It’s a new year here at ESP which means new AmeriCorps members! If you haven’t noticed, we have DOUBLED the amount of AmeriCorps members this year, and that’s because we are growing exponentially. Java Joy is expanding to Atlanta and Rome this year, so it’s all hands on deck for bringing the magic of Java Joy to these Georgia cities.
We couldn’t do this alone, so we have six, selfless, dedicated individuals who will be working a full year to bring education and awareness of people of all abilities to these cities! They serve as AmeriCorps members and in return for their year-long service, they receive a monthly living allowance, free housing, and an education award. Let’s meet these amazing individuals known as our Java Joy Program Leaders!
Athens
Kidron Bullock
Kidron is a familiar face around ESP as he has been involved in ESP for many years from being a summer staff to intern. He has always wanted to be a Java Joy AmeriCorps member when the timing was right, and now it is! He is most excited for the millions of hugs he’ll be getting and receiving, and working full time for ESP! Kidron is also looking forward to developing new professional skills and serving an organization and population he is so passionate about.
Kidron is wanting to pursue a career in nonprofit management and this role will help him in one days of becoming a Java Joy City Manager in a new city expansion. Fun fact about Kidron is he’s obsessed with Broadway and has a collection of playbills.
Grant Colquitt
Grant just graduated from UGA this May with a B.S.Ed. in Special Education and is thrilled to continue to serve his favorite people in this new role of Java Joy Program Leader. Grant has been involved with ESP for six years and didn’t want to leave quite yet. He has a profound appreciation for ESP’s ability to accept, inspire, and impact the lives of everyone involved. He’s hoping Java Joy will help him to grow in his teamwork skills. An interesting fact about Grant is that he’s double jointed in both arms!
Let’s take a road trip to Atlanta!
Atlanta
Brittney Butler
Brittney has lived in Athens her whole life and was ecstatic to hear the news that Java Joy was putting itself on the map. Brittney was a communications intern last year and was so talented we couldn’t let her go! Brittney is excited to experience a new city and bring the ESP magic to the cultural hub that is Atlanta. She’s thrilled to help Atlanta fall in love with something she already knows is so special, and have the chance to share how many opportunities Java Joy has for adults with disabilities to engage in meaningful work, and transform the lives of others along the way.
Brittney graduated from UGA last year with a degree in Journalism and had no idea her first internship after graduating would be so fulfilling and rewarding. Through interning at ESP, she discovered her passion for other things that she’d like to explore more. She wants to continue to work in a space where she loves what she does, and make a positive impact on the community.
Trent Bauer
Trent is from Connellsville, Pennsylvania and learned about being the position on the AmeriCorps website. He has a passion for helping people and ESP and Java Joy’s mission aligned perfectly with what he wants to find in an organization. Trent is excited to be doing work that he’s passionate about and is impactful. His future goals are to pursue a career working with people with disabilities, so he’s thrilled to learn as much as he can from ESP. Fun fact about Trent was he was a guest on the Ellen Show!
We’re heading up northwest now to Rome! No, not the city in Italy, the one in Georgia!
Rome
Anne Lownes
Anne is from Suwanee and heard about our AmeriCorps position on LinkedIn. She is excited to have the opportunity to serve an organization while also having the chance to grow professionally and personally. The part she’s most looking forward to is seeing how Rome reacts to Java Joy.
She said, “I’m looking forward to how the culture of ESP and Java Joy affects Rome. It’s going to be amazing to see how Rome transforms when people with disabilities are openly accepted, empowered, and celebrated!”
Anne has always wanted a career in nonprofit, and working for AmeriCorps and ESP will allow her to sharpen her interpersonal skills while figuring out what role she’d best work in the nonprofit sector. Anne also hopes to learn everything about programming, vocational training for adults with disabilities, and volunteer management. Fun fact about Anne is she hiccuped every day for four years!
Ashley Vanzant
Ashley is another one of our AmeriCorps members who’s not from Georgia, she’s from Saint Augustine, Florida! She heard about this position on the AmeriCorps website and has been searching for her next steps in life. Ashley knew she wanted to work for an organization that serves a greater purpose and makes a difference for others, and ESP fits that passion of hers.
She is excited to help with the expansion in Rome that will benefit so many people. Ashley’s future goal is to be a clinical social worker so this position will help her gain the knowledge and skill sets needed to work with many different individuals from diverse backgrounds. Something cool about Ashley is she has an adorable Pomeranian named Toby!
We’re so excited to have these amazing AmeriCorps members make an impact this year! Be sure to thank them when you see them around Georgia and ESP, driving the Java Joy van and our Joyristas around spreading love, joy, and coffee.
