Raleigh - Gov. Mike Easley today announced that North Carolina AmeriCorps members will participate in a variety of service projects and activities to celebrate National AmeriCorps Week, May 11-18. Many local officials and community leaders will also take part in these projects to raise awareness about AmeriCorps programs and to inspire others to serve. 

“AmeriCorps members work to strengthen and support communities across North Carolina,” said Easley. “During National AmeriCorps Week, I would like to recognize these men and women for their valuable contributions to our state and thank them for encouraging others to take part in community service.”

National AmeriCorps week, sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is an effort to recognize AmeriCorps members and their community partners and encourage others to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities. The following are service projects and activities N.C. AmeriCorps programs will conduct during National AmeriCorps Week:

• Children’s Village Academy, Project CARE (Kinston): Lenoir County Commissioner Jackie Brown will join AmeriCorps members at Children’s Village Academy (701 N. Adkin St.) at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 12, to work with members as they assist at-risk students. For more information, contact Program Director Melba Lovick at 252-939-1958. 
      
• Children First of Buncombe County, Project POWER (Asheville): Members and staff will receive a proclamation from Asheville Mayor Terry M. Bellamy declaring May 11-18 as AmeriCorps Week in Asheville at a City Council meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13. Project POWER will also hold recognition events and service projects throughout the week. For more information, contact Program Director Tammy Capps at 828-259-9717. 
      
• UNC-Chapel Hill School of Education, N.C. Literacy Corps ENGAGE (Chapel Hill): Sen. Ellie Kinnaird will join AmeriCorps members at the Orange County Literacy Council (503 W. Franklin St.) at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, to lead interactive activities for the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program. For more information, contact Program Director Donna Rasmussen at 919-962-5470. 
       
• N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, AmeriCorps Promise Fellows: Members and community leaders will participate in a variety of projects and activities throughout the week in Avery, Cleveland, Lenoir, Moore and Rockingham counties. For more information, contact Program Director Pam Thompson at 919-789-5580, ext. 268. 
      
• UNC at Greensboro, ACCESS (Greensboro): Guilford County community leaders have been invited to join members at Glen Haven Development Center (424 Greenbriar Rd.) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, to read to children. For more information, contact Program Director Khouan M. Rodriguez at 336-256-1060. 
      
• Stokes Partnership for Children, AmeriCorps and Children Together (King): Stokes County Commissioner Ernest Lankford will join AmeriCorps members as they teach a More at Four pre-kindergarten class at the Stokes YMCA (105 Moore Rd.) at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 13. For more information, contact Executive Director Cindy Tuttle at 336-985-2676. 
      
• Child Care Services Association, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Corps: Community members will help conduct several educational activities for young children at program sites across the Triangle. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Marye Avery at 919-403-6950.
  

AmeriCorps is a national service initiative designed to increase volunteerism and civic engagement in America. Since 1994, more than 4,000 individuals have participated in N.C. AmeriCorps programs. The N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, a federally-funded agency in the Governor’s Office, administers funding to AmeriCorps programs. For more information on AmeriCorps, visit the Commission’s web site, www.volunteernc.org, or call 800-820-4483.

###