LIFT Annual Report 2015: Creating A Better Way | Page 27

what we thought were the important issues,
and I remember sitting around and listening
to what everyone was thinking and really
admiring everyone and…” Eleni begins to cry.
“It just made me realize that everyone was so
admirable. Everyone was so motivated and they
were all so ambitious in the causes that they
cared about, and I remember thinking these are
the perfect people to be around at this point in
my life.”
Eleni’s smile and positivity are infectious. It
is hard not to be happy when you are around
her. Her contributions as a LIFT staffer are an
important thread in the tapestry of stories that
make LIFT such a special place for so many
people.
“I applied to LIFT because I really loved the
AmeriCorps program, and I felt like LIFT’s mission
resonated with my experiences as a child of an
immigrant family. I understood what LIFT was
trying to do, and I knew it would be a great fit for
me.”
Finding herself through service
In her role as a Fellow on LIFT-DC’s development
team, Eleni worked to build the capacity of the
organization through grant writing, prospect
research, donor outreach, and social media. As
time passed, Eleni thrived in her role and grew to
love the work she was doing even more. “I want to
be one of the people that is making changes,” she
tells us.

Partners in Service
The Shriver Corps is a once-in-a-generation
initiative. Through it, AmeriCorps*VISTA
members are committed to helping people
across the United States lift themselves out
of poverty. Shriver AmeriCorps Fellows serve
full time at LIFT sites to further realize Sargent
Shriver’s vision: Americans engaged in service
to their fellow citizens, working together to build
pathways to prosperity.
_______
The Shriver Corps is a collaboration among

Beyond the joy she found in her day-to-day work,
Eleni also spoke about the welcoming staff and
professional development support – both factors
that helped her decide to stay on past a single
year of service. “LIFT has changed the arc of my
future. It’s given me the confidence to be vocal on
the issues I care about.”
Eleni tells us her favorite LIFT memory: “All of
us fellows were sitting around a table, and I
think the conversation started by talking about
one Member’s experience, and we started
to talk about what we thought about poverty,

funded through the generosity of

27