Tuesday, September 25, 2007

GOV. RITTER ANNOUNCES 2007 AMERICORP STATE GRANT AWARDS

Gov. Bill Ritter recently announced that five Colorado organizations have been awarded close to $1.4 million in AmeriCorps state grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service.  The funding allows placement of 110 AmeriCorps members in communities across the state.  When coupled with the $921,000 in awards announced in June, the total amount awarded totals just under $2.3 million. 
 
"Organizations like AmeriCorps and the recipients of the 2007 grants provide an extremely valuable community service when it comes to working with those children, families, and communities most in need," Gov. Ritter said. "We are extremely pleased with the partnerships we enjoy with the organizations supported by the AmeriCorps grants, and we're especially grateful for funding support from the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that funds AmeriCorps."
 
Organizations receiving awards include:
 
  • $163,800 to the Board of Weld County Commissioners, Weld County Division of Human Services, to fund the Weld County Youth Conservation Corps Program.
  • $334,314 to the City and County of Denver to fund the Community Partnership for Youth in Transition program. 
  • $260,381 to Adams County School District 14 to fund the CARENET (Community Action on Reading and Education Network) program.
  • $316,019 to Mesa State College to fund the College's AmeriCorps program.
  • $287,917 to Catholic Charities and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Denver to fund the Operation Jumpstart program. 
 
The impact AmeriCorps and its members have had in their communities is significant:   

"AmeriCorps has been an amazing asset for Catholic Charities over the past 10 years," said June Jones Paulding, Center Administrator for Catholic Charities.  "Approximately 200 members have brought incredible amounts of enthusiasm and support to our child care programs.  This past year, we were fortunate enough to expand our program by adding members to other areas of Catholic Charities, including Youth Services, Foster Care and the Samaritan House. The program has had a tremendous impact on the lives of our children and families.  We will be forever grateful for AmeriCorps' caring and compassionate contributions."
 
"From Foster care to AmeriCorps, Community Building Partnership, AmeriCorps program at Denver Human Services, presents opportunities for young people in and out of the foster care system by providing them invaluable professional development, mentoring and independent life skills, and by connecting them to community resources that facilitates successful emancipation to adulthood," said Pearl Lopez, program administrator, City and County of Denver's Community Partnership for Youth in Transition.
 
"For the past 10 years, CARENET AmeriCorps members have worked directly with Adams County School District 14 to provide individual and small group tutoring to increase student literacy and improve test scores," said Kathryn Gray, CARENET AmeriCorps program coordinator for Adams County School District 14. "Last year, the team devoted over 34,000 hours of service to the community as a result of tutoring and investments in local service projects."
 
The Governor's Commission on Community Service, housed in the Office of Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien, administers the ColoradoAmeriCorps State grant program.  Since 1994, more than 12,565 AmeriCorps members in Colorado have provided nearly 10 million hours to local communities through AmeriCorps.