Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps Class 19 Member Spotlight: Amanda Chavez

By: Krista Eichhorst

Name: Amanda Chavez

Hometown: Boston, Ky.

Amanda is serving as a member of the NCCC FEMA Corps team Pine 7 at the Vinton Campus. She says that her faith led her to consider the national service path and she chose to participate in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps because she wanted to dedicate her time to helping people recover from disasters.

Amanda graduated from Nelson County High School in 2007 and attended the Florida Gulf Coast University where she is studying to be a medical administrative assistant. After her service term ends she hopes to take what she learns in the program to find a job in the non-profit or public sectors. She and her husband would also like to start a family someday.

Amanda has seen the devastation of natural disasters firsthand while growing up. Her hometown often flooded in the spring and would get cut off from outside assistance when the roads washed away. However, she says that these disasters would bring the town together with citizens sharing meals and helping their neighbors recover.

Fun Facts about Amanda:

Q: What is your favorite movie? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Q: What is your favorite book? One Thousand Gifts

Q: What is your favorite candy? Chocolate-covered raisons

Q: What is your favorite food? Sweet potato casserole

Q: One place in the world you really, really wish you could visit? Australia

Q: What do you like to do in your free time? Spend time with family, listen to music, read, and go horseback riding