Volunteer Mississippi Announces $3.65 Million in AmeriCorps Funding
Jackson, MS. –The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service (MCVS), also known as Volunteer Mississippi, today announced $3.65 million in AmeriCorps funding – including grants and education awards – to help national and local organizations, faith-based groups, and educational institutions respond to the most critical issues facing communities in Mississippi. In total, this funding will provide almost 400 Mississippians the opportunity to serve their communities through AmeriCorps.
The total includes more than $1.25M the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is making available in education scholarships for AmeriCorps members serving under these grants. After completing a full term of service, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of roughly $6,000 to pay for college or repay student loans. To date, AmeriCorps alumni have utilized more than $34M in Education Awards at Mississippi institutions.
In these difficult times, the majority of the Mississippi's AmeriCorps members continue their critical work. Since the start of the national emergency, Mississippi's AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers have directly responded to COVID-19, adding vital community services to their regular duties.
This class of AmeriCorps Mississippi members will provide literacy, STEM, and other academic tutoring and support for students, fight the opioid epidemic, rebuild communities following disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more. They will join the more than 1.1 million AmeriCorps members who have served since the program's inception in 1994, earning nearly $4 billion in education awards.
In a highly competitive year, AmeriCorps Mississippi's investment includes support for the Grenada School District (tutoring K-8 students); Scientific Research 1 (K-12 college readiness and STEM skills); USM - TRIAD (health education to +300 middle and high school students with disabilities); Operation Upward (drug prevention/abuse education and economic stability training); City of Laurel - Laurel Plays (neighborhood recreation programs and public space environmental treatment); Meridian Public School District (tutoring 2nd and 3rd graders); University of Mississippi College Corps (enhance services provided by schools and Headstart programs): and America Reads Mississippi (literacy tutoring for 1-3 graders in school districts across the state).
Volunteer Mississippi also approved four planning grants: Mississippi Delta Academies (developing a program serving in the City of Greenwood, Leflore County, MS, focusing on education); Reading & Math, Inc (developing a state-wide program focusing on education); William Carey University (developing a program focused on increasing literacy and computational skills of at-risk K-6 grade children through pre-service teachers); Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation (create an AmeriCorps Program aimed at reducing recidivism rates among reentry citizens). Planning grants allow agencies to receive federal grants management and program development training that will result in an operating AmeriCorps program the following year.
A growing body of research shows that service has an effect on more than just the communities served, but also on the members themselves. AmeriCorps alumni credit their year of service for developing leadership skills that bridge divides, solve problems, and opens doors to opportunities that advance their careers and education. In addition, research shows that alumni gain skills and are exposed to experiences that communities and employers find valuable.
Volunteer Mississippi continues to recruit for AmeriCorps members to begin service this fall. Those interested in serving can learn more at AmeriCorps.gov/Join.