Overview of Scott County AmeriCorps
The Scott County Poverty Busters AmeriCorps Program recruits AmeriCorps members during the months of June, July & August. Members are recruited from the participating communities, local colleges, and from the national AmeriCorps recruiting website. As an AmeriCorps member, you will gain valuable experience in an area that interests you that can translate directly into job experience in your chosen field. You will learn teamwork, communication, responsibility, and many other essential skills that will help you for the rest of your life while gaining the personal satisfaction of taking on a challenge and seeing results while serving your community.
Scott County AmeriCorps Poverty Busters members perform many duties within the community that address the educational and crisis intervention needs of adults and children. Members may serve at the Community Clearinghouse, and at the Scottsburg HighSchool Credit Recovery program. Service project activities occur at various sites throughout the community with partner agencies throughout the course of the year.
Special Events
- National Day of Service and Remembrance
- MLK Day (All Members)
- AmeriCorps Week April
- Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service
AmeriCorps Contact Information
Host Sites and Supervisors
Scott County Executive Director
Jene Bridgewater
P.O. Box 214
Scottsburg, IN 47170
812-752-6365
jene.bridgewater@scottcountypartnership.org
AmeriCorps Program Director
PO Box 214
Scottsburg, IN 47170
812-752-6365
AmeriCorps Program Director: Michelle Shelton
michelle.shelton@scottcountypartnership.org
Thriving Connections – Bloomington
South Central Community Action
1500 W. 15th Street
Bloomington, IN 47401
812-339-3447 #520
Supervisor: Linda Patton
lindap@insccap.org
Forward Steps – Muncie
Second Harvest
6621 N. Old SR 3
Muncie, IN 47303
765-287-8698 #117
Supervisor: Carol Bradshaw
cbradshaw@curehunger.org
Scott County Community Clearinghouse
1057 Community Way
Scottsburg, IN 47170
752-0123
Supervisor: Beth Barnett
Beth.campbell@scottcountypartnership.org
Marion County Julian Center
2011 N Meridian St
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-941-2200
Supervisor: Lindsey Stout
lstout@juliancenter.org
Scottsburg High School
500 S Gardner St
Scottsburg, IN 47170- 1259
812-752-8927
Supervisor: Ms. Burow
tburow@scsd2.k12.in.us
Grant County Circle Program
101 S. Washington St.
Marion, IN 46952
765-254-8242
Supervisor: Emily Bailey
helloemilybailey@gmail.com
Circles of Indianapolis Bricks Alliance
418 E 34th St.
Indianapolis IN. 46205
317-714-6846
Supervisor: Marie Wiese
mwiese@bricksalliance.org
Bridges Alliance of Johnson County
1300 E Adams Drive
Franklin IN, 46131
317-358-9648
Supervisor: Leslie Daugherty
ldaugherty4@gmail.com
Thriving Grant County
505 West 3rd St.
Marion, IN 46952
765-662-0065
Supervisor: Cathy Weatherspoon
cathy@thrivinggrantcounty.com
Scott County AmeriCorps
Circles, Thriving Connection, Forward Steps, Bricks Alliance, Bridges Alliance of Johnson County, Grant County Circles, Grant County Thrive & Propel Indy: All of these programs are a type of relationship-based empowerment initiative that addresses poverty, helping adults move from poverty toward self-sufficiency. AmeriCorps members assisting these programs to facilitate, or help facilitate, financial literacy educational opportunities for those participating in the empowerment initiatives as “leaders” or “captains.”
In this model, under-resourced individuals are surrounded by 2 or 3 adults from stable financial situations who support, encourage, and befriend individuals from poverty trying to move toward self-sufficiency. As the relationships develop and strengthen between the under-resourced adults and the resourced-adults, the under-resourced individuals improve access to resources, learn positive financial management skills, increase their social capital, and develop plans (SMART goals) to move toward self-sufficiency.
Scott County Community Clearinghouse: Beth Barnett is the Director of the Community Clearinghouse and is also the AmeriCorps Supervisor for this site. The Clearinghouse is located across the street from the Life Long Learning Center and is an entity of the Scott County Partnership.
The Clearinghouse exists as both a system and a building, helping those less fortunate in the Scott County community. The system consists of churches, volunteer ministries, other agencies and the Township Trustee working together to create a common system that communicates needs and availability of resources within the community. This also makes it easier for families in crisis to have their needs met without having to make multiple phone calls and visits. A crisis assistance worker coordinates the services among a variety of community groups. Families in chronic need are referred to caseworkers who assist them with overcoming barriers in their lives in order to improve self-sufficiency.
The Community Clearinghouse is also a building used as a warehouse for food storage and distribution including refrigeration and freezer units. Waiting and office space is available for volunteers and staff, and to assist families with food, clothing, housing and other crisis needs.
Scottsburg High School Credit Recovery program: Teresa Burow is the Lead Teacher for the Credit Recovery program. AmeriCorps assists by providing one-on-one help to students working on credit recovery. The AC member also assists by tracking down students to recruit them to work on their credit recovery program.
“This program is available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or, in most instances, religion.”
