Member Spotlights: Jessica Andrews, Outreach Volunteer Coordinator

Meet Jessica Andrews, she serves with the Building Communities, Bettering Lives AmeriCorps program with partnering agency, Girls Inc. Of Central Alabama

What motivated you to join AmeriCorps? Growing up, my father was in the U.S. Army and my mother was a constant volunteer; they are my heroes and role models. Joining AmeriCorps and serving for a year felt like the right way to give back to this country that has given me so much.

What would you like to get out of this service opportunity? I would like to come out of my AmeriCorps service year with a renewed sense of my purpose in the world, a wider skill set, and more bravery than when I started. The combination of hands-on service plus career-building non-profit experience has made for a fulfilling experience so far.

What will your service focus on for the 2017-18 program year? My service will focus on supporting year two of a mentoring program for girls with at-risk factors in the greater Birmingham area. I get to assist with recruiting, interviewing, and training women who volunteer to be mentors for these girls, as well as directly supporting the mentoring process throughout the school year. I will be trained to teach the girls personal safety and self-defense classes as well.

What are your plans after AmeriCorps? My plans after AmeriCorps include applying for graduate programs and finding work in the non-profit sector, especially focused on children, education, and the arts. I am also interested in continuing to explore opportunities with mentoring, tutoring, and literacy.

Thank you for your service Jessica!