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558-0111 * (800) WV-HELPS * Webmaster
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558-0111 * (800) WV-HELPS * Webmaster |
AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps, the domestic Peace Corps, engages more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive, results-driven service. Now in its twelfth year, AmeriCorps is part of a tradition of national movements such as VISTA and the Civilian Conservation Corps, involving people of all ages and backgrounds in strengthening American communities.
AmeriCorps members meet critical educational, public safety, environmental and human needs, and help recruit volunteers to enhance their effectiveness. In return for their service, AmeriCorps members receive education awards of up to $4,725 per year to help finance higher education or repay student loans.
Here in West Virginia, more than 600 members are serving to meet some of the most critical needs in West Virginia, including poverty and illiteracy. West Virginia has established state priorities of building learning communities, sustainable economic development, and disaster preparedness and response.
AmeriCorps programs are supported in part by grants from the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service as well as other public and private resources. Below is a listing of current West Virginia programs. For information on applying for a grant to support AmeriCorps members in West Virginia see How to Bring AmeriCorps to your Community.
Click the links below to learn more about our specific programs.
APPALREAD: Appalachian Family Literacy Building a Community of Champions Energy Express AmeriCorps
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Mission West Virginia Technology Academy Partnerships for Learning Excellence |
APPALREAD: Appalachian Family Literacy Corps
APPALREAD provides rural elementary schools and in southern West Virginia with trained motivated AmeriCorps members to help children and families gain skills they need to succeed in reading. Members serve as Reading Coaches in schools and Head Start centers for children ages 3-8 identified as “at risk in literacy”. Members serve in Boone, Logan, Mingo and Wyoming counties.
12 half-time AmeriCorps members
Contact: Pauline Sturgill
Southern West Virginia Community
and Technical College
P.O. Box 2900
Mt. Gay, WV 25637
(304) 792-7098 x118 * Fax 792-7181
Appalread@hotmail.com
AmeriCorps members for the Building a Community of Champions AmeriCorps program address educational needs in Monroe County. Members provide tutoring, gather information about needs and assets of the community and foster relationships between education and businesses. Members serve in elementary and middle schools as well as the 21st Century Community Learning Center during the summer. 12 full-time AmeriCorps members
Contact: Judy Azulay
Monroe County Board of Education
P.O. Box 330
Union, WV 24983
(304) 772-3094 * Fax 772-5020
jazulay@access.k12.wv.us
Energy Express is a six-week summer program that promotes successful reading skills for more than 3,300 children living in rural and low-income communities across the state. Children receive two nutritious meals a day and with AmeriCorps members serving as mentors, participate in reading and related activities that maintain or increase word identification, reading fluency and reading comprehension. Members also involve the community in children’s learning, resulting in an average of 900 hours of volunteer time per site. 492 summer AmeriCorps members
Contact: Ruthellen Phillips
WVU Extension Service
P.O. Box 6602
Morgantown, WV 26506-6602
(304) 293-3855 * Fax 293-3866
rhphillips@wvu.edu
The Kanawha Institute for Social Research and Action, Inc., (KISRA) sponsors AmeriCorps members for the Harambee Children and Youth Development Project. The members address the early childhood development and academic enrichment needs of children and youth that live in the Dunbar, West Dunbar and Institute areas of Kanawha County. Members will be assisting a safe and drug free, after school program where participants will receive homework assistance and tutoring, as well as literacy and other enrichment. 5 Full-time, 8 Part-time AmeriCorps members
Contact: Michelle Foster
KISRA.
124 Marshall Ave.
Dunbar, WV 25064
(304) 768-8924 * Fax 768-0376
michelle@kisra.org
LifeBridge AmeriCorps members tutor at-risk students to improve academic performance. In addition, members involve families in their child’s reading by engaging them in developing literacy involvement activities, provide assisted learning activities for adults to help them gain their GED, and recruit and train parent and community volunteers. LifeBridge AmeriCorps members serve at 31 sites in 18 counties across the state. 50 full-time AmeriCorps members
Contact: Christine Spaulding
United Way of Central WV
One United Way Square
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 340-3519 * Fax 340-3621
cspaulding@unitedwaycwv.org
Mission West Virginia Technology Academy is a three tiered project to serve communities in distressed and technologically under served areas. Members will provide classes for basic computer skills instruction, serve as lab proctors/advisors for community based computer labs, serve as a technology referral resource, and recruit long term community volunteers to serve as teaching assets within their communities. 10 full time AmeriCorps members
Contact: B. David Rogers
Mission West Virginia
168 Midland Trail
Suite 1
Hurricane, WV 25526
(304) 562-0723 * Fax 562-0726
drogers@missionwv.org
Formerly known as Project MOVE, Movement in the Mountains assists people in west-central West Virginia who are trying to move from welfare to work toward self-sufficiency. Trained as family and youth mentors, the AmeriCorps members provide resource information and support to help families and youth establish and achieve life improving goals. They also provide transportation service to low-income or unemployed people in Calhoun and Roane counties so that they can gain access to needed services and obtain jobs. In addition, members assist in the operation of accessible rural resource centers that give community members an opportunity to learn life skills. Movement in the Mountains AmeriCorps members serve in 11 counties. 20 full-time AmeriCorps members
Contact: Rose Kinney
Community Resources, Inc.
113 Ann Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101
(304) 485-5525 * Fax 485-5526
rkinney@cricap.org
The Partnerships for Learning Excellence located in Marshall County utilize 10 AmeriCorps members to address key issues in their efforts to build a Learning Community. These members provide service learning opportunities for youth and adults, enhance the quality of education through tutoring and mentoring, enrich youth development programs, provide family support services, increase family & community engagement and assist in community development.
10 full-time AmeriCorps members
Contact: Jenine Zackey
Marshall County Schools
Parent Educator Resource Center
21 Park Street
Moundsville, WV 26041
(304) 843-4457 * Fax 845-5391
JAZackey@hotmail.com
AmeriCorps is one of many national service programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation provides opportunities for Americans of all ages to serve their communities through AmeriCorps*USA and AmeriCorps*VISTA, Learn and Serve America, and the National Senior Service Corps. The West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service administers AmeriCorps grants in West Virginia. The Commission is a state agency funded in part by the Corporation for National and Community Service, with additional funds received from the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts.