Congressman Owens Announces AmeriCorps Grant for Oswego

by Contributor | June 6, 2010 11:03 pm

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Bill Owens announced today that the Oswego City County Youth Bureau has received a $270,169 AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The grant will support 57 AmeriCorps members who will provide mentoring, fitness activities, and nutrition education focused on Education and Health/Nutrition and volunteer recruitment for programs that target disadvantaged youth in Oswego County.

“Public service is an essential part of the solution to many of the unique challenges our communities face in Upstate New York, especially in tough economic times,” said Owens. “These AmeriCorps members will meet local needs and strengthen our neighborhoods. I congratulate Oswego for receiving this grant and thank all those who have answered the call to service by joining AmeriCorps.”

In addition to the grant, the Corporation is setting aside funding to pay for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for individuals who will serve in positions funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an education award of $5,350 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.

The grants, the first made under the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act passed last year, focus AmeriCorps resources on five key areas: strengthening education, improving health, meeting environmental and energy efficiency needs, assisting veterans and military families, and fostering economic opportunity.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs. Its members serve in thousands of nonprofit and faith-based organizations in rural and urban communities throughout the nation. Among other activities, tutor and mentor youth, expand health services, build affordable housing, run after-school programs, support veterans, help communities respond to disasters, and recruit and train volunteers.

AmeriCorps engages more than 85,000 people each year in intensive, results-driven service through more than 3,000 nonprofits across the country. Since 1994, more than 634,000 Americans have provided more than 775 million hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps. Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting www.AmeriCorps.gov.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/congressman-owens-announces-americorps-grant-for-oswego/

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