Exploring Your Backyard Through Service

Hello friends, family and fans of AmeriCorps! I’m Jocylen Fox. I am serving as the Outreach and Stewardship Coordinator at the Antrim Conservation District through the Huron Pines AmeriCorps program. It has been a pleasure to serve you and your communities throughout Michigan with my fellow AmeriCorps people.

First, let me tell you about this program. The Huron Pines AmeriCorps program is designed to serve the northeast portion of the Lower Peninsula in regards to conservation projects and environmental education. In my position at the Antrim Conservation District, I implement their mission statement, Explore your backyard," into my service through community events, education projects and volunteer opportunities.

The District’s backyard is the Cedar River Natural Area. When I came into this position in May 2012, this area was full of trails inviting people to get lost. Seriously. The trail maps were merely watermarked pages with bleeding colors, the trails had down branches and hadn’t been managed in years. What trail markers existed didn’t match the colors of the trails provided on the map. I’ll be honest, my first time back there, I got to a point when I had to stop and figure out where I was. I walked along the banks of the Cedar River following foot trails of the fishermen before me, but this was not apart of the actual trail system. I walked back and forth until I decided I needed to turn around, though I had not even covered half the trails nor was I sure I was headed back in the right direction.

Luckily, I found my way back through the woods and was able to start my service and really strive to make a difference in the Natural Area. I created interpretive signs for the area, maintained the trails, created trail maps to put at the crossroads in the natural area and told the community about what a great resource this area really is.

My favorite part of my service and being in the Cedar River Natural Area is the Conservation Kids Club we host every July. I take the kids to the area teaching them different environmental topics and help them learn to enjoy being outdoors. We collect bugs, look for salamanders, build survival shelters, bird watch, etc., anything to get their eyes off of a screen for two hours.

As I’m ending my service and looking forward to my next chapter at graduate school, I will definitely miss all the great friends I have made and wish I could do more to help Antrim County explore their backyards. There really is so much to explore, and I can’t wait to promote this mission in my new community.

An NCCC Ameri-Story

Kaitlyn Sargent is a Michigan native whose AmeriCorps service has been much different than that of our Michigan's AmeriCorps members. Read on to learn about her service with AmeriCorps NCCC.

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Sargent and I am currently wrapping up my second year of service as an AmeriCorps*NCCC Team Leader for the Southwest Region in Denver, Colorado. My first year of service was spent as a Corps member, also in Denver. AmeriCorps*NCCC is a full-time, team-based residential program for men and women age 18-24. Members are assigned to one of five campuses — Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, California; Perry Point, Maryland; Vicksburg, Mississippi; or Vinton, Iowa. In ten months, members complete four different service projects (called “spikes”) within their region.

My first year of service was spent in Arkansas, Texas, and at two different sites in Colorado. I got to camp and serve at a state park, assist in a first grade classroom, build trails, construct a fence for a pet shelter, and work with children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities at a summer camp. I had an amazing first year working on a wide array of projects and was part of a very close-knit team. I enjoyed my year so much that I decided to come back for another year as a Team Leader, which has also been amazing, but extremely different.

My Team Leader year was a bit more chaotic as there are several added tasks and responsibilities in comparison to Corps members. I started the year with my first-choice project building homes with Habitat for Humanity in San Antonio, Texas. Next, we were off to Casa Grande, Arizona to build trails. What was supposed to be a ten-week spike was abruptly cut short after three weeks when we got called for Super Storm Sandy disaster relief in New York and New Jersey. The team had mixed feelings as we were all really enjoying our Arizona project, but also knew the need was greater out east. 

The five weeks in New York and New Jersey were without a doubt the most stressful of the year, but also the most rewarding. We were mucking and gutting/mold suppressing destroyed homes in Staten Island. We also removed damaged insulation and installed new insulation in trailers that could not otherwise afford it. For my third project, I returned to Denver to work with at-risk sixth-ninth graders. I recently finished up my fourth and final AmeriCorps*NCCC project in Nogales, Arizona, where I was once again building trails.

Looking back on the last two years of my life, it is difficult to articulate the impact NCCC has had – and will continue to have – on my life. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into prior to joining AmeriCorps; but I would strongly recommend NCCC to anyone who is even slightly interested because, regardless of the challenges, it is a life-altering experience. In the last 21 months, I have lived in 6 different states, gained two Ameri-families, crossed paths with amazing people, and did things I never could have imagined. NCCC tested me physically and emotionally, repeatedly pushed me in and out of my comfort zone, strengthened my passion for community service, and has opened me up to countless possibilities in life. 

