HARRISBURG, Pa. -- PennSERVE: The Governor's Office of Citizen Service invites residents to simultaneous rallies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia from 8 a. m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 13, for the official launch of National AmeriCorps Week.

"Community service programs in Pennsylvania not only contribute to building our neighborhoods, they help young people build character and allow them to be valuable assets to society," said PennSERVE Director Karen Kaskey. "The rallies we are holding, and the projects that will occur throughout the week, will highlight the fine work that is being done every day by young Pennsylvanians."

• In Pittsburgh, the rally will include past and present AmeriCorps members, legislators, local dignitaries, community members and other organizations in celebration and recognition of AmeriCorps. The event will be held at the City-County Building Portico, 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl will also declare May 13 "Pittsburgh Goes Grey" in honor of AmeriCorps. Following the rally from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., AmeriCorps and community members, led by internationally renowned sculptor James Simon, will create a mosaic mural that will be displayed in the community. The day will be capped by a beautification project in downtown Braddock from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
      
• In Philadelphia, more than 700 AmeriCorps members will participate in a rally at Dilworth Plaza (next to City Hall). Speakers will include Mayor Michael Nutter; Todd Bernstein, founder and director, Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service; and past and present AmeriCorps members. Following the rally, more than 200 members from YouthBuild, Education Works, and other Philadelphia area AmeriCorps programs will take part in a clean-up project along Girard Avenue and Broad Street in North Philadelphia from 9 a.m. to noon.

PennSERVE

The Governor's Office of Citizen Service is responsible for the administration of the AmeriCorps programs. Along with AmeriCorps, PennSERVE engages residents 17 years old and older in intensive service to meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security and other areas. In exchange for a year of service, AmeriCorps members earn an education award that can be used to pay for college or pay back qualified student loans.

In Pennsylvania, there are approximately 3,200 AmeriCorps members serving 200 organizations. Since the AmeriCorps program started in 1994, more than 25,000 AmeriCorps members in Pennsylvania have served more than 32 million hours. During the same time period, more than 540,000 men and women have joined AmeriCorps nationally, and have given more than 705 million hours of service to their country.

After completing their term of service, AmeriCorps members typically remain actively engaged in their communities. Not only can they be counted on as volunteers, but they also run nonprofits, marshal resources within their communities to address difficult issues, and many pursue public service careers.

For more information about participating in the rallies, or any of the statewide projects during the week, visit http://www.pennserve.state.pa.us, or call 717-787-1971.

###