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We wanted to emphasize how important it is for schools and communities to realize that VISTAs are volunteers.
They are volunteering a year of their life to do this service.
DPI does pay them a modest living allowance each month to help with basic living expenses.
And when I say basic, I mean pretty basic.
Very. It is a full time obligation that’s federally granted through DPI
and the living allowance stipend that they give us is basically at poverty level.
That’s done for a reason, to help VISTAs relate to the people that they are here to serve.
It’s easy for us to get away from how difficult it can be day to day how to make your payments
and that’s just as one person living at poverty level.
Now you imagine trying to raise a family at that level
and it gives you a completely different perspective on what members of your community are going through.
When you are trying to help them the idea that internet access isn’t always there
and things that a lot of us take for granted are daily struggles for a large portion of the Racine community.
It also adds more meaningfulness to the nature of our work.
To know that we are really part of the community and we are living like the community we work for.
I think that’s a great part of being a VISTA.