Read a few examples of how working with AmeriCorps has made a difference in communities around the nation.

The Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers formed a partnership among foundations, state government, and community organizations to devise a coordinated strategy for supporting and expanding after-school programs. The result was an initiative that supports AmeriCorps members and community volunteers working with local agencies to expand their capacity to provide after-school services to children. Through twelve local programs, AmeriCorps members and others now provide after-school activities ranging from homework help to community service to cultural studies. The increased capacity provided by the partnership allows the programs to reach an additional 2,500 children.

The Catholic Network of Volunteer Service

The Catholic Network of Volunteer Service is one of many faith-based organizations that deploy AmeriCorps members in their community service projects. The Catholic Network, a member organization of 198 faith-based volunteer programs such as the Lasallian Volunteers, teamed with AmeriCorps to further its mission and expand its service to communities in need. Local service professionals and community groups help Catholic Network of Volunteer Service member programs place AmeriCorps members at sites where they can engage in direct service to the community. The partnership with AmeriCorps allows Catholic Network of Volunteer Service member programs to recruit more people, add diversity to their programs, access training and technical assistance, and improve the overall quality of their local efforts.

Habitat for Humanity

Working with Habitat for Humanity, more than 450 AmeriCorps members leverage, and work side-by-side with, other community volunteers to help to build homes for low income families in communities across the country each year. National service participants extend the reach of this volunteer-driven program by recruiting volunteer builders, managing their work on site, and keeping the building going on weekdays, when volunteers are less likely to be involved. Since 1994, AmeriCorps members have recruited and supervised more than 1 million Habitat volunteers and built more than 6,000 homes.

The American Red Cross

Disasters require quick response by specially trained and dedicated teams who augment the efforts of staff and the impact of volunteers. The American National Red Cross operates an AmeriCorps National Rapid Response Corps in Los Angeles, Miami, and eight other cities. AmeriCorps members provide emergency assistance to victims and communities help disaster victims get emergency food, shelter, and clothing, and increase preparedness among children and youth in underserved areas. This dedicated, specially trained team has been deployed to communities to provide mass care, family services, and logistics. In Miami, AmeriCorps members have responded to more than 70 local incidents, enabling the local Red Cross chapter to reduce its local response to critical emergencies from five to less than two hours.

For More Project Highlights

• News From the Field
• Stories of Service