<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>As many no, I am an alumnus of ameriCorps. </div><div id="AppleMailSignature"> While I can tell you from personal experience it is not a perfect program across the board, I can say that it has the ability to do a lot of good for the person who serves as well as the person who is being served.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature"> Here is the story of a blind person who served in an AmeriCorps program and found not only an opportunity to serve, but a chance to improve lives and to strengthen their own. </div><div id="AppleMailSignature"> Would love your thoughts.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature"><br>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> "Get Connected: Tumblr" <<a href="mailto:cncs@delivery.nationalservice.gov">cncs@delivery.nationalservice.gov</a>><br><b>Date:</b> July 15, 2016 at 3:02:31 PM PDT<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:president@nfbcommunityservice.org">president@nfbcommunityservice.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>Corporation for National & Community Service Tumblr Blog | <a href="http://nationalservice.tumblr.com">NationalService.Tumblr.com</a> Update</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> <a href="mailto:cncs@delivery.nationalservice.gov">cncs@delivery.nationalservice.gov</a><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div>
<title> Corporation for National & Community Service Tumblr Blog | NationalService.Tumblr.com Update
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<div class="rss_title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;"><a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNzE1LjYxNjE4ODcxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDcxNS42MTYxODg3MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDg3NDczJmVtYWlsaWQ9cHJlc2lkZW50QG5mYmNvbW11bml0eXNlcnZpY2Uub3JnJnVzZXJpZD1wcmVzaWRlbnRAbmZiY29tbXVuaXR5c2VydmljZS5vcmcmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&102&&&https://nationalservice.tumblr.com/post/147455013937">AmeriCorps Leads to Lifelong Career</a></div>
<div class="rss_pub_date" style="font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; color: #666666; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;">07/15/2016 02:03 PM EDT</div>
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<p>By: Lise Pace, AmeriCorps
VISTA Alum
<br></p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1802" data-orig-width="2700"><img src="https://67.media.tumblr.com/03a70a3620ad56b4820938770afa8bc9/tumblr_inline_oadbabPmH51spgs8j_540.jpg" data-orig-height="1802" data-orig-width="2700"></figure><!-- more --><p>Years after my diagnosis and
losing my career in finance due to vision loss, I was at home waiting for the
other shoe to drop. And when it finally
did, it was devastating. The progressive
loss of my eyesight, its emotional toll and the loss of my independence had
caused me to become a shell of who I was just a decade before. In hopes
of reclaiming some semblance of the life I once knew, I decided to look for a
service opportunity where I might be able to use my skills for good, while rebuilding
my confidence.</p>
<p>I did a Google search to
find a local organization where I might be able to volunteer. The third listing was Bosma Enterprises,
which unbelievably was an organization who provided services for people who are
blind. I called them immediately even
though I had great reservations about what value I could bring or if they would
even want to have a volunteer who was legally blind. They were willing to give me a chance. I started volunteering several times a week
in their Rehab Center helping other newly-blinded people learn the skills to
live their life over without vision.
Surrounded by successful people who were blind and teaching people who
had just lost their vision helped me start to feel more confident and inspired.
</p>
<p>After just a few months, I was asked if I wanted to serve
as an AmeriCorps VISTA building Bosma Enterprises’ volunteer program. Over the year I served, I grew the volunteer
program while educating other not-for-profits about the value of including
people who have disabilities in service.
I was also able to start a volunteer program where Bosma’s employees, 50
percent who are blind or visually impaired, serve other non-profits similar to
a day of service at a for profit company.
The program allowed many people who had traditionally received services,
the opportunity to serve others. At the
end of my year of service, my work was acknowledged and I was named Indiana’s 2008 VISTA of the Year. And, I was offered employment at the company
that hosted me as their volunteer coordinator.
Both were opportunities that I never thought I would have again after I
lost my vision.</p>
<p>Since then, I have continued to work at Bosma Enterprises
in several capacities, and in 2014, I earned my MBA. I was recently named the company’s marketing
director and became a member of its Executive Leadership Team. I’ve worked really hard to get where I am
today, but I know it would not have been possible without Indiana’s Corporation
for National and Community Services disability inclusion initiative and Bosma
Enterprises who gave me a chance. You
see, a person who has an opportunity has a future, while someone without
prospects only has the past. I look
forward to every day at Bosma Enterprises. I continue to be excited that I was
given a second chance. The best is yet
to come for me and other people who have disabilities.</p>
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