Crystal Curtis, Appalachian Community Action and Development Agency
AmeriCorps VISTA Member of the Year – AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members bring their passion and perseverance where the need is greatest: to organizations that help eradicate poverty.
Ms. Curtis is the Appalachian Community Action Agency’s first dedicated staff member to address the drug/opioid addiction issue which is crippling Southwest Virginia. As an AmeriCorps VISTA, Crystal has been highly effective in raising community awareness about the agency’s program and expanding its reach throughout the community. She has been a constant presence at educational and drug take back events and even worked to acquire 4,000 drug disposal packets for partner organizations. Crystal has also been instrumental in the planning of a large-scale conference offering a discussion of opioid issues for the faith community and has worked to compile a comprehensive community resource list which has been shared extensively, including with East Tennessee State University.