Members launch statewide food & clothing drive

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois is joining in the second nationwide celebration of AmeriCorps Week, May 11-18. Governor Rod R. Blagojevich has issued a proclamation dedicating this week as “AmeriCorps Week in Illinois,” spotlighting the vital work done by AmeriCorps members in communities across Illinois since the national service program began 15 years ago.

Nearly 800 AmeriCorps members are serving in Illinois this year, helping students learn to read, mentoring at-risk youth, providing health services, building homes for low-income families, and helping nonprofits recruit more volunteers and better achieve their mission.

“We are very proud of Illinois’ AmeriCorps programs and grateful to the AmeriCorps members who are ‘getting things done’ all across the state,” said Scott Kimmel, executive director of the Serve Illinois Commission. “AmeriCorps members make a significant impact on Illinois’ ability to meet many local needs, and AmeriCorps Week is a perfect opportunity to recognize their great work.”

Since 1994, more than 18,500 men and women from Illinois have served in AmeriCorps and have given more than 25 million hours of service to their country.

To mark AmeriCorps Week, a number of events are happening in Illinois, including a statewide food and clothing drive at various locations around the state. Illinois AmeriCorps members will band together to address hunger and homelessness across the state by soliciting food, clothing, and monetary donations to various organizations that seek to improve the lives of the less fortunate.

In addition to ongoing AmeriCorps service activities, many programs will set up special displays and information tables to promote their programs and enroll new members.

These events and special ceremonies, to be held at the conclusion of AmeriCorps Week, will allow community residents to learn about, and participate in, AmeriCorps programming.

AmeriCorps works through existing organizations and helps them reach more people and better achieve their mission. In 2007, the nation’s 75,000 AmeriCorps members recruited 1.7 million community volunteers to serve alongside them in some 4,100 nonprofit, faith-based and community organizations across the country.

AmeriCorps members typically remain actively engaged in their communities once their service is complete. They not only can 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.

The Serve Illinois Commission works to improve communities by supporting local volunteer and national service efforts. The goals of the Serve Illinois Commission include making communities stronger through volunteer service, improving the ability of community-based organizations to maximize their volunteer resources, and increasing the number of individuals volunteering and getting involved in their communities.

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