AmeriCorps Cape Cod is a fulltime residential service program committed to addressing the environmental and disaster related needs of Cape Cod’s community and fragile natural resources. The program engages the community through service, education, and outreach. Up to 26 service-minded adults are brought on as members to participate in hands-on projects with Cape Cod towns, Barnstable County departments, the Cape Cod National Seashore, the American Red Cross, private land trusts, and other established environmental, educational, and disaster related organizations in the region.
As an AmeriCorps member, each individual is expected to perform 1,700 hours of service over the 10 months of the program. AmeriCorps Cape Cod members serve at individual and group service sites providing environmental, disaster, and community focused services to Barnstable County’s 15 towns. Members complete projects as assigned as well as develop and implement projects of their own. Members interact and coordinate service with their assigned service sites, work with community members to identify and address unmet needs, and participate with Service Partners and staff in evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
Member benefits include a living stipend, housing, health insurance, workers compensation, some mileage reimbursement, a gear reimbursement, and college loan forbearance opportunities. In addition, upon successful completion of the program each member earns an education award that can be used toward higher education tuition as well as loan payments. Learn more about additional financial assistance opportunities here.
Upon entering the program, each Corps member participates in an extensive five-week orientation/training session. At the completion of this training, members begin their regular service schedule. Each week, Mondays and Fridays are spent on group service projects. These projects tend to be labor based and can vary in size and scope. The middle of the week consists of two individual placement days and one Community Outreach and Development (COD) Day. Individual placements allow members the opportunity to serve individually with our service partner organizations. Projects are longer term and more in-depth. The focus of COD Day is to provide time for the program’s education and outreach initiatives. Members perform environmental and disaster related education presentations and coordinate volunteer projects and events. Periodic Saturdays are also used to engage the community in service.
