LOS ANGELES — Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-34), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, today announced that his district has received more than $8.3 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs.
“Congratulations to our local organizations receiving AmeriCorps funding – their work strengthens LA’s communities,” said Congressman Becerra. “Through their service, Angelenos can have a tremendous impact on our region’s challenges – and this investment recognizes that. I’m proud that AmeriCorps members will be engaging our youth and our military veterans to continue getting things done for Los Angeles. I will continue supporting AmeriCorps as it encourages all Americans to better their communities by serving.”
“For more than 20 years, AmeriCorps members have had a positive and lasting impact on the toughest challenges facing our nation,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “Building on Los Angeles strong tradition of neighbor helping neighbor, AmeriCorps members will improve lives and strengthen communities across the region. While they serve others, AmeriCorps members will also expand opportunity for themselves – gaining skills and experience to jumpstart their careers. I salute every AmeriCorps member for his or her dedication and determination to ‘get things done’ and respond to the needs in their communities.”
The federal investment includes 5 grants totaling $5,303,608, which will support 1,140 AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps members will tackle some of the toughest problems in the Los Angeles area including mentoring and tutoring at-risk youth and helping students stay on-track toward graduation.
“AmeriCorps personnel are on the ground in the Los Angeles Promise Zone and the Los Angeles Promise Neighborhood, demonstrating every day how to win the new War on Poverty,” said Dixon Slingerland, Executive Director of the Youth Policy Institute. “They’re tutoring young people, they’re connecting them to services, and they are reaching out in schools and neighborhoods to transform communities.”
CNCS will also provide up to $2.9 million in education scholarships for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants to help pay for college, vocational training, or pay back student loans. The federal investment is projected to generate an additional $15.6 million in local support to increase community impact and return on federal investment.
The current year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, due to the strong demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources. The 2016 competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, veterans and military families, disaster services, and continued a new initiative for governors and mayors.
Below is a listing of 2016 AmeriCorps competitive grants in California’s 34th District:
- City Year: City Year AmeriCorps members will provide academic services, including tutoring and mentoring, that support students in staying in school and on track to graduation in 21 Los Angeles public schools. (229AmeriCorps members)
- Up2Us: The Up2US Sports AmeriCorps Coach Across America Program will recruit U.S. military veterans to serve as AmeriCorps members. The AmeriCorps members will promote the health and wellness of youth in Los Angeles by providing evidence-based sports-based youth development programming in nonprofit organizations in underserved communities. (30 AmeriCorps members)
- Jumpstart for Young Children: Jumpstart California AmeriCorps will deliver its evidence-based early education program to high need children in low-income communities across the state. (777 AmeriCorps members)
- Youth Policy Institute: The Youth Policy Institute AmeriCorps program will provide academic tutoring, including English and math, at Promise Zone neighborhoods in Los Angeles. (54 AmeriCorps members)
- Youth Policy Institute: The Promise Zone AmeriCorps program will provide postsecondary preparation support in the Los Angeles and Philadelphia Promise Zones. The AmeriCorps members will support students to stay on-track toward graduation or successfully placed into postsecondary options. (50 AmeriCorps members)
AmeriCorps engages more than 75,000 members in intensive service annually to serve through nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations at 21,000 locations across the country. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.
Over the past two decades, more than 980,000 Americans have served in AmeriCorps providing more than 1.3 billion hours of service, and earning more than $3.1 billion in education scholarships. Later this year, the one millionth AmeriCorps member will take the AmeriCorps pledge, committing to ‘get things done’ for America.
AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.
VIEW SOURCE: https://becerra.house.gov/press-releases/congressman-becerra-announces-more-than-83-million-in-americorps-funding-for-organizations-in-los-angeles/