VOLUNTEER FLORIDA ANNOUNCES AMERICOPRS GRANTS TO 28 ORGANIZATIONS
~1,366 AmeriCorps members to meet state and local needs~
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 16, 2012
CONTACT: Jayme O’Rourke, 850-414-7400
TALLAHASSEE — Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman today announced that 28 organizations in Florida have received AmeriCorps grants. These grants, which are administered by Volunteer Florida, will support more than 1,300 AmeriCorps members across the state who will help students learn to read, mentor at-risk youth, help veterans readjust to civilian life, clean up parks through environmental projects, and more.
Volunteer Florida will distribute nearly $9 million in funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support these programs. This federal funding will be leveraged by $7.49 million in local match, which is put forth by the 28 grantees. Grantees include school districts and educational foundations, nonprofits and faith-based organizations who utilize AmeriCorps members to meet critical needs in Florida’s communities.
“Eighty-eight percent of our federal funding is matched by local and private dollars, which attests to the impact and success of AmeriCorps programs in Florida,” said CEO Chester Spellman. “AmeriCorps members are working with great service organizations – they’re being placed in public schools with Teach For America, they’re preparing for disasters with the Red Cross – and while they strengthen communities, they also develop civic leadership skills that can last a lifetime.”
AmeriCorps programs work to improve education, the environment, disaster response, public safety and human needs. Last year, Volunteer Florida’s AmeriCorps members served 1.6 million hours, which is valued at $31 million (Independent Sector).
Upon completion of their service, AmeriCorps members are eligible for an education award. Since 1994, over $30 million in AmeriCorps education awards have been honored at Florida colleges and universities.
Below is a listing of 2012 AmeriCorps grantees in Florida and the counties they serve:
American Red Cross of Lee County – Lee, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties
Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Lucie-Indian River – St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee Counties
Centro Campesino – Miami-Dade County
City Year Miami – Miami-Dade County
City Year Orlando – Orange County
Clearwater Police Department – Pinellas County
Communities in Schools of Jacksonville — Duval County
Communities in Schools of Miami — Miami-Dade County
Florida Department of Children and Families – Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties
Florida State University-Campus Compact– Statewide
Florida State Parks – Statewide
Gadsden County School Board — Gadsden County
Goodwill Industries Big Bend – Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa,
Hillsborough Education Foundation — Hillsborough County
Northwest Florida State College – Okaloosa and Walton Counties
Palm Beach Literacy Coalition – Palm Beach County
Peacemaker Family Center – Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties
Polk Education Foundation – Polk County
Senior Friendship Centers – Sarasota and Lee Counties
South Florida Urban Ministries – Broward and Miami-Dade Counties
Strong Women, Strong Girls, Inc. – Miami-Dade County
Switchboard Miami – Miami-Dade Counties
Take Stock in Children – Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties
Teach for America Jacksonville – Duval County
Teach for America Miami – Miami-Dade County
The Arc of Jacksonville – Duval County
Wakulla and Washington Counties
WestCare Foundation, Inc. – Miami-Dade, Monroe and Pinellas Counties
Women In Distress – Broward County
For detailed information about Volunteer Florida’s AmeriCorps programs, visit www.volunteerflorida.org.
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The Governor’s Commission on Community Service, Volunteer Florida, was established in 1994 by the Florida Legislature to administer grants under the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. The Commission grants funds to Florida AmeriCorps and National Service programs; coordinates volunteers in a disaster; and inspires everyone from youths to seniors to people with disabilities to serve their communities. For more information, visit:www.volunteerflorida.org.
AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service each year and administers President Obama’s national service initiative United We Serve. Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.