Leave Your Mark: A FEMA Corps Member Spotlight This month’s FEMA Corps Member spotlight comes from Kelsey Stephens, currently serving at the Southern Region campus (Vicksburg, MS). A graduate of Ball State University, Kelsey studied Psychology, Sociology and Interpersonal Relations. Kelsey is a proud member of Bayou 6 and her team’s FEMA specialty role is Individual Assistance (IA). I spoke with Kelsey about her FEMA Corps experience and the great work that she and other members are providing to those in the NJ/NY area.
How did you first learn about AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps? Initially, I was researching the Peace Corps when I stumbled upon AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps. FEMA Corps caught my eye due to the disaster-specific, domestic work associated with the program.
Kelsey (L) pictured with CNCS Director Wendy Spencer and FEMA Deputy
interesting.
Your term of service just started a few months ago. What are Tell us about something that some of your goals as you you’ve done for the first time progress through the year? I plan to build upon the knowledge since starting. Coming from a rural community in I have learned thus far, carrying Indiana, I have never gone through my skills with me from disaster to a natural disaster before. Pictures disaster. I also hope to put my and stories can only abilities to use in the community— do so much to volunteering more of my free time explain the to other organizations and hardships these agencies in the area. survivors endure in their day-to-day And lastly, please share any lives. Working Why did advice that you might have for directly with you prospective Corps Members disaster survivors is who are interested in FEMA choose to truly an inspiring apply? Corps. As a opportunity; Anyone who is interested in FEMA recent survivors who have Corps should definitely be willing college graduate, I decided I had lost their own belongings and to live a life that is very different spent plenty of time working on bearings are still out assisting their than the norm—from living in ships my mind—it was time to work on families, friends, and neighbors. to working 80 hours a week— my heart. FEMA Corps acts as the every day brings something new perfect portal to combine my and challenging. You must be What has been the most schooling in Psychology and challenging part of your term of “FEMA flexible”! Sociology, my professionalism, service thus far? How have you and my benevolence into one worked to overcome that commitment. challenge? At times it is difficult to see the effect that such minute things such What has been one of your as checking one simple box can favorite memories thus far? Receiving the FEMA specialized have—the right boxes checked training in Anniston, Alabama was can be one of the determining very motivating for me; listening to factors that lead up to a disaster the FEMA officials speak of their survivor obtaining a place to live. real-life interactions with disaster I keep that notion in mind and survivors, all the while learning keep reminding myself that even about the way FEMA operates as the smallest things can lead to an organization was extremely making a lasting impact.
Leave Your Mark: A FEMA Corps Member Spotlight
Diana Cook, a FEMA Corps member from the Southern Region (Vicksburg, MS) is the subject of this FEMA Corps Member spotlight. A former NCCC member at the North Central Region campus (Vinton, IA), Diana is from Sunnyvale, CA. She currently serves on Bayou 3 and her team’s FEMA specialty role is Logistics.
How did you first learn about AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps? I was looking online for volunteer opportunities in my area and came across information about FEMA Corps. Why did you choose to apply? I was looking for a full-time opportunity to serve my community while taking a break from school. What has been one of your favorite memories thus far? Spending time together with my team in our Habitat for Humanity housing in Baton Rouge. Tell us about something that you’ve done for the first time since starting. I’ve handled thousands of dollars worth of accountable property. What has been the most challenging part of your term of service thus far? How have you worked to overcome that challenge? The hardest thing to deal with is not knowing what we would be doing from day to day and the way that I overcame that was by focusing on the people I was helping and serving alongside every day. Your term of service just started a few months ago. What are some of your goals as you progress through the year? To develop a leadership style that inspires people to push their comfort zones and that they are more capable in uncertain situations. And lastly, please share any advice that you might have for prospective Corps Members who are interested in FEMA Corps. FEMA Corps will push your limits in ways you would not expect because, as opposed to traditional NCCC, you will be helping people in a more indirect manner, but you will be able to impact thousands.
