Way Finders’ Community Building and Engagement (CB&E) team is dedicated to empowering resident leaders and tackling systemic issues for the betterment of the whole community. And, for the past three years, one person has been at the forefront of recruitment and outreach: AmeriCorps VISTA Sheryl Maldonado.

“Sheryl has significantly increased residents’ participation in community meetings and trainings because she goes everywhere, she goes to community meetings, she shows up with flyers and talks to people. She posts on Facebook. She sends email blasts to our contacts. Fear is not in her DNA, Sheryl dares!” said Community Engagement Coordinator Anna Cruz. “Sheryl likes to share of herself and has great ideas, she has something magical about her.”

VISTA members typically commit to one year of service with an organization that makes an impact on a low-income community, where they undertake a project and receive a stipend through the federal program. Maldonado has extended her commitment to resident recruitment and outreach not once, but twice.

“She also helps me with Holyoke Leads, Holyoke Works, which is a job readiness program that Way Finders started in February in collaboration with OneHolyoke CDC and Common Capital. She assists with our Digital Equity trainings, Tech-A-Break computer support (one-to-one office hours for residents), and she’s often out in Springfield helping Shirley Rodriguez, the Springfield coordinator, with outreach for the Springfield Neighborhood Investment Plan,” said Cruz of Maldonado, who worked previously in Puerto Rico as a mail carrier and in the construction field, among many other roles. “I don’t know how Sheryl does it, she is everywhere all the time! She does everything with a smile.”

What inspired you to apply to be a VISTA member with Way Finders?

Maldonado (second from left) with RLP participants and Digital Equity Coordinator Keishla Archeval (second from right)

One week after I arrived in Chicopee with my family from Puerto Rico, in 2015, the place we were living in had a fire. We were homeless for three months. That experience, plus being raised by my parents to always help others, it got in my heart to help people through Way Finders.

Now I can say that being a VISTA member is a great, life-changing experience. It gives you the opportunity to volunteer and learn. And you can connect with your community and people and get to know people from all different kinds of cultures and be in their shoes as you help guide them. When you come to the United States from your native country, such as Puerto Rico or Dominican Republic for example, it’s not the same here, it’s a totally different world. I wanted to be a guide for people.

What’s the most interesting opportunity you’ve had through VISTA?

Being able to go to the NeighborWorks Training Institute, which is a 5-day training program held twice a year to encourage learning among experts and peers. They send me to all different places, I love that. And I never expected it. I’ve been to Dallas, San Francisco, Baltimore, Boston. This year I’m going to New Orleans. I meet a lot of people from different states and countries.

From my training, I’ve learned you need to study the place that you’re going to be doing resident outreach. See the culture. Be in their space, talk in person, face to face. Listen to the residents and make a good connection—they’ll then spread the word to everyone they know. Find out the best way to reach out to people, so I ask, “Text or email?” If you are asking a stakeholder or partner to come to your events, you need to go to their events and build that relationship. They’ll be grateful!

Describe a time when you felt proud of your work?

I support Way Finders’ Digital Equity Coordinator Keishla Archeval with digital literacy classes. In the beginning, you’ll hear participants say, “I can’t do this, this is too hard. Computers aren’t for me!” And then you see their faces in the end, happy crying, because they made it. This is really life changing.

I also love when I meet people at events and they say, “Oh, you’re Sheryl!” They know me from the weekly emails I send, spreading the word to residents in Springfield and Holyoke about what’s happening.

Maldonado with her Wonder Woman collection

Do you collect anything?

Wonder Woman, the original! If you could see my desk is full of stickers and everything Wonder Woman, and I have a little corner in my room for Wonder Woman. When I saw the new movie, I was like, “She’s not Wonder Woman!” But I gave her the chance, I like her now, too.

How did you celebrate your last birthday?

For my 50th birthday, my daughter gave me a gift to go to Mexico for one week. We went with her friend to Cancun. Girls trip! Do you remember Hurricane Helene? Well, we spent three days in the hotel. But it was OK, we made it fun.

How do you spend your free time?

I love to eat ice cream! I’ll go on Google Maps and search for places people are talking about. I always get chocolate chip, that’s my favorite. I’m also very involved in my church in Springfield. I’m the director of event planning, catering, and cleaning. I’ve led a woman’s empowerment group, too, for the past nine years.

Thank you, Sheryl, for your service to AmeriCorps VISTA and Way Finders’ Community Building and Engagement team!