AmeriCorps Funding Creates More Than 1,100 Positions in Michigan

The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) today announced 25 organizations will receive $6,921,782 in AmeriCorps funding to place 1,121 members in communities to help "get things done" across the state of Michigan. 

The 2010-2011 Michigan's AmeriCorps grantees will use the funding to engage members in various service opportunities, including those focused on human needs, education, environment, public safety, health, and disaster preparedness. Members serve for one year and receive a small living stipend, and, upon successful completion of their term of service, an education award.   

"Funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service will allow the 2010-2011 Michigan's AmeriCorps programs to tackle many of the challenges our state's communities are facing," said Paula Kaiser VanDam, Executive Director of the Michigan Community Service Commission. "We are excited to place more than 1,100 Michigan's AmeriCorps members in communities across the state."

Michigan's AmeriCorps addresses some of our state's biggest challenges. It creates a pathway to employment by providing individuals with opportunities to gain valuable job skills, retrain for new careers, and the ability to stay in their home community. Research has shown that after one year of AmeriCorps service, members are more likely to stay in the community they served, pursue careers in the nonprofit and public sector, and continue to be civically involved. AmeriCorps also helps make college and higher education more affordable. The 1,121 AmeriCorps members will earn more than $2 million in education awards to pay for college or repay student loans.  

The following 25 Michigan's AmeriCorps programs will receive funding for the coming year: 

Of the 25 Michigan's AmeriCorps grantees funded for 2010-2011, 19 are veteran programs, while six are brand new.

• The Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids AmeriCorps program will engage its members in assisting economically disadvantaged individuals with job placement services.

• The Michigan Council on Crime & Delinquency's Inner City AmeriCorps Neighborhood Project will utilize members to build, develop, and facilitate pro-social activities for formerly incarcerated and/or court involved individuals.

• The Michigan Nonprofit Association's Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps will place members in mentoring organizations and institutions of higher education to enhance youth mentoring by adding a college access component.

• The United Way of Saginaw County's Saginaw Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership will engage members in educating youth, parents, and community members on substance abuse prevention.

• WARM Training Center's Detroit Youth Energy Squad will utilize members to run a service-learning program that trains youth to perform basic home energy retrofits.

• Wayne State University, Center for Urban Studies' AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program will engage members to improve levels of neighborhood guardianship and reduce victim attractiveness and susceptibility.

The opportunity for new programs to host AmeriCorps members will have a widespread impact on their local efforts to tackle critical community issues.

"Wayne State University's efforts to improve the public safety of residents and businesses in the Mid-Town area will be enhanced greatly with the addition of Michigan's AmeriCorps members," said Lyke Thompson, Director of the Center for Urban Studies at WSU. "Members will allow us to reach more neighborhoods and individuals in our effort to prevent crime."

For individuals interested in serving in a Michigan's AmeriCorps program in 2010-2011, please visit www.americorps.gov.

In a recent report released by the MCSC, 2009-2010 Michigan's AmeriCorps members:

• Will have completed more than 600,000 hours of service and training.

• Recruited more than 24,000 volunteers who contribute more than 144,000 hours of service.

• Earned more than $2.5 million in education awards for successfully completing their term of service.

For more information about AmeriCorps or to learn more about specific programs, visit www.michigan.gov/mcsc.

BACKGROUND:

AmeriCorps is commonly described as the "domestic Peace Corps." Individuals, called members, commit to a specific term of service - usually one year - and are housed in nonprofit organizations, schools, or other agencies. Individuals must be at least 17 years old to serve in AmeriCorps. Upon successful completion of their service, members earn an education award to pay for college, graduate school, or to repay qualified student loans. During their service, members may also be eligible to receive a modest living allowance, health insurance, childcare, and student loan deferment.  Michigan's AmeriCorps, administered by the Michigan Community Service Commission, currently has 25 AmeriCorps programs and more than 1,120 members.

The Michigan Community Service Commission builds a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism. In 2010-2011, the MCSC will grant more than $7.3 million in federal and state funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities.  The MCSC is funding 25 AmeriCorps programs and 25 Learn and Serve programs. The Governor's Service Awards and Mentor Michigan are also premier programs of the MCSC. The MCSC is housed in the Michigan Department of Human Services, whose mission is to assist children, families, and vulnerable adults to be safe, stable, and self-supporting. The Corporation for National and Community Service grants federal funding that the MCSC administers to its programs.