VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) was created in 1964 as a
domestic Peace Corps with a mission to alleviate poverty in low-income
communities across America, through the placement of individual volunteers
who would live and work among the poor.  Over 100,000 men and women have
served as VISTA Volunteers since its creation and the future looks bright,
especially with VISTAs new role within AmeriCorps, a new national service
initiative.  To celebrate the 30th anniversary of VISTA (and make use of
technology unavailable in 1964) we are looking to create a mailing list
called VISTAnet to link former, current, and potential volunteers.  Such
a list will help link VISTAs at similar projects (homelessness, literacy,
etc) and allow advice to be shared from past VISTAs to the new VISTAs, on
how to best approach the challenges facing the low-income communities.
 
VISTA is looking for help - in the form of a university or organization
with LISTSERV capability who would be willing to host the VISTAnet mailing
list.  The number of subscribers would initially be very modest, since
many of community based non-profits are still catching on to using internet
resources.  (Part of the exciting part of this project is the outreach we
are doing to these projects, educating them to the potential resources they
can harness by going on-line)  VISTA Recruitment, through the generosity
of American University, set up a LISTSERV mailing list, to distribute
VISTA assignment openings to career centers, so we have experienced folks
who understand listownership duties and responsibilities.
 
If anyone knows of a university or organization who can help us, please
let me know.  Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
 
Sincerely,
 
Brian Geoghegan, VISTA Recruitment Coordinator
Former VISTA (Vermont, 1989-90)
 
[log in to unmask]
(202) 606-5000 x 250
1100 Vermont Ave. NW  8th floor
Washington, DC  20525
 
P.S.  Thanks for your help!