IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1152 

Celebrating Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) on its 45th anniversary 

and recognizing the national service program’s contribution to the fight 

against poverty. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 9, 2010 

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin (for herself and Mr. BERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 

Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) on 

its 45th anniversary and recognizing the national service 

program’s contribution to the fight against poverty. 

Whereas Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) has made 

an extraordinary contribution to alleviating poverty and 

improving society in the United States since the program 

began in 1965; 

Whereas more than 175,000 people in the United States of 

all ages and walks of life have answered VISTA’s call to 

devote a year of full-time service living and working in 

low-income communities to help eradicate poverty; 

Whereas VISTA members helped create many successful and 

sustainable community initiatives in the United States, 


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•HRES 1152 IH 

including Head Start centers, credit unions, and neighborhood watch groups, and VISTA alumni are serving in 

leadership positions in government, private, and nonprofit 

sectors; 

Whereas VISTA, which became part of AmeriCorps in 1993 

and is administered by the Corporation for National and 

Community Service, annually engages more than 7,000 

members in helping more than 1,000 local organizations 

build sustainable antipoverty programs; 

Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA members improve the lives of 

the Nation’s most vulnerable citizens by fighting illiteracy, improving health services, reducing unemployment, 

increasing housing opportunities, reducing crime and recidivism, and expanding access to technology; 

Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA members develop programs, recruit community volunteers, generate resources, manage 

projects, and otherwise build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to become sustainable, thereby strengthening 

the nonprofit sector in low-income communities; 

Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA members generate more than 

$100,000,000 in cash and in-kind resources annually for 

organizations across the United States and recruit and 

manage more than 1,000,000 volunteers who provide 

10,000,000 hours of community service for local organizations; and 

Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA acted swiftly to implement the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, engaging 

more than 3,700 members in distressed communities to 

provide foreclosure prevention and financial counseling, 

expand college access, and support health care and independent living services: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 1152 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commends the more than 175,000 men and 

3 women who have served in Volunteers in Service to 

4 America (VISTA) for their dedication and commit5 ment to the fight against poverty; 

6 (2) recognizes VISTA members for leveraging 

7 human, financial, and material resources to increase 

8 the capacity of thousands of low-income areas across 

9 the United States to address challenges and improve 

10 their lives and communities; and 

11 (3) encourages VISTA’s continued commitment 

12 to creating and expanding programs designed to 

13 bring individuals and communities out of poverty. 

Æ 


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