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.

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.

Appalachian Forest Heritage Area

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Appalachian Forest Heritage Area serves an 18-county area, fostering economic development and enhancing public awareness on forest heritage.  AmeriCorps members will develop projects in Elkins, Beverly, and Webster Springs with focus on community development, natural environments and historic preservation. The community development team will assist community-based volunteer programs and development of entrepreneurial small-businesses promoting heritage tourism. The natural environment team will help develop streetscape, beautification and conservation projects, trail improvements, environmental awareness, and volunteer recruitment. The historic preservation team will learn appropriate techniques for rehabilitation of historic buildings, train community members in historic preservation, and participate in rehabilitation projects. 10 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Phyllis Baxter
Historic Beverly Preservation Area
P.O. Box 227
Beverly, WV 26253
(304) 636-2467 * Fax 636-6432
phyllisb@meer.net

APPALREAD: Appalachian Family Literacy Corps

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APPALREAD provides rural elementary schools in Boone, Logan, Mingo and Wyoming counties 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 who are identified as “at risk in literacy”. 35 full-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

Building a Community of Champions

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AmeriCorps members for the Building a Community of Champions AmeriCorps program address educational needs in Monroe County.  Members tutor youth, gather information about needs and assets of the community, and foster relationships between education and businesses.  Members serve in elementary and middle schools, and with the 21st Century Community Learning Center.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 AmeriCorps

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A six-week summer program, Energy Express 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 each day, and with AmeriCorps members serving as mentors, they participate in reading-related activities that maintain or increase word identification, reading fluency and reading comprehension. Members also involve community volunteers in children’s learning, particularly in one-on-one reading with participants. Each site averages 900 hours of community volunteer time. 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@mail.wvu.edu

Healthy Together

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Healthy Together Network will provide health education and effective community referral services for low-income families living in Monongalia and Preston counties.  Members will create a Healthy Together Network web portal, create a standardized process for inter-agency referral, and participate in activities such as cooking demonstrations and educational workshops at local food pantries; coordination of a health /nutrition curriculum for the literacy volunteers; modifying existing menus and food options at vocational training facilities; providing life-skills training on wellness, nutrition, and self-care to people with mental illness; and implementing nutrition education and fitness activities to youth.10 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Diane Kisinger
United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties
278C Spruce Street
Morgantown, WV 26503
(304) 296-7525 * Fax 296-6370
unitedway@teamunitedway.org

LifeBridge AmeriCorps

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LifeBridge AmeriCorps members tutor at-risk students to improve academic performance.  Members also involve families in their child’s reading by engaging them in developing literacy involvement activities, providing assisted-learning activities to help adults earn their GED, and recruiting and training parent and community volunteers. LifeBridge AmeriCorps members serve at 31 sites in 18 counties across the state.
50 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Betsy Southall
United Way of Central WV
One United Way Square
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 340-3519 * Fax 340-3621
bsouthall@unitedwaycwv.org

Mission West Virginia Technology Academy

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Mission West Virginia Technology Academy is a three-tiered project to serve communities in distressed and technologically under-served areas. Members provide 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
168 Midland Trail
Suite 1
Hurricane, WV 25526
(304)562-0723 * Fax 562-0726
drogers@missionwv.org

Movement in the Mountains (MIM)

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Formerly known as Project MOVE, Movement in the Mountains assists people in 11 west-central counties to move from welfare, to work, and toward self-sufficiency. Trained as family and youth mentors, AmeriCorps members provide resource information and support to help families and youth establish and achieve life-improving goals. Members also provide transportation service to low-income or unemployed people in Calhoun and Roane counties so they can access needed services and obtain jobs. In addition, members assist in the operation of accessible rural resource centers, where community members can learn life skills.
20 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Sharon Golden
Community Resources, Inc.
113 Ann Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101
(304) 485-5525 *• Fax 485-5526
sgolden@cricap.org

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.