What does service look like 25 years after your AmeriCorps year? For Addie Madchen, it never stopped.
In this special edition of AmeriCorps Connections — part of our 250&Beyond: Our American Story series — Addie shares what brought her from Connecticut to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and why she never left. From coat drives and AIDS runs with City Year to teaching jazz guitar to kids in her community, Addie's service has taken a lot of shapes. But the throughline is the same: show up for people, share what you have, and look for the helpers.
Addie opens up about a raw moment during a 12-hour MLK Day of Service — flat on the floor of an empty school, exhausted and questioning the point — and how one act of service from a colleague changed everything. She also reflects on identity, belonging, and what happens when people who've been told to distrust each other end up serving side by side.
This one is a mic drop moment. 🎤
#StillGettingThingsDone
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🤝 This episode is part of a special series produced in partnership with
250&Beyond: Our American Story and our partners:
The National Museum and Center for Service — A national organization developing a truly national museum and center dedicated to honoring and inspiring service in ALL its forms.
Independent Sector — The only national membership organization that brings together a diverse community of changemakers, nonprofits, foundations, and corporations working to strengthen civil society and ensure all people in the United States thrive.
WETA — Founded in 1961, WETA is the leading public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, serving their community with educational, cultural, news, and public affairs programs and services.
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AmeriCorps Connections lifts up real stories of AmeriCorps alumni — 100+ featured! Honest, unfiltered truth about national service. These alums aren't just reflecting — they're still getting things done! We believe these voices deserve to be heard, and we're just getting started!