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.

American Red Cross/Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter

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AmeriCorps members help to fulfill The American Red Cross mission of helping persons prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.  Members train residents in safety classes such as CPR and First Aid and preparedness classes such as shelter management.  Members recruit adult volunteers to respond to community disasters.  Members also develop Red Cross Clubs throughout school districts, helping youth be better prepared and self-reliant in emergencies, and providing service-learning experiences. 10 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Sharon Kesselring
(304) 485-7311
kesselrins@usa.redcross.org

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 assist community organizations and agencies in conservation, heritage development, and historic preservation efforts as well as by recruiting and involving volunteers.  They work to benefit communities by enhancing assets through projects such as trails and habitat improvements, developing heritage events and interpretation, and rehabilitating historic community buildings. 17 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Phyllis Baxter
(304) 636-2467 * Fax 636-6432
phyllisb@meer.net

Building a Community of Champions

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Building a Community of Champions AmeriCorps program members will address educational needs in Monroe and Greenbrier Counties. Members tutor youth, gather information about needs and assets in the community, and foster relationships between education and businesses. Members serve in Monroe County schools and with the 21st Century Community Learning Center. 8 full-time and 6 part-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Judy Azulay
(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 2,900 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. 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
(304) 293-3855 * Fax 293-3866
rhphillips@mail.wvu.edu

Energy Express AmeriCorps (Recovery)

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Energy Express AmeriCorps Recovery will expand sites that have the six-week summer reading program throughout West Virginia as a result of the economic stimulus package. 63 summer AmeriCorps members

Contact: Ruthellen Phillips
(304) 293-3855
rhphillips@mail.wvu.edu

Laughlin Memorial Chapel

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Laughlin Memorial Chapel’s Jobs for a Stronger Ohio County program’s ultimate goal is to offer the people of the community that have "fallen through the cracks" a chance to gain practical job experience which will lead to job placement.  AmeriCorps members will serve as coordinators of training sessions, as well as mentors and tutors to the programs participants.  In addition members will assist with life skills sessions that will focus on teaching participants how to handle personal finances, problem solve, manage time, and access social service assistance. 10 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Rev. Fran Lane-Lawrence
(304) 232-2630
pastorfranll@verizon.net

LifeBridge AmeriCorps

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LifeBridge AmeriCorps members tutor at-risk students to improve academic performance. Members also involve families in developing literacy involvement activities for children, providing assisted-learning activities to help adults earn their GED, and recruiting and training parent and community volunteers. LifeBridge AmeriCorps members serve at 36 sites in 17 counties across the state.
60 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Betsy Southall
(304) 340-3519 * Fax 340-3621
bsouthall@unitedwaycwv.org

LifeBridge AmeriCorps (Recovery)

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LifeBridge AmeriCorps Recovery focuses on workforce development throughout West Virginia as a result of the economic stimulus package. 10 full-time AmeriCorps members

Contact: Betsy Southall
(304) 340-3519 * Fax 340-3621
bsouthall@unitedwaycwv.org

Coal Heritage Highway Authority (Education Award Only)

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Post-secondary students serve as Coal Heritage Interns, providing technical skills gained from their field of study to promote, preserve, and interpret historic, cultural, and natural resources in southern West Virginia. Interns serve at 20 project sites in 13 Southern counties in West Virginia. 20 AmeriCorps members

Contact: Brittany Bauer
(304) 256-6941
brittbauer@gmail.com

Communities Helping Communities (Education Award Only)

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Communities Helping Communities members tutor in after-school programs to improve academic performance of school-age children and in child development centers to develop and enhance pre-school age children's school readiness skills.  Members serve at-risk children in Cabell and Wayne counties. 40 AmeriCorps members

Contact: Jeanette Barker
(304) 429-6167
jbarkerplaymates@aol.com

Ohio-WV YMCA (Education Award Only)

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Ohio-WV YMCA members participate in leadership training and mentor 300 low-income youth while supervising 200 teen volunteers in eight one-week camps in Tucker county. 16 AmeriCorps members

Contact: David King
(304) 478-2481
david@hi-y.org

Youth Services Systems (Planning Grant)

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Youth Services Systems and their partners plan to develop a program to focus on foster care and homelessness issues in five northern West Virginia counties.

Contact: John Moses
(304) 233-9627
jomoses@ysswv.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.