We recently celebrated Americorps Week (March 9-15), a national recognition of Americorps participants around the country. It was a time to thank current AmeriCorps members and alums for their service.
The ten participants in the 2024-2025 Americorps year came to us from around the country, from right in our backyard (Bainbridge Island) all the way to the East Coast. Whether they’re recent high school or college graduates, they joined AmeriCorps to gain new skills and experience a program with direct community impact.
“I wanted to move out west, work in construction, and feel like I was doing something bigger than myself. This was the perfect thing that marries those three,” says current participant Tyler Grasso.
They have learned hands-on construction skills and applied them to our current builds at Yarrow Cottages, Miller’s Creek, Stuart Meadows, and numerous repairs projects throughout the region. More than that, they’ve learned how to teach others, a skill that can shape the rest of their careers.
Current participant Ewean Bos explains, “If you ever want to move up in the industry, you’re going to have to become a manager. To get that experience right from the start is super beneficial. You’re learning how to manage the volunteers and show them how to do things the right way.”
Some of the Americorps participants joined with no construction experience, but they put their newfound knowledge to immediate action. “My favorite days are when we have a lot of new volunteers onsite, and I get to work with them. We learn how to use these tools and techniques, and at the end of the day when I say goodbye to them, they say, ‘I learned so much from you.’ That’s empowering,” adds AmeriCorps member Liz Mathieson.
Many current staff members at Habitat SKKC are also AmeriCorps alums. CEO Brett D’Antonio began his own Habitat journey via Americorps. As a member of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program, Brett worked on four different projects in Mississippi, including with a Habitat affiliate on the Gulf Coast building homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. While the affiliate was focused on disaster relief, they found time for camaraderie and friendly competition, including at the Construction Olympics held during the last week of service. Brett won the first-place prize, a golden hammer that sits in his office to this day.
Working at an affiliate with a high-volume of output taught Brett lessons that he carries with him to this day. Beyond the construction skills he acquired, learning how to teach and problem solve were his biggest takeaways from his time with AmeriCorps.
“The real challenge is, how do you get volunteers to be productive? Approaching things in a non-linear way is the best route to utilize volunteer labor. There’s no single way to accomplish anything; I have taken that lesson throughout my Habitat career,” Brett explains.
After AmeriCorps, Brett joined the construction staff at Habitat. Due to the nature of disaster recovery, things were slowing down at the affiliate where he worked. He applied for any Habitat construction job he could find, and he got a call from Island County, Washington, where they were hiring their first construction employee. After three years, he became their Executive Director, which eventually led him to Habitat SKKC. He credits his success at Habitat to his willingness to take chances and opportunities.
For people who are considering applying to AmeriCorps, Brett recommends entering the program with an open mind and listening as much as you can. He adds, “I think the most important thing is to remember that you’re doing a year of service, and service is about doing things for other people. We can’t tell you in advance what your experiences in AmeriCorps will be, but it can be very meaningful to other people if you come in and do the work for the right reasons.”
AmeriCorps participants have helped to build homes for countless people, places to gather and grow communities. Wherever they end up, we hope this year’s AmeriCorps class can use the skills learned during their service year to continue positively impacting their communities.