NC-CAF :: About AmeriCorps

The North Carolina Community AIDS Fund hosts a team of five AmeriCorps members in the Triangle area through the National AIDS Fund AmeriCorps/Caring Counts program, a volunteer program that works specifically in the field of HIV.

AmeriCorps Caring Counts has three components to the program: direct service at a Host Agency four days a week, a Fifth Day of team-based community service, and a Long Term Project.

AmeriCorps Caring Counts members are matched with local agencies where they work four days a week serving their communities on projects such as health education, HIV testing and awareness, and providing support services to those living with HIV. One day a week, the members come together for training and to perform community service projects.

AmeriCorps members serve in their communities for 11 months, receiving a small stipend, health insurance and child care if needed. Upon completion AmeriCorps members are eligible for an educational award of $5,350.

National AIDS Fund AmeriCorps Caring Counts accepts members from age 17-99 who have completed high school or obtained their GED (or agree to do so during their year of service). All AmeriCorps members must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. AmeriCorps members come from across the country and from the local community.

Over the course of 11 months, the 2009- 2010 team completed 8,714 hours of service in the Triangle community. In that time they participated in 1,017 HIV counseling and testing sessions, provided 664 people with access to health care, conducted 160 education sessions that reached 1,839 people, and recruited 170 more volunteers to join them in this work.

To apply to become an AmeriCorps member, please go to http://www.americorps.gov/ . Applications are accepted January 1 through June 30.

Host Agency applications are accepted from January 1 through April 30th. Please contact the North Carolina Community AIDS Fund.

AmeriCorps Members

Thank you to our 2009-2010 team.

Alex Crosson - Wake County Boys and Girls Club

“I learned this year that I can be a voice for those who cannot or are too embarrassed to speak for themselves. I showed youth that they have the power to make safe, smart decisions, no matter what anyone else forces them to do. AmeriCorps showed me the joy in working with youth and allowed me to join the vast network of professionals in the field.”

Erik Johnson - Wake County Human Services HIP Clinic

“My contribution was very direct: every day I helped PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS) gain access to life-saving therapies that extend their lives, and I helped promote healthy lifestyle choices. I discovered that people continue with their goals and that HIV doesn’t stop people from living fulfilling lives.”

Kim Mosley - Carolina Alcohol and Drug Expantion Team

“To know that they trusted me with their status, lifestyle choices, past histories, and current everyday situations was sometimes more than I could conceive. I am invested in helping even after my time with AmeriCorps. ”

Krupa Patel - Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina

“Testing and counseling was my favorite part of this program because I leant a caring ear to people who feel they can’t talk to anyone else. I could also educate people about their sexual health. I am from the South, so it felt really great to provide education and testing to my fellow Southerners. I did my best to convey the message that HIV is still a very big problem here.”

Staci Shepard - North Carolina Central University

“One individual who impacted me this year is a community organizer in Durham. This woman is so passionate and speaks with such conviction when she advocates for HIV. She inspires me and gives me proof that committed individuals really can make a huge impact in the community.”

Read about AmeriCorps Caring Counts teams across the country on the blog.

Host Agencies
Four days a week, the AmeriCorps members work at their Host Agencies providing direct services including HIV counseling and testing, prevention education, and treatment adherence. Members have been placed at the Wake County Boys and Girls Club, North Carolina Central University, Alliance of AIDS Services – Carolina, Carolina Alcohol and Drug Expansion Team, and Wake County Human Services. Read more about the 2009-2010 placements.

Host Agencies pay a part of the member’s stipend; provide direct supervision and on-site orientation as needed; and provide the overhead and tools the AmeriCorps member will need to accomplish their work.

Applications for Host Agencies are accepted January through April. Contact Matt Toth (Matthew.Toth@duke.edu) for the current application.

Host Agencies References
Important AmeriCorps Dates
Previous Host Agency Application
What Makes for a Successful Placement
Prohibited Member Activities

Fifth Days and Long Term Project

In addition to working four days a week at their Host Agencies, AmeriCorps Caring Counts members are required to participate in Fifth Days and the team’s Long Term Project.

Fifth Days
Each Friday, the team participated in a Fifth Day of service. The Fifth Day provides the opportunity for the team to engage in community service beyond the field of HIV and to better understand the community in which they live and serve. This year, the team worked with over 20 groups on their Fifth Days:

Meals on Wheels of Wake County, Food Bank of Eastern NC, El Centro Hispano, NC Pride, Helping Hands, Piedmont Consortium HIV Testing Events, Durham Disc Golf course, Ronald McDonald House, SECU Family House, Alliance of AIDS Services – Carolina , Under One Roof, Habitat for Humanity, Raleigh Rescue Mission, Meals on Wheels of Durham County, Duke Addictions Program, NC AIDS Education Training Center, Triangle Dance Festival for AIDS, Durham Rescue Mission, Syphilis Elimination Project, Haven House, Urban Ministries of Durham, and NCCU Community Health Assessment

If you would like to request that the AmeriCorps team serve at your agency for one of their Fifth Days, please contact Matt Toth.

Long Term Project
The Long Term Project allow the team to better know a community and develop a project to meet the needs of the community that they create with the community.
HI fiVe Awareness
Team Carolina, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wake County, created a transportable mural that focused on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Youth participants created artwork related to HIV/AIDS which were then put onto a mural that was displayed throughout all the Wake County Boys and Girls Clubs. An additional 15 volunteers served alongside Team Carolina to host the youth artists, friends, and family at an event which featured the mural’s unveiling. Through this experience, local youth have gained a better understanding of how HIV affects them and their community.