This month, we are saying a bittersweet goodbye to two AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers who have left a lasting mark on Piece by Piece: John Montgomery and Sumeya Abdulkarim.
John Montgomery, Outreach Coordinator
During two full years as our VISTA Outreach Coordinator, John helped strengthen the foundation of how we connect with our community. He built systems for scheduling outreach events, developed processes for reaching new participants, and created a smoother path for participant intake and orientation. Whenever an extra pair of hands was needed in our Social Enterprise, John stepped in there, too. Because of his steady, behind-the-scenes work, Piece by Piece is better prepared to welcome the next artist who walks through our doors.
John is now heading off to finish his degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills. We are proud of him and look forward to all that comes next.
Sumeya A., Program Coordinator
As our VISTA Program Coordinator, Sumeya quickly became someone our staff and participant artists could count on every day. She built systems for tracking attendance, organized class scheduling, improved how we share information with participant artists, and helped keep our calendar running smoothly behind the scenes. The structure she leaves behind will continue to strengthen our programs for years to come.
After completing her service with AmeriCorps VISTA, Sumeya is setting off to travel. We wish her safe travels and many meaningful adventures ahead.
Gratitude All Around
To John and Sumeya, thank you. Your dedication, creativity, and heart have helped Piece by Piece build stronger systems so we can serve more people, more effectively, for years to come. We are deeply grateful for all you have contributed, and we wish you both the very best in the chapters ahead.
We also want to thank the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Their capacity-building support has been invaluable to our organization, bringing extra hands and fresh energy to help us create systems we could not have built on our own. It is a remarkable program that helps organizations like ours strengthen community, piece by piece.
