Eloisa is currently serving as a VISTA member at Community Solutions. Community Solutions operates the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence (JJKC), which is a 124-unit affordable housing development for low- and moderate-income DC residents. Seventy-seven of the 124 units are Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH): 60 units for formerly homeless veterans (HUD-VASH) and 17 units for individuals served by the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). As part of her duties, she has consistently encouraged five residents of JJKC to attend her bi-weekly Peer Leader meetings. With the assistance of Peer Leaders, Eloisa coordinated a trip for residents to visit and take a tour of the Library of Congress on March 21. She is in the process of planning further outings for the residents to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Eloisa is also working with the peer leaders to initiate a women’s support group in the JJKC among the residents. The women’s support group is made more important by the fact that the majority of residents are male.
Part of Eloisa’s duties as a VISTA is to identify areas of growth within the Peer Leader program. After meeting with the peer Leaders at JJKC it became clear that that a major path to growth would be to enhance the program’s external credibility and exposure. One proposed solution was to have official shirts worn during building events, activities, and outings. Sio Eloisa designed and coordinated the purchase of shirts for Peer Leaders.