On Nov. 24, the AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer program in Lowndes County will come to an end after eight years of providing workers to help local nonprofits expand their reach and service to our community.
The Columbus Arts Council, the entity that has held the grant for the federal program, decided last month that it could no longer operate the program.
The program allowed nearly a dozen nonprofits such as the Y, Boys and Girls Club, Palmer Home and Main Street Columbus make more of an impact on our community.
Without question, the loss of the program is unfortunate and was a difficult decision for the CAC Board. But as the costs, regulations and requirements of the federal grant increased, it became apparent that the job of administering the program was simply more than the CAC could manage.
We hope that this does not mean the end of the county’s VISTA program, but merely a brief interlude that will allow another entity better equipped to run this program to take over.
The VISTA program has been a godsend to nonprofits of all kinds while providing great opportunities for volunteers, many of whom have gone on to careers in nonprofits themselves.
The program has allowed nonprofits to pursue new avenues of service through the additional resources the VISTA volunteer represents.
It’s truly a win-win-win arrangement. The nonprofit wins. The volunteer wins. Most important, the community wins.
Given the nature of the program, we believe that VISTA will work best under the direction of an organization such as The United Way of Lowndes County, Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce or even The W. Administered by an organization with a more broad range of services may allow the VISTA program to better flourish.
We hope that the loss of the VISTA program proves to be a short-term setback and that some organization in our community will seize the opportunity to pick up the baton.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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