What is AmeriCorps VISTA?

Less than two years later, Lyndon B. Johnson made JFK's vision a reality by creating AmeriCorps VISTA and welcoming the first VISTAs to join the fight in the "War on Poverty." Johnson welcomed the first group of Vista volunteers with this quote, "Your pay will be low, the conditions of your labor often will be difficult. But you will have the satisfaction of leading a great national effort and you will have the ultimate reward which comes to those who serve their fellow man."

Since the organization's inception, AmeriCorps VISTA members have had one mission: fight poverty with passion. VISTAs live in the area they are serving, experiencing life alongside those who struggle on a daily basis. They focus on building capacity- not necessarily working with participants in the organization they serve, but building funds, policies, and systems that are sustainable. In this way, the structure is in place for organizations to better meet the needs of its participants long after the VISTA has moved on.

For more information about AmeriCorps VISTA, please visit their website.

You can also see how VISTA is changing the lives of its participants on Youtube.