Recovery Act to Fund 289 New AmeriCorps Positions in Michigan

These programs, currently 2008-2009 Michigan's AmeriCorps grantees, will use the funding to engage 289 additional members in providing employment training, financial planning, and housing assistance; prevent home foreclosures, support tutoring and literacy programs, weatherize homes, strengthen food banks, expand nonprofit capacity, recruit and manage volunteers, and provide other services to economically challenged communities.

"The need for volunteers and the service they provide is extremely high in Michigan," said Paula Kaiser VanDam, Executive Director of the Michigan Community Service Commission.  "These additional AmeriCorps members will help ‘get things done' in our communities while we work through these tough economic times."

The following 12 Michigan's AmeriCorps programs will receive Recovery Act Grants:

• American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids - Together We Prepare AmeriCorps: 26 positions
• BHK Child Development Board - Superior AmeriCorps: 9 positions
• City Year, Inc. - City Year Detroit: 8 positions
• Communities In Schools Detroit - readetroit  corps: 26 positions
• The Guidance Center - Downriver CARES AmeriCorps: 12 positions
• Good Samaritan Ministries - Faith in Youth Partnership: 2 positions
• Habitat for Humanity of Michigan - Michigan Habitat's AmeriCorps: 17 positions
• Michigan Campus Compact - Michigan Service Scholars: 100 positions
• Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness - Michigan's Campaign to End Homelessness AmeriCorps: 20 positions
• Michigan Primary Care Association - MPCA Community HealthCorps: 15 positions
• Michigan State University - MSU Extension 4-H Mentor Michigan Initiative: 20 positions
• University of Michigan - Detroit Center - Michigan's AmeriCorps Partnership: 34 positions

"Our organization helps individuals and communities significantly affected by Michigan's economic downturn," said Jason Weller, Executive Director of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.  "Thanks to this funding we can continue to bolster our efforts in the eight counties currently served by AmeriCorps and branch out into another six by placing the additional 20 members at foreclosure prevention sites and homeless providers."

The AmeriCorps positions funded by the Recovery Act are one-time investments to improve the country's disparate economy, and are in addition to the nearly 75,000 AmeriCorps positions that will be funded through the regular Fiscal Year 2009 budget through AmeriCorps State and National, VISTA, and NCCC.  This past year more than 1,200 AmeriCorps members impacted Michigan and its communities.

In a recent report released by the MCSC, 2008 Michigan's AmeriCorps members:

• Completed nearly 600,000 hours of service and training.
• Recruited more than 24,000 volunteers who served more than 165,000 hours.
• Impacted over 160,000 students, citizens, and volunteers.
• Earned $1.61 million in education awards for successfully completing their term of service.