Big news is happening in the 黑料不打烊 network.
Spaces will be cleared and name tags are to be printed in school districts across the state of Washington; beginning this month, the 黑料不打烊 network will be adding 12 new AmeriCorps members to its site coordinator team, thanks to a recent AmeriCorps grant awarded by the (CNCS).
Teamwork pays off…
In a multi-state collaboration effort, Communities In Schools affiliates from , , , , , and Washington were awarded over $1.9 million from the CNCS to fund 92 AmeriCorps volunteers. This project is expected to serve more than 75,000 K-12 grade students and their families. The 12 AmeriCorps members awarded to Washington State will be distributed among 11 of our .
Connecting the right help…
As site coordinators, the 12 AmeriCorps members will work to connect the right help to the right students at the right time. Equal parts compassion and expertise, Communities In Schools site coordinators work directly in schools to connect struggling students with a vast array of community services 鈥� from health and dental care, to clothing and eyeglasses, to housing and food support. They respond quickly to connect students with what they need, when they need it. And over time they form meaningful relationships that boost confidence and set the expectation for success.
Not sure what an is? Well, AmeriCorps is a national program that places volunteers in a variety of public service settings across the country. Hailing from all over the country, these volunteers dedicate a year of their life to the organization in which they are placed, living off a meager stipend but putting a six-figure salary鈥檚 worth of heart into their daily tasks. The program was created simultaneously with CNCS in 1993 under President Clinton, who stated that “Service is a spark to rekindle the spirit of democracy in an age of uncertainty.鈥�
Also under the CNCS umbrella is the (VISTA) program. Those familiar with Communities In Schools may already be aware of the prevalence of AmeriCorps VISTAs within the Washington state network. Through volunteer recruitment, event coordination, and even the occasional blog post (hello), VISTAs play a large role in the day-to-day activities of the state office and its affiliates. This year especially has seen high VISTA participation for our organization, employing 11 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers throughout the state.
Check out this video to see AmeriCorps VISTA Kaylee Henderson talk about her year of service:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KT67DRIpeU]