AmeriCorps member Charles Jones-Parsons finds his motivation to serve from the people serving alongside him. “When you have a good team of people out there, you are able to keep yourself motivated,” Charles said. Charles started his service as an internship, but once he was offered a more full-time service opportunity, he knew he had…
As an immigrant, AmeriCorps member Ozlem Okutkan said helping others gives her a sense of community. “If you want to feel belonging, the only way is to serve,” said Ozlem Okutkan. Okutkan was born in Turkey and has lived in the United States for the past ten years. She received her bachelor’s degree in international…
Ethelyn Carroll’s love for her community is evident with how she’s devoted her life to serving it. When she received an email about the neighborhood organization and a recruitment flyer from AmeriCorps, she was interested in how she could further help her neighbors. “I viewed this as an opportunity to serve my neighborhood,” Ethelyn said.…
Grow Jackson is a new nonprofit in Jackson which has had tremendous success and impact in the short time they have been active. They have created community gardens, food box distribution events, farm stands, and youth programs within Jackson to work toward the elimination of food insecurity. The team at Grow Jackson are highly motivated…
Dr. Darienne Hudson, President and CEO of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, has been a relentless leader and advocate for southeastern Michigan, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond rallying her own organization as it navigated the pandemic and its impacts on the UWSEM organization, services and staff, Dr. Hudson was a leader…