EPA Region 7 Partners with AmeriCorps VISTA to Bring Green Service Opportunities to Midwest

LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 21, 2024) – In a first-of-its-kind effort for the Agency, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has partnered with AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) to launch the new Green VISTA Corps program.

Through this historic partnership, Region 7’s Green VISTA program will provide new opportunities for volunteers and community organizations to make meaningful change toward advancing environmental justice and anti-poverty efforts in historically underserved areas.

“It’s a natural fit for EPA to partner with AmeriCorps VISTA,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “What VISTA works to achieve in communities really complements the goals of our Agency, particularly concerning our shared commitment to universal environmental protection and inclusive decision-making for healthier communities.”

The Green VISTA program will place three VISTA members in positions with local organizations in St. Louis and Kansas City to support projects to increase environmental resiliency and improve community health. The program aims to build long-lasting pathways that will further environmental justice (EJ) efforts in the Midwest.

“The Green VISTA Corps program we are developing in the Midwest is more than a pilot. It’s a call to action and a promise of a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all,” said AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager Melissa Mohler.

Two organizations will host a VISTA member based on their commitment to creating environmental justice-focused outcomes and feedback from the communities they serve:

Lewis Place Historic Preservation (LPHP) in St. Louis: The VISTA member will serve the organization’s Community Resilience Project, working on their alternative energy and energy reduction program, community disaster relief and cleanup efforts.
earthday365 in St. Louis: The VISTA member will serve as an EJ Outreach Coordinator, supporting the organization’s sustainability certification and environmental justice outreach programs.

These opportunities are national service opportunities, not EPA jobs. Interested individuals will apply to AmeriCorps VISTA.

Lewis Place Historical Preservation is accepting applications for its Community Resilience Project position through July 11, 2024. Applications for earthday365’s EJ Outreach Coordinator position will be accepted through July 31, 2024.

To learn more about the Green VISTA AmeriCorps pilot program and see eligibility requirements, visit:

About AmeriCorps VISTA

AmeriCorps is a federal agency that connects volunteers with service opportunities across the country. AmeriCorps offers service opportunities in all sectors with different time commitments and requirements, from part-time volunteers to full-time members. The VISTA program was founded in 1965, designed to provide needed resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to increase their capacity to lift communities out of poverty.

AmeriCorps volunteers and members are eligible for benefits for their service. Depending on the program, AmeriCorps members are eligible for education awards, supplemental health insurance, loan deferment, and more.

All three Region 7 Green VISTA positions offer training, health coverage, relocation and living allowances, child care assistance (for those eligible), an education award upon successful completion of service, and a choice of an education award or an “End of Service” stipend after the year of service.

In addition, VISTA members who serve for at least one year gain non-competitive eligibility when applying for federal jobs, allowing federal agencies the ability to hire a VISTA alum who meets the minimum job qualifications without undergoing all the formalities of the competitive process.