This guest post was submitted by Rutgers-Camden student Marcus Biddle. You can find Marcus on twitter (@Biddle_Marcus):

 

Ten young, motivated AmeriCorps volunteers are making the ultimate commitment to leave their homes for ten months of community service in cities around the nation.

Their latest stop is here in Camden for eight weeks. 

Before visiting the Philadelphia region, many of them heard of Camden being a dangerous, crime driven city – much of which is reported in the news, or talked about in their own community. 

But after meeting residents and community leaders, each member of the AmeriCorps group have a newly found perspective about the city. 

“I see Camden as a progressive city that has a lot of work ahead of them,” said AmeriCorps member Marilyn Ponce. “But they [residents] have a lot of organizations and passionate people working to make that dream a reality.”

Members of the AmeriCorps group in Camden are now proudly calling the city their home and making an invested interest in connecting with the community. Their ten-month program, as members of the AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), will immerse them to work with various non-profit programs in the northeast. Every service opportunity fosters environmental stewardship, urban/rural development, energy conservation, infrastructure improvement and disaster response and recovery. 

Individuals can apply to join AmeriCorps between the ages of 18-24. As soon as members apply, they are assigned to specific cites/states across the nation. 

This AmeriCorps group was recently assigned to live and volunteer in South Camden. 

The group is currently working on projects with organizations including the Center For Environmental Transformation, NJ Tree Foundation and the Neighborhood Center, where they helped construct a green house.  

Each member comes from a diverse background of communities from Seattle, Chicago, New York and Southern California. 

Marilyn Ponce, 22, joined AmeriCorps after graduating college. A student from the University of California at Los Angeles with a degree in Cognitive Science and minor in Italian, she was eager to spend time traveling to different communities. 

“I wanted to take some time off to explore what I’m truly passionate about and travel the country,” Ponce says. “The community I have back home is not in as much need as other areas of the country. I really wanted to collaborate with people that were passionate about rebuilding their community and so far it has been amazing working with our sponsors.” 

Ponce’s team leader, Willie Moore, 23, also applied to AmeriCorps right after finishing college and eventually became a team leader for his group. As a student at State University of New York at Fredonia, Moore majored in Audio Production and minored in Music Industry. After graduation, he was unsure about what exactly he wanted to do, and applied to the NCCC program to participate in more community service.  

“It’s a very good way to learn about different cultures and communities. It allows me to see different parts of the country I wouldn’t normally be able to see,” Moore said. 

This is Moore’s first visit in the City of Camden – as it is for many others in the AmeriCorps group. He would like to learn more about the community and give back “as much as possible.” One of his hopes is to see more healthy food options available for Camden’s residents. 

Moore believes that Camden’s unfair reputation should not overshadow the good work that many residents are trying to accomplish. 

“Camden has a bad stigma,” said Moore. “We only hear about the negative things in the news. However, the people of Camden are passionate about their community and it’s very empowering to see people try and change the issues that Camden is facing.”

Ben Brown, 19, is one of the several volunteers that applied to AmeriCorps right after graduating high school. Brown went to Oxford Hills High School in Oxford County, Maine. He did not know what he wanted to pursue after graduation.  After visiting with his guidance counselor, he discovered opportunities for volunteerism. 

Brown is particularly motivated to help with Camden’s trash issue and partner with community residents to incorporate a better recycling system. 

“I would love to inspire the people of Camden to go out and collaborate with these great organizations to make a difference in their community,” Brown said. “I feel that not a lot of people in Camden know the amazing work our sponsors are doing and how it affects them. I want to spread that awareness and hopefully inspire hope along the way for a revival in Camden.”