The 40th Anniversary GHCC VISTA Reunion
What Is the Reunion all About?
The Greater Homewood Community Corporation has hosted over 140 AmeriCorps VISTA members throughout the lifetime of our organization. Each of these individuals dedicated one year of their lives to fighting poverty and strengthening neighborhoods, and in return GHCC provided opportunities for them to learn and grow as leaders, fundraisers, and non-profit professionals. Many of our VISTAs have remained in Baltimore, and a few have even remained on our staff. Others have gone on to become teachers, lawyers, and executive directors.
As we mark our 40th anniversary, there is no better time to recognize the achievements of our VISTA alumni. During a reunion weekend, they will:
- Advocate for national service. Our President-elect has announced a plan to expand AmeriCorps from 75,000 to 250,000 active members, but 2 out of 3 Americans do not know what AmeriCorps is. In an economic climate where budget cuts abound, AmeriCorps alumni must increase awareness and make domestic national and community service a top priority.
- Share experiences and stories about GHCC. Though each VISTA project is unique, each one of our VISTAs has come away from their year of service with a long list of achievements and anecdotes that will never be forgotten. The GHCC VISTA reunion will provide a forum to display these Greater Homewood stories and share them with fellow VISTAs and the communities they served.
- Reconnect with old colleagues and make new professional connections. Convening GHCC's VISTA alumni will create a vast network of contacts spanning a multitude of professions and geographic regions. VISTAs new and old will be inspired by the paths others have taken.
- Complete a service project in our community. As part of GHCC's 40 Trees in 40 Neighborhoods initiative, VISTA alumni will participate in tree-planting projects in several of Greater Homewood's 40 neighborhoods. This service project will bring AmeriCorps members to the forefront of neighborhood consciousness and demonstrate that even though their year of service has concluded, these individuals are still a powerful force for positive change.
- Participate in GHCC's 40th Anniversary fundraising events. GHCC is planning a series of events, many of which will commemorate projects where VISTAs played a pivotal role. As we welcome their homecoming, we look forward to our VISTA alumni participating in our festivities.
How Can I Get Involved?
If you would like to receive more information or be included in the reunion planning process, please contact:
Jaclyn Paul, VISTA Leader
email | jpaul@greaterhomewood.org
phone | 410-261-3618
Calling All GHCC VISTA Alumni!
If you completed a year of service at GHCC, please contact Jaclyn Paul (info above) with your name and current mailing address, telephone number, and email address. If you are a member of Facebook or LinkedIn, please visit and join the following pages: