FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 23, 2016
CONTACT: Erin VanSickle: evansickle@volunteerflorida.org
ALEXANDRIA, VA – During the 2016 Annual Membership Assembly of the 52 state service commissions in Alexandria, VA, Chester Spellman was elected as Chair of America’s Service Commissions (ASC). ASC is a nonprofit organization representing the 52 governor-appointed state service commissions, which are charged with administering national service and AmeriCorps programs and promoting volunteerism across the nation.
“We are pleased to have Chester continue his service to the network of state service commissions as our new board chair,” said Kaira Esgate, CEO of America’s Service Commissions. “Chester has shown exceptional leadership as our Second Vice Chair and Chair of Resource Development for the past several years and we look forward to him bringing his experience at Volunteer Florida to help move the vision and mission of America’s Service Commissions forward.”
“It is an honor to be selected by my state service commission colleagues to serve as Chair,” said Spellman, CEO of Volunteer Florida. “I look forward to working at the local, state and federal level to advance the impact of service commissions nationwide.”
State service commissions are governor-appointed public agencies or nonprofit organizations made up of more than 1,110 commissioners, private citizens leading the nation’s service movement and administering 78 percent of the federal AmeriCorps funds to address pressing community needs. In Florida, the state service commission is Volunteer Florida, established in 1994 by the Florida Legislature to administer grants under the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (14.29, F.S.). As the lead agency for volunteerism and national service in Florida, Volunteer Florida administers over $32 million in federal, state, and local funding to 59 grantees across Florida.
To learn more about ASC, the American Association of State Service Commissions, visit: www.statecommissions.org.