Washington D.C. — The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced the renewal of 29 grants totaling $3.7 million to support AmeriCorps members who are helping to meet the needs of children and youth across the nation.

The grants will support the work of 311 full-time AmeriCorps members, called AmeriCorps Promise Fellows. These members work with national and local organizations to build the character and competence of our nation's youth by providing them with access to five fundamental resources: ongoing relationships with caring adults, safe places with structured activities, a healthy start, marketable skills, and opportunities to give back.

The Corporation was a co-sponsor of the 1997 Presidents' Summit for America's Future, which challenged the nation to provide the five fundamental resources, called promises, to children and youth. The Summit led to the formation of America's Promise, a national campaign to mobilize corporations, non-profit organizations, higher education and faith-based groups, government agencies and communities to start or expand efforts to meet the needs of children and youth. While serving youth and engaging young people in service has always been a major focus of national service, the Corporation stepped up its efforts after the Summit in a variety of ways, including launching the AmeriCorps Promise Fellows program in 1998. Through this program, thousands of AmeriCorps members have made a difference in young people's lives by recruiting mentors, creating after-school programs, helping parents get health care for their children, teaching children to read, and encouraging young people to serve.

"Our young people are our future, and helping young people succeed in school and in life is a priority for all of us at the Corporation," said James F. Manning, Acting CEO of the Corporation. "AmeriCorps Promise Fellows have helped tens of thousands of children get the resources they need to lead healthy, successful, and productive lives, and we're proud of their contribution."

The grants announced today will allow organizations to continue and expand their work in state and local communities. Past accomplishments from these grantees include the following:

• In Idaho, Promise Fellows worked with 67 youth coalitions to carry out 115 community service projects involving 6,000 youth and adult mentors.
• HOPE Worldwide Promise Fellows recruited more than 13,500 volunteers who served more than 65,000 hours mentoring at-risk youth, providing HIV prevention education, and conducting health fairs.
• AmeriCorps Promise Fellows in Minnesota matched 900 youth with adult mentors, connected 600 children with safe out-of-school activities, and mobilized more than 1,000 volunteers.
• Interval House Crisis Shelter Promise Fellows provides services to children who have been victims of domestic violence. Last year, Fellows linked 660 youth with caring mentors, provided after-school activities to 590 children, and provided referrals and health care to 116 families.

"By answering the call to service, AmeriCorps Promise Fellows show America at its best," said Rosie K. Mauk, Director of AmeriCorps. "And by giving a year of their lives in service, they are helping young people on the path to success."

The 29 grants total $3,769,800 and support 311 full-time AmeriCorps members. They are broken into the following categories:

• States: Twenty-one grants totaling $2,722,200 to support 224 full-time AmeriCorps members. These grants go to governor-appointed state commissions on national service, which in turn place members at local nonprofit and community organizations in their states. In addition, one grant of $13,800 supports an AmeriCorps member serving at the Sioux Falls Volunteer and Information Center in South Dakota, which doesn't have a commission. View grants.
• National Directs: Six grants totaling $964,800 to support 81 full-time members serving with national nonprofits which operate in multiple states. View grants.
• Tribes: One grant for $69,000 to support 5 AmeriCorps members serving with Fort Mojave Indian Tribe in Needles, CA. View grant.

AmeriCorps members serve full or part time with thousands of national and local organizations. Full-time members who complete their service earn an education award of $4,725 to pay for college, graduate school, or to pay back student loans. Members who serve part-time receive a partial education award.

AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Together, the programs of the Corporation engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in meeting critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas. The Corporation and its programs are part of USA Freedom Corps, a White House initiative to foster a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility, and help all Americans answer the President's Call to Service. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.org.

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