From One NDMV Alumni to Another

By: Jess Kanoff, NDMV '13 & '14 Alum and Director of Programs and Operations

On June 16, 2025, after 35 years as an AmeriCorps program, Notre Dame Mission Volunteers received news that we would no longer receive an AmeriCorps grant. $6,628,086–lost in a moment. 

But that is not where my story with NDMV begins or where it ends. 

If you know me, you know I love a good theme. Which is why when "Unity Through CommUNITY" was chosen as the service year theme last year, I didn't just start promoting it for my work. I lived it.

I used the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur practice of reflection, action, reflection, and saw that for me, community is everything. I began reaching out to old friends and more intentionally connecting with family members. I joined local service organizations, signed up for book clubs, cooking classes, and overall started leaning into any discomfort around doing things "alone," knowing the importance of being an active member in my community. 

Upon reflecting on where this spark began, I thank my time and experience with Notre Dame Mission Volunteers. NDMV was the gateway to showing me just how vital a community is.

NDMV opened my eyes to New Haven, CT.

From 2012 to 2014, I served as an NDMV AmeriCorps member at St Martin de Porres Academy (SMPA) in New Haven, CT. I not only supported over 100 middle school students during the school day, but also in the after-school program.

Today's activist in me stemmed from those two years of service, where I saw firsthand the effects of mental illness, poverty, abuse, abandonment, and most of all how the lack of resources affects working families. Their stories are theirs to tell, but I can say that the SMPA community taught me more than any college course, workshop, or book could. My students (yes, still mine in my heart) are all adults with jobs and families. I catch up with them on social media and run into them around town. 

NDMV brought me my best friends.

While serving, I lived in the old convent at St. Brenden's Church on Whalley Avenue. I can't tell you how many times I needed to explain that I was, in fact, not joining an order and that there were no longer any nuns at the convent, but instead 14 20-something NDMV AmeriCorps members and Alumni all serving/working at SMPA. Little did I know that these people would be my lifelong friends. 

They have shaped me both personally and professionally, having guided me through some of the most challenging times and some of the very best. When people talk about the "good ol' days," I immediately go to that picture of us sitting on the front steps after a long day of wrangling middle schoolers. 

That laughter and joy have continued over the years – I've seen five marriages, one of which I had the honor of officiating (yes, I'm crying while writing this), six NDMVAmeriBabies, countless reunions and game nights, and COVID Zoom calls. 

NDMV brought me the most amazing coworkers.

Upon completing my years of service, I stepped into the role of NDMV Site Manager, where I supported members in CT, NY, and FL, —and, for a short time, NM and MA. I accompanied nearly 40 NDMV AmeriCorps members each year, helping them find community. Like my students, my members (yes, still mine!) were and still are inspiring. Many of them are still working at their service placements, some in leadership positions.

On the backend, though, is the NDMV staff. 

Like many of us believe, MY Site Manager was the BEST. Kristen I'm-Pasta-To got me through countless conversations about "what the heck am I doing with my life"-both during my service year and even after. And to be fair, the rest of the NDMV Site Managers and staff were always just as amazing. 

Good People. Spreading Goodness. 

Over the years, so many people have questioned me about my work, almost uncomfortably. Until recently, I didn't really get their questions. Yes, work is work, and there are bad days. But NDMV, at each step of the way for the last 15 years, has provided me with the most rewarding opportunity. Without NDMV inviting me into these communities and allowing me to explore who I was, who I wanted to be, and what this world truly looked like, I would not be who I am today. 

That might be true for many of us as NDMV alumni.

Which brings us back to that mid-June day in 2025. After 35 years as an AmeriCorps program, NDMV, like many other long-running programs, received news that we would no longer have an AmeriCorps grant. $6,628,086 in federal funding is gone– due to the chaos this administration has created. 

And with that chaos goes the hope of 300 NDMV members who would have served their terms in places like SMPA, 15 staff members who were laid off not because of performance, drive, or passion, and countless communities across the country who will need to downsize their resources with the lack of NDMV AmeriCorps' presence. 

However, NDMV is as persistent and mission-driven as our founders, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. NDMV existed before AmeriCorps—and we will continue to serve and lead without it.

There will still be a 25-26 service year. 

Yes, there will be fewer partnerships and NDMV members. But our mission is the same: NDMV develops leaders through education and compassionate service, sparking confidence to learn and agency to transform communities.

But we cannot do that alone – we need our community. 

At a recent art show I attended, the host started her welcome by stating that community is a verb, and I can think of nothing truer. It's not just about putting an experience on your resume or saying that you're an NDMV alum; it's about showing up and actively engaging with the communities you believe in, the communities that helped shape you. My service with NDMV didn’t just fill a year—it transformed me into the person I am today. 

NDMV is my community.

Since the news, so many people have asked how they can help. Honestly, the biggest thing we need right now is donations. Losing that much funding leaves a significant financial gap, and every gift, no matter the size, really does make a difference. You can donate at: www.ndmv/donate.

This year marks NDMV’s 35th anniversary. Our theme, Love in Action, is more than a slogan—it’s an invitation. Imagine if even a fraction of our 8,000+ alumni pledged a gift—$35, $50, $100 or more—in honor of 35 years of service. The impact would be extraordinary.

I would also love to connect with you! Please take five minutes to complete our Alumni Survey and let us know how you’d like to stay involved as we write NDMV’s next chapter. During the year, we will be hosting 35th anniversary events throughout the country, and I hope you will join us! 

My time with NDMV shaped me. Now, we have the chance to help shape what NDMV will become. Whether through a gift, a conversation, or simply showing up, you are part of this story—and we can’t write the next chapter without you. 

Let’s put our Love in Action—together.

Sending all the love,

Jess Kanoff
NDMV '13 & '14 Alum 
Director of Programs and Operations