Meet Tyler Lewis, the first AmeriCorps VISTA member recruited for the pilot NH Food Insecurity AmeriCorps Program.

Tyler serves as the Student Affairs VISTA member at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, NH.

How did you learn about the NH Food Insecurity AmeriCorps Program, and why did you choose to serve a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member?

Well, I learned about the VISTA program through seeing an AmeriCorps job listing in my hometown of Indianapolis. Although the initial listing I saw wasn’t a great fit for my skills, the AmeriCorps VISTA program in itself intrigued me. So I searched for other openings they had, and the food insecurity project here caught my eye. After interviewing, I learned more about the vital work the program is doing and its opportunities for growth as a new program.

I decided to serve as a VISTA this year for an opportunity to help an important cause while further developing my own skills for a future in non-profit work.

Why is volunteer service important to you?

Volunteering has been so beneficial to my life in numerous ways. Not only is it a chance to help those in our community in need, but it is a way to broaden my perceptions of the world. It’s an opportunity to meet new people from all different walks of life. And being able to see a positive impact you’ve helped create is an unbelievably rewarding feeling.

What are you most looking forward to during your year of service?

I’m most excited to see how much growth our program can accomplish during my service year. The more we can grow, the more people we can help serve in the community.

What is one thing you wish everyone would know about food insecurity?

The prevalence of food insecurity. It’s an issue that affects millions of people throughout the country every day and has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.