Making a Difference with AmeriCorps

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This past summer, Breanna Clark planted trees, helped run summer camp activities and formed life-long friendships by volunteering for AmeriCorps’ NCCC Summer of Service Program. Since middle school, Clark has been interested in environmental causes such as access to the outdoors for everyone and preserving biodiversity. She plans to work in a career advancing environmental justice once she graduates from Southeast Technical College in spring 2025 with a degree in Digital Media Production.

 

AmeriCorps is a federal agency that connects volunteers with service organizations nation-wide that aim to improve the communities around them. There are many ways to give back to the community with AmeriCorps, and the Summer of Service program is a three-month commitment for young adults ages 18-26.

 

Clark first learned about AmeriCorps from friends who already had experience with volunteering, and says that “after hearing about their experiences, I knew I had to join!”

 

Clark went to Twin Bridges, Calif., with her volunteer group. They arrived at Camp Sacramento after three days of driving from Colorado.

 

“The first thing we noticed were the towering burnt pine trees. In 2021, the Caldor Fire burned over 200,000 acres across the Sierra Nevada range.  It was a close call, but with help from firefighters, they kept the fire to the camp's perimeter. Later, we helped clear remaining debris to prevent future wildfires,” Clark said.

 

Camp Sacramento hosts summer camps for children ages 5-12. Each day began with the team leader briefing the volunteers on where they were needed that day. They maintained the trail and assisted campers with various activities. Camp activities included archery, crafting and Clark’s favorite: hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains! They also hosted bonfire events and a Rock-and-Roll-themed carnival.

Over the course of the summer, Clark planted more than 200 trees in El Dorado National Forest and worked on clearing a plot of land for Camp Sacramento’s Wilderness Leadership program, which will target underserved teens from Sacramento starting in summer 2025.

 

Her favorite part of her summer was “getting to serve and know the lovely residents of the Sacramento area.  I enjoyed the challenge of conversing when a language barrier was present.”  People in the Sacramento area spoke Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, Farsi and French, and she needed to rely on a translator.

 

During their spare time, Clark and her friends in the NCCC program found more volunteer opportunities with River City Food Bank and Alchemist CDC, an organization that helps under-resourced members of the community gain access to nutritious foods.

 

It was a bit of a culture shock, Clark said, “To prepare to volunteer at the food bank, we learned about the rising unhoused population of Sacramento. Homelessness is much less visible in South Dakota, where I’ve spent my entire life. Seeing the pitched tents along the road was an eye-opening experience.”

At the end of the program, Clark felt she learned, “how to be both an effective leader and teammate. My work ethic was strengthened, as well as my love of volunteering.”

 

For students who aspire to make a positive difference in the world and are interested in getting involved with AmeriCorps, Clark has the following advice: “Go for it!  Research what programs are available and what they expect for you. If you doubt your own capabilities, remember everyone else is likely having similar feelings.  Last, get to know your team members well; they can turn out to be life-long friends!”