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LCSC announces AmeriCorps grant
LEWISTON, Idaho - Lewis-Clark State College has received a $1,366,316 AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).
The grant will support 126 AmeriCorps positions in Idaho. AmeriCorps members serve in every region of the state, working with schools, community and non-profit organizations, and correctional institutions.
Idaho Senator Mike Crapo announced the grant award.
"Citizen service is an essential part of the solution to many of the challenges facing our communities, especially in tough economic times,” said Senator Crapo. "These AmeriCorps members will meet pressing local needs and strengthen our communities as they develop civic and leadership skills that can last a lifetime. I congratulate Lewis-Clark State College for receiving this grant and thank all those who have answered the call to service by joining AmeriCorps."
The grants focus AmeriCorps resources on six key service areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families. For 2012, CNCS emphasized support for programs with a focus on education, veterans and military families, and disaster services.
According to Charlette Kremer, Director of Lewis-Clark Service Corps at LCSC, this is the same amount received the past two years and is the third year of a three year grant. In 2009-2010 they operated on a little over $700,000, with the grant almost doubling in the following grant year. Lewis-Clark Service Corps serves Idaho with the AmeriCorps Program, and additionally serves the Lewiston community with the Community Warriors Volunteer Center, Service-Learning and First Book Programs.
In addition to grant dollars, CNCS is setting aside funding to pay for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for individuals who will serve in positions funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, full-time AmeriCorps members receive an education award of $5,550 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.
The current year's AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, due to the strong and growing demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources.
The grants focus AmeriCorps resources on six key areas: strengthening education, fostering economic opportunity, preparing for and responding to disasters, improving health, meeting environmental and energy efficiency needs, and assisting veterans and military families.
AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs. Its members serve through thousands of nonprofit and faith-based organizations in rural and urban communities throughout the nation. LC Service Corps AmeriCorps members tutor and mentor and mentor at-risk students of all ages and engage in at least three community service projects during their service year.
AmeriCorps, which is administered by CNCS, engages 80,000 people each year in intensive, results-driven service through more than 14,000 organizations across the country. Since 1994, more than 775,000 Americans have provided more than 1 billion hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps. Among other accomplishments, AmeriCorps members last year mobilized 3.4 million community volunteers, and tutored, mentored or served more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth.
For more information contact Charlette Kremer at 208.792.2084 or cpkremer@lcsc.edu
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