Member Benefits

Living Allowance

Because Notre Dame- AmeriCorps is partnered with the Corporation for National and Community Service, we are able to offer our members a yearly living allowance which is distributed bi-weekly. During the 2007-2008 service year the pre-tax figure for 11 months is $11,100, which comes to roughly $454.17 before taxes every two weeks.

The Education Award

Upon completion of an 11 month service term, AmeriCorps members receive the education award of $4725 (taxable). The education award can be applied to qualified student loans or future education at a Title IV institution. If a member serves 900 hours as a half-time member, the member will receive half the education award, or $2362. To learn more about the education award and the National Trust, please go to NDA's site or AmeriCorp's site on the subject.

Student Loan Forbearance

Members of NDA are eligible for student loan forbearance during their year of service. This means that while a member is serving, he or she does not pay on his or her student loans. In addition, the National Trust will pay the interest that accrues on the loan at the end of the term of service.

Optional Health Insurance

We provide two options for healthcare while you serve with NDA. Option 1 provides basic coverage with a $100 deductible and 50 percent coverage of prescription drugs costs. Option 2 provides more coverage, but requires that $12 be deducted from each paycheck ($24 for each month). The health care company we use is called SRC and is an AETNA company.
To learn more, check out http://www.src-web.com/public/americorps.html.

Childcare

NDA members are also eligible for childcare benefits. AmeriCorps CARE pays up to the state’s local market rate for childcare fees and reimburses the member’s caregiver. Members must select a legal caregiver as determined by the state. For more information about childcare benefits visit the National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies website at www.naccrra.net. To qualify for childcare assistance, members must fall into a certain income bracket determined by the state. To check out the qualifications by state, you can download the PDF form of this report provided by the National Women's Law Center. State qualifications are listed in a table on page 9.

Whether you’re a recent college graduate transitioning from school into the working world or a professional making a career change, serving with NDA is a great way to learn new skills and gain experience in education, social work, and the non-profit sector. NDA allows members to experience new situations while offering strong support and relevant training while also nurturing the spiritual and emotional element of the service year.

Orientation and Training

We offer an Orientation at the beginning of the year for members to get to know their group and introduce them to their service year. Orientation takes place regionally (For example: Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. all meet in Baltimore for Orientation).
In addition, each site director holds team meetings on a bi-weekly basis, giving their team workshops and discussion opportunities throughout the year.

Mid Year Training

In mid-February, NDA holds its annual Mid Year Training, which takes place at Trinity College in Washington D.C. Members from all over the country meet for 4 days to attend speakers, workshops, and events. NDA provides accommodations and transportation for NDA members. It is a great opportunity to connect with other members and gain more knowledge, skills, and create enthusiasm for the second half of the service year.
Click here to view a slideshow of Mid Year photos.

Community Living

Living in community can be a great way to spend your year of service. Community provides a supportive environment with other members in modest accommodations. NDA offers community living in select cities to members and provides community support to them during the year. Below is a list of cities offering community living or housing this year (2007). Members do pay a modest rent to site directors for housing costs.

• Boston
• Baltimore
• San Francisco/Redwood City
• Watsonville, CA
• Hartford/New Haven, CT
• Los Angeles
• Orlando

If you are interested in relocating to a city to serve where community living is not offered, talking to a site director may help you to figure out the housing costs and possibly find a roommate who will also be serving.
In addition, we encourage you to check out our community living page, where you can read more about this unique experience and its practical and spiritual benefits.

Spiritual Retreats

NDA’s establishment is rooted in the work and spirituality of the Sisters of Notre Dame who have been serving the economically poor since 1804. We are committed to nurturing the spiritual growth of our members as an option to them. We are also very inclusive of those members who choose not to participate in spiritual activities. Spiritual retreats are optional and take place throughout the year regionally. Retreats are another wonderful way to get to know the Sisters and other members better and reflect on what serving means for each individual and for the wider world.