I am thankful for every minute spent in AmeriCorps, including the difficult times, as those were the times I grew and learned the most. I look forward to continuing to "get things done" as I return to Michigan to pursue a career in education.

Experience is the Best Teacher

Hello my name is Tamika Davis-Moore, and I am a second-year AmeriCorps member serving with the Michigan’s Campaign to End Homelessness AmeriCorps program. My service site is the Community Housing Network (CHN) in Troy, MI. The Community Housing Network is dedicated to providing homes for people in need and access to resources to create sustainable communities.

At CHN I serve as the PATH outreach specialist. PATH stands for “Projects to Assist in Transition from Homelessness.” I do street outreach to individuals that have severe and persistent mental illness and who are homeless. The program is unique because we have to be creative in building trusting relationships with individuals who feel they have been let down and taken advantage of by various systems and people. In the past two years I have assisted more than 300 individuals with resources and 44 people with permanent housing. It has been a very rewarding experience!



One of the most successful individuals I’ve worked with had been homeless for six years. When I met Terrance at the soup kitchen, he was sleeping outside when the shelter was full, and in need of physical and mental health treatment. I coordinated services with mental health and the free health clinic. Soon after, I gained his trust and he started substance abuse treatment. I then coordinated services with SSI/SSDI so he could receive benefits. Six months later I was able to find him housing. He achieved what we in the program call the “four legged stool” to remain sustainable (benefits, housing, supports, and daily active living). I shared Terrance’s story and he and I were invited to speak on the importance of the program. I am very proud of Terrance, who is still doing very well.



My year as a LeaderCorps member has been challenging, yet very rewarding. I enjoyed meeting new people and learning about their programs and the important role they play in the community. I have increased my public speaking skills and networked with people to build lasting relationships. The Russ Mawby Signature Service Project, which took place May 16-17 in Lansing, was a great experience that showed me how people can make a huge difference in lives and communities when they come together.

My AmeriCorps service and involvement in LeaderCorps has made a positive impact in my life. I gained experience and skills that will advance my future in the human services profession. Experience really is the best teacher.

AmeriCorps...The Road Less Traveled

Hello my name is Michelle McGlaun, an AmeriCorps member serving as a HealthCorps Navigator. The AmeriCorps program through which I serve is Community HealthCorps, a National Direct program operating in several states throughout the U.S. My service site is the Cherry Street Health Services (CSHS) at the Heart of the City Health Center. Cherry Street's mission is to improve the health and wellness of individuals by providing comprehensive primary and behavioral health care while improving the access of those who are underserved. 

In order to accomplish this goal, Cherry Street offers services at 25 sites throughout Michigan. This makes CSHS the largest federally-qualified health center in Michigan.  At Heart of the City, I am in Patient Services where I perform patient outreach.  In short, I connect our clients to different types of resources that they need.

One example of how I am able to help connect patients with the resources they need is the recent case of a patient whom I helped to apply for Medicaid. This client had previously been denied Medicaid because he had not been declared disabled. After he was denied, he tried to get several jobs but because of his medical issues, he was unable to keep jobs for long periods of time. 

After he lost his last job,  I decided to try again to help him apply for disability and Medicaid. I met with him and together we filled out the Medicaid application. After that, I pulled together all of his medical records and the other information required to apply for Medicaid. Because I helped to pull all of these records together, they were available for review by the judge who was determining the patient's disability case. Once the judge was able to actually see all of his medical conditions, the client was approved for Medicaid and disability. 

Many people had given up on this gentleman and his case since he had already been denied for disability several times. But as a result of myself and other CSHS staff who decided to try one more time, we were able to help him get approved for disability and Medicaid services that will help improve his life.

With only six weeks left in my second year of AmeriCorps service, I am grateful for stories such as these which have made my two years of service a great benefit to me.  I have been able to serve a vast amount of clients at Heart of the City and I have also been able to volunteer with several different organizations through out Grand Rapids.   

Even though I have enjoyed my service year, it has also come with its share of challenges.  Like when the resources available are not enough to meet the needs of the clients, or when a client I have helped has unexpectedly passed away. But I have been able to use both the triumphs and challenges to my advantage, because they have taught me how to be a better communicator, leader, and a more compassionate person.