Leave Your Mark: A FEMA Corps Member Spotlight Lizzie McSherry is a FEMA Corps Member serving at the Southern Region campus. Lizzie studied at Daemen College before joining FEMA Corps. Lizzie is a proud member of Bayou 5 and her team’s FEMA Specialty role is Community Relations.
Since arriving in NYC, I’ve witnessed fellow Corps Members who are multiWhat has been the most challenging lingual work and, after seeing how part of your term of service thus far? much it helps them spreading information to so many more people How have you worked to overcome than I’m able to, I plan to pursue that challenge? Because situations in times of disaster learning a new language more are both constantly and quickly seriously. evolving, our individual roles and projects working with FEMA do so as well. The biggest difficulty, as a result of this, has been in being reassigned Why did you choose to apply? Having a general idea of FEMA’s role to new tasks or jobs after becoming so in a disaster and knowing the mentally and emotionally invested reputation of CNCS’s service, I figured with those we were already working that this would provide some great with. Changing directions so often was insight into a large scale relief effort difficult at first, but having now taken along with being an incredible the time to observe how events unfold opportunity to help those in need. in these circumstances, I’ve learned that this seemingly chaotic period is an inevitable aspect of disaster response What has been one of your favorite and has made understanding the memories thus far? One weekend during our Spike in situation as a whole much easier. Baton Rouge, my team had completed an ISP in New Orleans and decided we needed to experience a night in this And lastly, please share any advice new city together. A few hours into that you might have for prospective roaming around the Bourbon Street Corps Members who are interested area, we ran into about 20 other Corps in FEMA Corps. Members whom we hadn’t seen since Leave your expectations at the door. our initial trainings; the crazy, excited This program is a great experience if energy when we all saw each other you are able to let it be, but with was completely overwhelming and something as unpredictable as what made for an amazing evening with FEMA works with, it’s so important to “old friends.” remain open-minded and be ready for anything! Tell us about something you’ve done for the first time since starting. Even though I live so close to New Your term of service just started a York City, I’ve never actually come few months ago. What are some of through and spent any time seeing the your goals as you progress through sights. Since we’ve been here for our the year? current spike, I’ve visited Central Park When I started this term of service, and Times Square, seen Grand Central one of my primary goals was to Station, eaten real New York style become fluent in Spanish; while I pizza, visited the Museum of Natural wanted to study, I didn’t realize the History, and so much more I figured I immediate importance it could have. How did you first learn about AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps? After initially applying for traditional AmeriCorps NCCC, I received an email about the potential of a collaborative project between CNCS and FEMA. A few weeks later, another email came confirming the development of the program with an invitation to apply.
would never end up doing!
Leave Your Mark: A FEMA Corps Team Leader Spotlight
Dan Faris is the FEMA Corps Team Leader for Summit 7, from the Southern Region. A New Jersey native, Dan has attended Rutgers University. His team’s FEMA Specialty role is Public Assistance.
How did you first learn about AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps? When I applied to NCCC, I was contacted about FEMA Corps by campus staff. Why did you choose to apply? I wanted to go help people who had just been through a disaster. What has been one of your favorite memories thus far? Taking trips with the other team leaders has been a favorite memory. Helping my team come together as a cohesive unit has been a good experience.
very different than witnessing it on relief. It would help you to be able TV or the internet. to see the big picture of helping people and not focus on helping individuals. What has been the most challenging part of your term of service thus far? How have you worked to overcome that challenge? In this deployment, it is tough doing FEMA work versus hands on work. Even though we are still helping people, you like to see who you are helping and see the results of your work. We have tried to do more hands on things like working with Disaster Recovery Centers and hand out supplies. Your term of service just started a few months ago. What are some of your goals as you progress through the year? I would like to continue to strengthen my team and make sure that they get the best experience possible.
Tell us about something that you’ve done for the first time since starting. I have walked through a disasterstricken area right after the disaster hit. Seeing parts of Staten Island that were badly damaged really stuck out in my mind and is
And lastly, please share any advice that you might have for prospective Corps Members who are interested in FEMA Corps. Make sure you are interested in the management aspect of disaster