Sydney Sanders is an AmeriCorps VISTA member serving with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. She originally discovered AmeriCorps VISTA in college, hearing fellow students discuss their post-graduation plans. “After I graduated, I knew I wanted to find a program or position that would afford me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I gained in school, while also cultivating new skills,” she recalls. “What drew me to serve was the unique position I applied for and ended up being offered.”

Through her VISTA service at the Federation, Sydney has had the chance to be involved in a broad range of activities and projects, from editing video content for the Virginia Learning Center and creating an application for the annual Healthy Pantry Initiative (HPI) grant, to leading a meeting of the Federation’s Education Committee and constructing an HPI Handbook for food banks, plus much more. “In this position, I not only get to contribute to a statewide initiative, but I get to help plan and implement every element of it,” says Sydney. “AmeriCorps VISTA is a great way to get your foot in the door and expose you to opportunities you otherwise wouldn’t have access to.”

Collaboration is also a key component of her service, as it is for the Federation as a whole. “There are a lot of moving parts and players,” says Sydney. “On a daily basis, I interact with employees of the seven Virginia food banks that are implementing HPI for their prospective food banks, academic partners from Virginia colleges like James Madison University, other statewide organizations such as the Family Nutrition Program of the Virginia Cooperative Extension, and even food pantry staff and volunteers themselves. This collaboration has allowed me to learn about the charitable food system from all angles and cultivate a deeper understanding of its importance and impact.”

Since her VISTA service with the Federation was her first job post-graduation, she recalls that it was challenging to transition a full-time schedule after being a college student. She adds, “When I originally accepted this position and began my year of service, I had no background and limited prior knowledge about the charitable food system. My passion remains in human rights work, but I’ve now adopted a strong emphasis on the right to food. In the beginning of my service, I devoted a great deal of time and energy into learning about food systems and understanding each player’s role in them. This education, and continued expansion of that knowledge, has definitely shaped my future plans. I have begun to brainstorm ways in which I can combine my interest in food security and human rights. Specifically, I have developed a strong desire to integrate a human rights framework into the charitable food system, and I hope to pursue this after my year of service is complete.”

As she looks ahead to what’s next in her journey, she also offers this advice: “My main advice for someone considering AmeriCorps or AmeriCorps VISTA is to apply and accept your position carefully. Each position is going to offer you unique opportunities. Like me, you might get multiple position offers that all sound amazing. It is up to you to decide which opportunities are most important to you and accept your position accordingly. Regardless of your decision, however, you are going to learn so much and gain so many skills during your term of service. You really can’t go wrong!”