FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 07, 2004
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Corporation for National and Community Service
CONTACT: Siobhan Dugan
202-606-5000 x151
sdugan@cns.gov |
Learn and Serve America Announces $4 Million in Grants To Engage Students in Security-Related Efforts |
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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.
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