Texas Homeless Network is proud of our continued partnership with AmeriCorps!

We currently have five AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members in service across the state working to build capacity and assist our communities in ending homelessness. Since it is AmeriCorps Week, we are excited to shine a light on each of them and their commitment to community service!

Cindy (bottom left) is the Texas Balance of State CoC Coordinated Entry VISTA serving directly with THN. She is creating surveys, agendas, and evaluation materials for Coordinated Entry Planning Entities (CEPEs) implementation. She is also updating the Coordinated Entry webpage to ensure coordinated entry resources are accessible for the entire Balance of State which is 215 of Texas’ 254 counties.

Ann (top left) is the Texas Balance of State CoC HMIS Research and Development VISTA, also with THN. She researches and creates training materials from videos to infographics to ensure HMIS processes run smoothly, specifically for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) and Runaway Homeless Youth (RHY). She also assists in ensuring data is usable on the back end and in facilitating communication in Balance of State data committee meetings.

Alondra (top right) is the Homeless Programs VISTA serving with Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. She finalized their program guide which connects over 50 service providers in their Continuum of Care. She is also playing an integral role in ensuring community members have access to resources through their flex fund program and are able to furnish their home with Dallas Furniture Bank.

Toni (bottom center) is the Veteran Employment Specialist VISTA serving with Central Texas Council of Governments (CTCOG) in Belton. As a veteran herself, her lived experience informs CTCOG’s budding partnership with Combined Arms as they work to ensure veterans experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness are able to access resources and services.

Sabrina (bottom right) is the Coalition and Coordinated Entry Coordinator serving with the City of Longview. She hit the ground running when she started her service in December, growing the active participation of North East Texas Homeless Consortium (NET) from 5 to 20 organizations which had dwindled due to the pandemic. She is continuing to facilitate NET’s growth by keeping their social media updated, reengaging organization, engaging new organizations as potential Coordinated Entry points, and inviting a couple providers each month to spotlight and share resources with the community.  

And we would be remiss not highlighting Joe–the Statewide Data Sharing Initiatives Associate VISTA who completed his term last month–and his outsized role in the launch of THN’s Texas Homeless Data Sharing Network. You can read more about his project and year of service here.

As a VISTA alum myself, I am excited to continue working alongside and supporting national service members and proud to say: We Are AmeriCorps!

Are you interested in ending homelessness and serving Texas communities? Check out THN’s VISTA page to learn more about our open positions.