Notre Dame Mission Volunteers, AmeriCorps - Connecticut

Notre Dame Mission Volunteers, AmeriCorps-- CT & TX is an affiliate of Notre Dame Mission Volunteers, AmeriCorps, a national organization based in Baltimore, MD, with locations in over 25 US Cities. This cohort includes sites in Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut and Dallas, Texas

Notre Dame Mission Volunteer Program, founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1992, has been placing volunteers at sites nationwide to work alongside all people, especially the economically disadvantaged. The volunteers accomplish this mission by promoting literacy and education.

AmeriCorps is a federally-funded service program, commonly referred to as the domestic Peace Corps, that brings together citizens of diverse backgrounds to serve communities in the areas of education, public safety, human needs and the environment. In 1995, NDMV sought a partnership with AmeriCorps to allow for an increase in the number of members, offering greater community service in financially-limited sites. This partnership formed Notre Dame Mission Volunteers-AmeriCorps.

Notre Dame-AmeriCorps, seeks to build community among our members, as well as the people with whom we work by reaching out across culture and class. We are committed to supporting schools and organizations work towards equitable education. Our goal is to promote and encourage education, community empowerment, leadership development, and multicultural harmony.

NDMVA supports holistic educational programs for at-risk children and adults in economically disadvantaged communities. We provide small group and one-on-one instruction, and after school program support in schools and education based nonprofits. In addition some members support adults seeking higher education who are in need of wrap around services. Our volunteers are recruited from the local communities and from college campuses nationwide. To further our goals, we develop service partnerships with groups and individuals in the public and private sectors.

Our members work to empower individuals who are economically disadvantaged and oppressed through education and personal hands-on support. They tutor children, help instruct classes, organize after-school enrichment activities, model and teach conflict resolution, and involve community professionals in the learning process.

We seek to build community among our members, as well as the people with whom we serve. Currently, our members come from 30 states and myriad racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our multicultural, ecumenical group is bound together by common ideals of service, educational empowerment, community building, and a desire to translate values into action.