Before Medical School, One Member Fights Housing Insecurity

Serving with AmeriCorps had been on Maria’s radar ever since learning about the program in college, where she studied biology and public health. After earning her degree from the University of Minnesota, she found work right away at a research lab with plans of soon going to medical school.  

While looking over her application, Maria realized there were some areas that she wanted to get more experience in, especially community service. Having worked in emergency departments before, she had seen firsthand the difficult effects of housing insecurity on patients.  

“We had a lot of folks spending the night in the emergency department because that was their only source of shelter,” explains Maria. That experience inspired her to join Heading Home Corps.  

Focused on giving back to her community, Maria is now serving as a Housing Resource Navigator in Blaine, Minnesota. Her service has been a great opportunity to build skills and gain experience that she hopes will help her in medical school and beyond.  

A typical day for Maria might include spending time on the phone with participants, virtually attending court, counselling participants on next steps, and helping people navigate the services that can help them stay housed. Because her site’s resources are limited, they can’t help every participant who comes to them for guidance. Those challenges have been difficult for Maria at times, but they have also meant each success story is all the more powerful.  

One particularly moving experience occurred during her third week with Heading Home Corps. While virtually attending housing court, Maria became the conduit between the tenant, the property management company, the county government, and a housing attorney. The process took a lot of work and time to resolve, but thanks in part to Maria’s collaboration and advocacy, the tenant could remain in their home! 

“It was a learning process,” she remembers. “But I felt really proud of being the main communication point for this tenant and making that happen for them.” 

In addition to serving others in her community, Maria is building the skills she was hoping for and many she couldn’t have predicted! Serving as Housing Resource Navigator hasn't just been a way to support her community, it’s been a fantastic way to prepare for a career in medicine.  

“I think there’s a lot of overlap between the work I do here and healthcare,” she says. “Especially as it pertains to respecting an individual’s autonomy.”  

Maria has grown a lot in the role, and she thinks anyone who wants to be challenged in a rewarding way should consider serving with Heading Home Corps. Housing insecurity rates are growing in many communities around the state. She believes that service can help both members and their neighbors immensely. 

“It’s a great way to get really involved in your community and make a direct impact on people’s lives.”  

You can make a difference for people in your community and applications for the 2025-26 program year open in March. Learn more at ampact.us/heading-home or read other member stories here.