MDSC/AmeriCorps*VISTA

Program Contact: Linda Stringfellow
Phone: 662-846-4332
Email: lstringf@deltastate.edu

The Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) at Delta State University (DSU) is the lead sponsoring organization. The Center’s mission is Building and Empowering Relationships that Strengthen Communities. The VISTA program aligns with the Economic Opportunities, Education, Healthy Futures, and Veterans and Military Families focus areas of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The program serves low-income individuals and families, unemployed and underemployed individuals, low-income youth, economically disadvantaged communities, and low-income veterans and military families. The VISTA program seeks to (1) increase access to services and benefits aimed at contributing to enhanced financial literacy; (2) increase employability of Delta residents that leads to increased economic development; (3) increase educational services for out-of-school initiatives, decrease student drop-out rates and increase achievement in post-secondary education institutions; (4) improve academic performance in STEM coursework to expand the number of students with job-readiness skills in STEM fields; (5) improve access to nutritional food and increase the number of economically disadvantaged individuals receiving preventive and primary health care services. Eighteen VISTA members contribute to the goals of the program by performing activities such as recruiting, managing, and maintaining community volunteers; recruiting participants from the low-income communities who will benefit from the services of the program; and coordinating, organizing, and developing needed curriculum, activities, events, programs, and other initiatives to ensure the success of the goals.

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