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Lansing, Michigan – Lenny Compton, a Michigan's AmeriCorps alumnus, will represent AmeriCorps members nationwide as he shares personal testimony about how his AmeriCorps service helped children in the Pontiac Public Schools improve their reading and academic skills. Lenny leaves today for Washington, DC to participate in Voices for AmeriCorps: 100 Hours of National Service Testimony and will share his story as a member of AmeriCorps Oakland as he fights to reinstate funds for the embattled program.
Lenny is a student at Oakland University who served two years as a part-time AmeriCorps member while working toward his degree. He and 36 other AmeriCorps Oakland members tutored 450 first through fifth grade children who showed a 92 percent improvement in their reading skills, an 81 percent improvement in their spelling skills, and a 91 percent improvement in math scores.
“There are a lot of children in Oakland County whose lives are better because of AmeriCorps. If I can make this kind of difference in the lives of children in Oakland County, imagine the changes AmeriCorps members are making all across our state and our country. It would be a travesty to see this program cut,” said Lenny Compton.
Next year a 60 percent funding cut to Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs will reduce the number of AmeriCorps members serving all over Michigan in programs similar to Lenny’s from 700 to 300.
VOICES FOR AMERICORPS: 100 HOURS OF NATIONAL SERVICE TESTIMONY
Thousands of AmeriCorps supporters will gather in Washington, DC for the Voices for AmeriCorps hearing on September 2nd – 6th. The purpose of the hearing is to secure $100 million in emergency funding for the 2003-04 AmeriCorps programs. Voices for AmeriCorps will present 100 around-the-clock hours of testimony from AmeriCorps alumni, business and philanthropic leaders, faith-based leaders, community-based service beneficiaries, policymakers, AmeriCorps program directors, educators, and government leaders from all across the United States. This unprecedented event includes testimony from Joe Banner, president and COO of the Philadelphia Eagles; Robert Corrigan, president of San Francisco State University; Steven Culbertson, president, CEO of Youth Serve America; Bob Goodwin, president and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation; Ambassador Jim Joseph, former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa; Joe Klein of Time Magazine; Wendy Kopp, president of Teach for America; Robert Putnam, author and professor at Harvard University; Kevin Quigley, president of the National Peace Corps Association; Bill Shore, founder and executive director of Share Our Strength; Secretary Rodney Slater, U.S. Secretary of Transportation (1997-2001); and Harris Wofford, former Senator and co-chair of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth. Also testifying are representatives from AOL Time Warner, Brookings Institution, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Sylvan Learning Systems.
Lenny will give his testimony on Thursday, September 4th, during the morning session from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Kyle Caldwell, executive director of the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), the state agency that administers Michigan’s AmeriCorps funding, will give testimony on September 4th and will moderate the morning session.
ABOUT MICHIGAN'S AMERICORPS
Michigan's AmeriCorps is similar to a domestic Peace Corps. Programs are housed within nonprofit organizations, schools, and other agencies throughout the state. Individuals, called members, serve in these organizations to meet community needs around education, public safety, the environment, and other human needs. In an aveage year, 700 Michigan's AmeriCorps members help improve the lives of more than 115,000 people and recruit approximately 19,000 volunteers. Next year due to the 60 percent funding cuts the reduced number of AmeriCorps members will only be able to reach 46,000 people and recruit 7,600 volunteers.
The MCSC funds and supports programs that encourage all Michigan residents to volunteer. Annually, the MCSC grants more than $7.5 million in federal funds and $780,000 in state funds to local comunities for volunteer programs and activities.
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