Published: Monday, Dec. 22, 2008

Updated: Monday, Dec. 22, 2008

VISTA has clear vision of volunteering

They serve without titles.

They work for a yearly stipend.

They choose to live at the poverty level so they can understand the challenges of families they are trying to help.

They are Volunteers in Service to America, part of the AmeriCorps program run by the federal government.

During the past year, a very busy group of VISTA volunteers has helped transform some of the neediest neighborhoods in Manatee County by empowering residents to help themselves.

Al Gedeon and David Kaminski, two of the first recruits who are from Bradenton, work with Manatee County’s Neighborhood Services Department. One of their big projects was getting the materials and volunteer help to build wheelchair ramps for the homebound to increase their mobility and independence.

Brenda Freeman spent the year working with the Anna E. Gayle Resource Center in Palmetto, helping to expand the programs for families and teens.

Bridgette Halliburton is working in the East Bradenton neighborhood where she grew up, helping outreach programs at the Central Economic Development Center, the nonprofit arm of the Bradenton Community Redevelopment Agency.

Halliburton’s income tax preparation courses have trained neighborhood leaders to help their neighbors file their tax returns and succeed in getting low-income credits.

All four signed up for one year of service, but they are so involved with their work that they have signed up for a second year.

In all, 15 VISTA members, ranging from their early 20s to 70, are now working in Manatee County, with one more slated to start in February.

They have organized financial literacy courses, worked with the homeless, expanded enrollment in KidCare, the state medical insurance program for low-income families and promoted the use of the United Way of Manasota 211 help line, reports Rosie Wylie, who helped get the 20/20 VISTA Vision Program started in Manatee County.

As 2008 draws to a close, the 20/20 VISTA team celebrates its first anniversary.

Halliburton says her VISTA service has helped fulfill a lifelong dream.

“When I was younger I always thought the people who signed up for the Peace Corps were awesome,” said Halliburton. “I always wanted to do that, but never did. When this came along, a chance to volunteer in the states, I couldn’t say no.”

Halliburton and Central Economic Development Center have been planning all year for the coming tax season.

“Last year we helped 150 people file returns and we had to turn a few away,” Halliburton said. “We are trying to recruit more volunteers this year, but they will have to go through 40 hours of tax preparation training. That’s why it is so difficult.”

Halliburton’s VISTA role is to find those volunteer tax preparers.

This is exactly the kind of project Adraine LaRoza, executive director of Volunteer Manatee, had in mind when she came up with the idea for the local VISTA program four years ago.

“In collaborative meetings, I heard many non-profits say they did not have the resources or funding to meet needs in the community,” LaRoza said.