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 (CNCS Photo Office) Members of AmeriCorps serving their community.
AmeriCorps volunteers serve others
OCTOBER 10, 2005By Happynews Staff PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Some 700 volunteers took the formal AmeriCorps oath today at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, pledging 535,000 hours of community service.In a statement, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell lauded their commitment and announced nearly $7 million in funds to support volunteer and community service programs.
"Volunteers play an important role in making our communities strong," Governor Rendell said. "They keep neighborhoods clean, schools safe and help communities respond to disasters."The young people participating in today's kickoff of Pennsylvania's 2005-06 AmeriCorps service year have dedicated themselves to serving others. Their actions speak volumes about their individual character, their civic pride and their commitment to their communities."This year's kickoff event, "Everybody Can Be Great Because Anybody Can Serve," celebrates and encourages commonwealth residents, regardless of ability, to participate in community service activities. The notion that every citizen can contribute to the cause of improving his or her community is all-inclusive. The swearing-in process is the culmination of a two-day training session to prepare individuals for service.During this year's celebration, Karen Kaskey, the Executive Director of PennSERVE: The Governor's Office of Citizen Service, presented checks to the volunteer organizations for operational expenses to continue administering AmeriCorps programs.The following organizations were awarded funding for the 2005-06 AmeriCorps service year:
-- Allegheny County: $682,000 to the Allegheny County Department of Human Resources for the KEYS AmeriCorps Program.
-- Allegheny & Philadelphia County: $353,191 to the Jumpstart for Young Children for the Jumpstart AmeriCorps Program.
-- Butler County: $372,000 to the Butler Memorial Hospital for the Family Service Corps; $334,800 to Slippery Rock University for Connector Corps.
-- Cambria County (serving nine surrounding counties): $1,202,808 to Appalachia Intermediate Unit #8 for the PA Mountain Service Corps.
-- Clarion County: $830,536 to the Keystone SMILES Community Learning Center.
-- Clinton County: $1,200 to Lock Haven State University Connector Corps.
-- Franklin & Fulton Counties: $124,000 to the Mental Health Association of Franklin & Fulton counties for the PennVISION AmeriCorps Program.
-- Philadelphia County: $1,805,925 to City Year, Inc.; $285,200 to Education Works for the National School and Community Corps; $40,000 to the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development for the Scholars in Service; and $223,200 to Youth for Change, Inc., for the Youthbuild AmeriCorps Program.
-- Union & Snyder Counties: $334,800 to the Union-Snyder Office of Human Resources for CORE Susquehanna.
-- York County: $124,000 to the United Way of York for the Secure Corps AmeriCorps Program.PennSERVE and AmeriCorps engage citizens 17 years old and older in intensive service to meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security and other areas. In exchange for a year of service, AmeriCorps members earn an education award that can be used to pay for college or pay back qualified student loans.
The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us.
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