Let AmeriCorps Be Your Navigator

This post originally appeared on the AmeriCorps Alums Blog on April 18, 2012.

by Ken Tran

ROAD TRIP! Nothing like counting license plates, playing punch buggy, and singing all your favorite songs with the windows rolled up as you’re driving across America. Well, ever wonder how you could incorporate some service into the mix? Meet two current AmeriCorps NCCC members who are planning to do just that as they begin Navigating for Non Profits at the start of their Life After AmeriCorps.

Maggie and Jenna are both currently serving as NCCC Team Leaders at the Sacramento campus.



Maggie, an Indiana native, started her year with NCCC at the Iowa campus, after completing her Accountant degree at Ball State University in 2010. She realized right before her last semester that she did not want to go into the working world as an accountant. Confused, she consulted her brother, a Peace Corps Alum, who recommended her to try out AmeriCorps as an introduction to contributing to the service world.



Jenna, originally from Sugarland, Texas, joined AmeriCorps after working for a lobbying firm in DC.  She wanted to make a difference and do something out of the box. Initially, it wasn’t the service component of AmeriCorps that attracted her but rather that it sounded really fun!

Their service paths would cross during Team Leader training, where they both discovered a shared passion for getting people excited for service. Through months of planning and brainstorming, the idea to create a non profit out of their travels developed; thus forming Navigating for Non Profits.

Their mission statement reads:

“Navigating for Non Profits mission is to promote service through the act of serving and experience while creating awareness through publicity and incorporating the local communities. Navigating for Non Profits has a strong belief in supporting non-profits because there is always more to be done than can be accomplished by a group of dedicated staff.”

And more will be done once these ladies hit the road on July 29^th serving at their first project in the Presidio in San Francisco. Their goal is to work on volunteer days/projects at every city they stop at. Partnering with local nonprofits, they hope to build community by involving regular volunteers and people who haven’t volunteered before or haven’t in awhile.  When the girls leave for the next city, they hope that the locals don’t forget about the service given back to the community and continue to foster a spirit of volunteerism.

The desire to head off on a voluntourism road trip can be attributed to NCCC, as that’s where the travel bugs first bit! Maggie is excited to travel and hopes to accomplish her goal of staying in all 50 states before she turns 50 and Jenna is excited to visit all the National Parks along the way. Through their AmeriCorps service, both have developed an appreciation for small towns and the local flavors they hope to experience on their tour stops.



Ultimately, through their anticipated journey, the ladies hope to instill one of AmeriCorps Alums’ core beliefs – living out a Lifetime of Service. Maggie and Jenna want to re-energize communities and find volunteers to continue providing local solutions. They want communities to get excited and find the passion in service. By connecting with local non profits and our Alums chapters along the way, their journey will set the course for all of us as we continue to serving in our Life after AmeriCorps.

Visit their homepage to learn more about Maggie, Jenna, and Navigating for Non Profits. They’re mapping out their summer trips, so if you’d like to connect with them along their way with your non profit or make donations to their journey, get connected with them!