular business hours.Full-Year AmeriCorps Members
Full-year AmeriCorps members receive a living allowance of $22,882 per year.
Summer Associates
Summer Associates receive a living allowance between $3,510 and $4,388, depending on the service term (8-10 weeks).
Benefits
In addition to the living allowance, you will also receive benefits as part of your AmeriCorps service:
Full-Year AmeriCorps Members
- Choice of an Education Award ($6,895) or an End-of-Service Cash Stipend ($1,803)
- Forbearance or deferment of student loan payments during term of service
- Non-competitive eligibility status for federal jobs
- Healthcare allowance
- Leave Days: 10 personal & 10 medical
- If Eligible: Relocation payment (up to $750)
- If Eligible: Child Care Assistance
- Chicago metro area only: Free unlimited Ventra or Metra pass
Summer Associates
- Choice of an Education Award ($1,459) or an End-of-Service Cash Stipend ($345)
- 1 or 2 sick days may be granted. However, because the term of service is so short, the hours must be made up.
Professional Development
Becoming an AmeriCorps member is a great way to serve your community while gaining experience at a community-based organization. The projects you take on as an AmeriCorps member help you develop marketable skills that can make you a competitive candidate when you apply to jobs and education programs after your term of service ends.
As a full-year AmeriCorps member, you will also participate in two In-Service Trainings (IST) as a part of your service. At the ISTs, which are specialized, multi-day, in-person training events, you will join other AmeriCorps members in your cohort to learn about topics and best practices relevant to your service. The first training, in the fall, will set you up for success during your term of service. The second, in the spring, helps you get ready to secure your next professional endeavor after you complete your term.
Ready to start building a career in affordable housing or homelessness? You can get to know others in the field through professional networking opportunities at Housing Action’s annual conference, which 250 housing practitioners from across Illinois attend each year.
Ahead of the Curve
In 2021, we published the findings from our survey of 169 AmeriCorps VISTA alumni who served in our network over the course of a decade (2010–2020). The findings show that a year of service can pave the way for a nonprofit career, help make a difference in your community, and be a meaningful way to learn about housing and homelessness.
%
of survey respondents secured employment within 6 months of finishing service (national average is 67%)
%
of survey respondents believe or strongly believe their experience as a VISTA was worthwhile
%
of survey respondents were offered staff positions by their host sites (national average is 20%)
More About Our Network
Housing Counseling Corps
Housing counseling programs are crucial in combating the affordable housing crisis, but due to a nationwide shortage of HUD-certified housing counselors, agencies are struggling to meet community needs. In 2021, we piloted a new initiative of our AmeriCorps network—Housing Counseling Corps—to build the capacity of housing counseling programs and establish a pipeline of HUD-certified housing counselors to help more people secure safe and affordable homes. After launching the initiative in Illinois, we expanded the Housing Counseling Corps to match AmeriCorps members with organizations nationwide in 2023.
AmeriCorps members in the Housing Counseling Corps spend a full service year learning about the housing counseling profession, becoming familiar with the specific programs and client needs of a housing counseling agency, and preparing for and taking the HUD Housing Counseling Certification Exam. After their service, members are well-positioned to begin a job as a HUD-certified housing counselor at their host site or another housing counseling agency.
Housing Action facilitates housing counseling trainings nationwide and provides critical support and resources to housing counseling agencies throughout the Midwest as a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Intermediary. Housing Counseling Corps leverages the expertise and resources of our Capacity Building team and our AmeriCorps Network to fortify the housing counseling workforce in Illinois and throughout the United States. Learn more about becoming a Housing Counselor and applying for the Housing Counseling Corps.
Interested in hosting a Housing Counseling Corps member at your agency? Read more about hosting an AmeriCorps member and reach out to americorps@housingactionil.org.
Recent Accomplishments
When we started placing AmeriCorps members for the 2020-2021 year, we really didn’t know what would be possible in the coming months. We’re very proud that our network of 24 AmeriCorps VISTA members were able to achieve so much, even during pandemic. In just one year, our network collectively:
- Raised $728,000 in grants, cash, and in-kind donations for their host sites
- Connected 4,000 households with housing services
- Helped develop, make available, or repair 1,000 housing units
- Recruited or managed 500 volunteers
These numbers only tell part of the story—there are many other ways in which our AmeriCorps members build capacity for their host organizations. See below for spotlights on individual members.
From Furniture Bank to Food Bank: AmeriCorps 9/11 Day of Service
Each year, AmeriCorps members around the nation support September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance by participating in day-long, direct service projects. With 40 full-year AmeriCorps members serving throughout Illinois and in 6 other states, the Housing...
Tackling Food Insecurity in Northern Illinois
When she first came to Northern Illinois Regional Affordable Community Housing (NI ReACH) in May 2022, Ezella thought she was just going to stay for a three-month internship. She was thinking about what she would do next when her supervisor encouraged her to apply for...
Now Accepting Applications for 2023 – 2024 AmeriCorps Positions
Each year, Housing Action matches AmeriCorps members with community-based organizations across Illinois. AmeriCorps is a national service program that connects people and organizations to help end poverty and strengthen communities. AmeriCorps members take on a...
New Initiative: Introducing the Housing Counselor Corps
Housing Action Illinois is excited to bring together two of our programs—supporting housing counseling agencies and managing a network of AmeriCorps VISTA Members—for a new initiative: the Housing Counseling Corps. We plan to launch this initiative in the fall of...
Alumni Spotlight: From AmeriCorps to Assistant Attorney General
When Dan Kallio finished law school, he knew he wanted to spend a year giving back to the community before beginning his law career. Today, his impressive resume includes his current position as Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Illinois Attorney...
Tara Joy: More People Need to Know About Fair Housing
“I had a few friends and acquaintances who served in AmeriCorps before and recommended the experience,” explains Tara Joy when asked how she first became interested in a year of service. “I was also interested in learning more about working in affordable/fair housing,...