FAQs — AmeriCorps St. Louis

Frequently Asked Questions

About AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps is a federally-funded National Service program. It is often nicknamed the “domestic Peace Corps” for the United States. AmeriCorps is a good alternative to the military or the Peace Corps for those who are interested in National Service but cannot commit for multiple years or who want to serve in a more specific focus area. Individual AmeriCorps programs are funded through grants from a federal agency called the Corporation for National and Community Service. AmeriCorps has four branches: State/National, VISTA, NCCC, and Senior Corps. There are hundreds of AmeriCorps programs across the country; the AmeriCorps St. Louis (ACSTL) Emergency Response Team (ERT) is one such program, based out of St. Louis, Missouri. Each program is distinct, although some are very similar to others. Some programs have hundreds of Members, while some have only one. Program commitments range from a few months to a year. Check out www.nationalservice.gov and watch the video below for more information.
The AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team is a State/National Program under the AmeriCorps umbrella. Our term of service is an 11-month, full-time commitment from mid-September to mid-August. You must serve at least 1,700 hours within that 11-month commitment to complete your term and receive the Segal Education Award. We have 42 AmeriCorps Members on the ERT every year.
We were one of the first AmeriCorps programs to exist and therefore one of the first in St. Louis, so we established our name, “AmeriCorps St. Louis.” Since our founding in 1994, the city has hosted many more AmeriCorps programs, but we have kept our name. We do not represent any other AmeriCorps program. We are one program, the Emergency Response Team. If you are interested in finding other AmeriCorps programs in St. Louis or Missouri, visit the AmeriCorps job portal and filter the current opportunities by state.

Specific AmeriCorps Program Logistics

All ERT Members must find their own permanent housing in St. Louis. There are multi-bedroom apartments and houses that current Members share, and those rooms usually become available once their term of service ends. Members have the opportunity to connect with each other on Facebook after they are hired and before they arrive in St. Louis to figure out where everyone is living and if new housing options are needed. ACSTL is happy to help facilitate the housing search, but it is ultimately each Member’s responsibility to find a permanent situation for at least 12 months (September to August). The cost of living in St. Louis is still very affordable, especially if Members live together and split rent and utility costs. If you already live in St. Louis and have housing set up, that’s great!
Housing is provided while Members are in service on conservation projects outside of St. Louis or on disaster deployments. Housing will range from camping outside to church floors to seasonal houses to AirBnBs, depending on availability, weather, funding, etc. Most housing is on the rustic side.
We wish we could, but, unfortunately, it is not a cost we can support at this time.
A personal vehicle is not required for the program. ACSTL owns a fleet of work trucks and vans that teams travel in to and from projects and deployments. Usually, about half the Corps have personal vehicles. It makes it easier for errands and personal travel if you have a car, but it’s very much a personal choice. Most housing options are located within walking or biking distance to our headquarters.
No. ACSTL provides most of the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed, including a duffel bag, work pack, helmet, fire protective clothing (Nomex), AmeriCorps logo shirts and sweatshirt, etc. If needed, we also have tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, etc. Most of this equipment is borrowed for the term of service and Members need to return everything in good condition. The only major expense we ask of Members to cover is part of the cost of new fire boots (payment plans are available). You will need to provide your own work pants and hiking boots. We recommend waiting to buy anything until after arriving in St. Louis since we have extra equipment, clothing, and items at our headquarters that are donated by alumni.
While it is not forbidden, having another job while serving with the ERT is not encouraged. All ERT Members need to be ready and available to deploy to disasters and may be deployed for long periods of time (up to 45 days). Your ERT term must be your top priority. Additionally, most of our conservation projects require hard manual labor, so we encourage Members to use time off and weekends to recuperate and relax.

Still wondering if this is the right fit for you?

Do your research! AmeriCorps is a great opportunity, but it is not for everyone.
Check out our news section/blog to hear from current ERT Members and alumni about their experiences.