VISTA Profiles

VISTA Volunteers: Getting Things Done, Making a Difference

AmeriCorps*VISTA is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Its focus: helping communities across the nation fight poverty and become self-sustaining.

Currently, three Upper Peninsula Access Coalitions and UPHAC host VISTA members working on projects aimed at providing quality health care with dignity for uninsured U.P. residents.

Greater community involvement and visibility for the services of Medical Access Coalition of Delta and Menominee Counties (MAC) is a primary focus of development efforts by VISTA Ashlee Valavala, Community Development Coordinator at MAC since February 2008. She also works with the Delta County office to explore funding sources. She is the primary Prescription Assistance Program coordinator for pharmaceutical company donated medications for MAC enrollees.

Helping to establish health care referral and prescription assistance services for uninsured working-age Alger County residents, VISTA Laura Lewinski is serving as enrollment and administrative assistant at the new Alger County Medical Access office in Munising.  The newest VISTA member in the UPHAC Project, Laura began her year of service in August, 2009.

At the Dickinson-Iron Medical Care Access Coalition, VISTA Development and Enrollment Coordinator Rhea Menza is working with DIMCAC to develop coordinated volunteer and enrollment services for the program's uninsured and underinsured enrollees as well as supporting fundraising and other resource development, including Prescription Assistance Program applications.

At UPHAC's Escanaba office is VISTA Angel Dittrich is in her second year of service. Her tasks include supporting web-based information and marketing services, providing support and coordinating services for the U.P.'s five access coalitions, developing program/services data reports, and gathering local and regional grant and fundraising source data. She also has been a key coordinator for "Hero for the Uninsured" Awards Dinner, Fall Conferences and other outreach events.

Each day, these dedicated advocates for community service make a difference as Access Coalitions pursue the objective of giving uninsured Upper Peninsula residents access to quality health care with dignity.

For more information about the AmeriCorps*VISTA program and volunteer opportunities, visit the AmeriCorps web site.