Grantees Will Use Service-Learning to Increase Awareness and Preparedness

Washington, D.C. — In its first-ever such grant competition, Learn and Serve America has announced grants totaling more than $4 million to support activities that teach students about and engage them in efforts related to the homeland security needs of the nation. The grants will go to 10 agencies and nonprofit organizations, including six state departments of education, which will then make "sub-grants" to local organizations and education agencies. All told, scores of organizations will receive funds, and tens of thousands of young people will become better prepared to deal with emergencies.

"These organizations represent the cream of the crop in terms of devising innovative ways to use America's youth as a resource to plan for and respond to the health, safety, and security concerns associated with natural and manmade disasters," said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees Learn and Serve America. "Young people often feel great anxiety when facing unknown dangers. Their participation in these programs should give them the knowledge and power they need to deal positively with those fears and to make an important contribution to the security of their communities."

The grantee organizations will all use service-learning, an approach to education that links community service to academic achievement, as a means of increasing students' awareness of potential dangers and preparing students, communities, and schools for any emergency. "The service-learning model, we believe, can be an excellent means of training students in homeland security activities," said Amy Cohen, Director of Learn and Serve America. "These grants will advance our knowledge of the most effective ways to help young people get involved in a critically important issue to our communities early in life," she said.

The competition in this new category was extremely strong. Learn and Serve America received a total of 57 applications, and approved just 10 grants. The awards range in size from $185,000 to the California Rural Health Board, which serves the needs of the state's Indian population, to $486,418 to the Indiana Department of Education. For a full list of grants, click here.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through three main programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Working with national and community nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, schools, and local agencies, the Corporation engages Americans in service to meet critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.org.

###