Release Date: Jun 2, 2011 12:54 PM  

Dover – Governor Jack Markell has announced thatConnecting Generations, a non-profit organization based in Wilmington providing creative programs and services that help Delaware’s children and adults lead purposeful, fulfilling, and self-directed lives, has been awarded an AmeriCorps Competitive grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service. Connecting Generations operates the AmeriCorps Youth Ambassador program and will place ten AmeriCorps members in ten schools throughout the cities of Wilmington and Dover to serve as site-based mentoring coordinators within the schools.  In addition, the AmeriCorps members will work to provide integrated student services to the children whom have been matched with a volunteer mentor, and will meet the elements of Effective Practice of MENTOR, the National Mentoring Partnership.
The ten mentoring coordinators, primarily people in their 20s, will help recruit, place, and train mentors in schools and community/faith based after school mentoring programs for students up through eighth grade, as well as support mentors in partnering site based programs. This grant was developed in partnership with Communities in Schools of Delaware.  Both organizations are committed to making this program a success and promoting an ethic of service in communities throughout the state. 
“Mentoring is people helping people,” said Governor Markell.  “This grant enables us to connect people who want to mentor with young people who need their help.   AmeriCorps mentors help us match community service with community needs. “
With the matching fund resourcesConnecting Generations has supplemented to the grant, the grant will provide approximately a quarter of a million dollars to provide Delaware’s children with the important attributes of a school mentor. 
The current year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, due to the strong and growing demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources.  Organizations requested nearly twice the number of grant dollars and AmeriCorps positions than could be funded.  Out of 337 Application requests received by the Corporation for National and Community Service, only 53 of them were funded nationwide.  
“I congratulate this year’s grantees for rising to the top in a highly competitive year,” said John Gomperts, Director of AmeriCorps.  “These organizations will increase their reach and impact on meeting local needs through the infusion of dedicated AmeriCorps members.”
Anyone interested in applying for one of the Mentoring Coordinator positions can call Connecting Generations at 302-656-2122/ext.16.   
The grants focus AmeriCorps resources on six key areas: strengthening education, fostering economic opportunity, preparing for and responding to disasters, improving health, meeting environmental and energy efficiency needs, and assisting veterans and military families.
On a national level, AmeriCorps engages 80,000 Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs. Its members serve through more than 14,000 nonprofit and faith-based organizations in rural and urban communities throughout the nation.  Among other accomplishments, AmeriCorps members last year mobilized 2.6 million community volunteers, and tutored, mentored or served more than 2.5 million disadvantaged youth.
Since 1994, more than 700,000 Americans have provided more than 860 million hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps.  Below is a listing of Delaware’s total Federal grant awards for the 2010-2011 Program Year:

AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service that engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs. Members tutor and mentor youth, expand health services, build affordable housing, run after-school programs, support veterans, help communities respond to disasters, and recruit and train volunteers.   Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.

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