Behind the Scenes, Building the Future: The Power of a VISTA Member at Make-A-Day
When most people think of Make-A-Day, they picture our pop-up events, the fresh meals, free haircuts, housing support, and the unmistakable energy of care, connection, and community. But behind every joyful guest experience is an infrastructure that makes it all possible: fundraising systems, volunteer management, communication tools, and long-term planning that ensure our work can grow and last.
Much of that behind-the-scenes magic has been made possible by our AmeriCorps VISTA members.
At Make-A-Day, we’ve been lucky to host some incredible VISTA service members over the years. These individuals commit a full year to building the internal capacity of our organization. They don’t just help—they lead meaningful projects that shape the future of how we serve our community.
What Do VISTA Members Do?
VISTA stands for Volunteers in Service to America, a federal program that places individuals in roles focused on fighting poverty and supporting equity across the country. At Make-A-Day, our VISTA members have:
Created and streamlined our fundraising systems
Helped raise funding for new and existing programs
Designed and launched our volunteer management system
Developed communication strategies and support materials
And next year, will build our first individual donor campaign and stewardship plan
This work may not be as visible as serving meals or offering haircuts, but it’s just as vital. These systems allow us to sustain our outreach and scale our impact in ways that directly serve our guests.
The Experience for a VISTA Member
The VISTA program is just as beneficial for the member as it is for the nonprofit. VISTA members gain:
Real-world nonprofit leadership experience
Opportunities to lead high-impact projects
Professional development and networking
A tangible role in building solutions that support communities
They leave their service year with a portfolio of meaningful work, new skills in fundraising, strategy, and systems design, and often a deeper commitment to social impact.
🌟 Meet Our Current VISTA: Amanda Radke
We’re so excited to currently be joined by Amanda Radke, who is leading efforts to enhance our volunteer coordination and appreciation system.
Here’s a bit more about Amanda:
🎓 Background: I was born and raised in ❌ichigan. After high school, I moved to Westerville and studied Public Relations at Otterbein University, while also running track, serving as a first-year peer mentor, and coordinating a service organization called Kneading Minds.
🌟 Why Amanda joined Make-A-Day: I joined Make-A-Day because I loved the team and loved the mission. I saw the value of a community first organization, and felt I could gain a lot of experience and make an impact serving here for my service year.
📣 What Amanda is working on this year: As our volunteer coordinator, I have been expanding our recruitment practices, implementing a volunteer recognition program, working with long term volunteers to assess the needs of the program, and improving the day-of procedures of our Pop-Ups, so that everyone can connect and enjoy the event. Additionally, I’ve taken on the role of running our social media accounts and writing our monthly newsletter. Click here to join our mailing list!
📬 Amanda’s message to the Make-A-Day community:
“I think a lot can be done if we work to improve the lives of everyone in our community instead of just our own. We’ll realize how much we’re all striving towards the same goals, and how much better our own lives get in the process.”
We’re grateful for the dedication, creativity, and care Amanda brings to this work every day.
Looking Ahead
We often say that Make-A-Day is about more than services, it’s about systems of care. Our VISTA members have helped us build those systems from the inside out, with thoughtfulness, strategy, and purpose.
If you’re curious about the VISTA program, want to explore service opportunities, or just want to cheer on our current members, we’d love to connect with you.
And if you’ve ever benefited from a Make-A-Day event, donated, or volunteered - just know a VISTA may have helped make that possible.
Together, we keep building.
♥️
The Make-A-Day Team