Wisconsin Governor Doyle Announces $2.58 Million in Recovery Funding for AmeriCorps Programs

June 17, 2009 -- MADISON - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today announced that the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board (Serve Wisconsin AmeriCorps) received $1,955,505 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding to expand the capacity of 17 of its existing AmeriCorps programs in Wisconsin. In addition, the ARRA will provide $632,961 in education awards for AmeriCorps Members to attend college and place 199 individuals in AmeriCorps positions across Wisconsin.

“This funding makes sure that our AmeriCorps programs and the important services they provide will continue to benefit the communities of Wisconsin,” said Governor Doyle. “Through these programs, poverty, job creations, financial counseling, literacy programs, and health care support will continue to be addressed.”

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Projects for the AmeriCorps programs need to be approved by the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance. The following Wisconsin AmeriCorps programs will receive funding:

The Department of Public Instruction, Service for Learning and Life will receive $159,968 to fund 14 positions. Members will recruit community volunteers to support service learning, tutoring and mentoring programs, and after-school programs.

Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield Clinic AmeriCorps will receive $348,918 to fund 20 members. Members will be placed with nonprofit agencies that are working to address one of the eleven health priorities identified in Wisconsin’s Health Plan, Healthiest Wisconsin 2010. http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/statehealthplan/hw2010/index.htm

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, AmeriCorps Connects will receive $64,000 to fund 18 positions. Members will significantly increase the capacity of local organizations during this critical time to provide employment to individuals who would otherwise not find jobs.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, Spark Early Literacy Initiative & Camp Whitcomb/Mason Environmental Education Initiative will receive $269,289 to fund 46 positions. Members will provide tutoring, child literacy, environmental education, and youth leadership training economically disadvantaged youth.

Dane County Human Services, Partners for After School Success (PASS) will receive $130, 625 to fund 10 positions. Members will help respond to Dane County's increasing unemployment rates, which has grown by 46 percent during the past 12 months. To date, many youth serving agencies throughout Dane County that are not currently participating in the PASS program have expressed interest in having an AmeriCorps member serve in their organization.

Easter Seals Wisconsin, Easter Seals Wisconsin AmeriCorps partnership will receive $18,741 to fund four positions. Members will meet critical needs of disabled individuals including a shortage of respite care and qualified individuals to take care of the disabled, and the need for vocational rehabilitation in rural areas, more recreational opportunities, and disaster preparedness in areas impacted by the economic downturn.

Indianhead Community Action Agency, Inc. will receive $31,704 to fund two positions. Members will hold Volunteer Resources Managers positions. The members will be responsible for managing volunteers on the construction sites, in the classroom, and on other scheduled service projects for the Wisconsin Fresh Start (WFS) Youth Corps Program.

Milwaukee Christian Center-YouthBuild (MCCYB) will receive $88,788 to fund 11 positions. Members face limited job opportunities, these individuals are competing for scarce jobs with those who have been laid off from higher paying, higher skill jobs. Skills training and increased educational achievement is critical for low-income people. The need for financial literacy and basic life skills has also become increasingly critical. MCCYB's AmeriCorps program addresses these needs for skills training, educational development, financial literacy, and basic life skills in the City of Milwaukee. The program also provides work for local subcontractors who are struggling in the faltering local construction industry.

Milwaukee Teacher Education Center (MTEC), Learning by Serving our Community will receive $27,500 to fund 25 positions. Members will be trained, supported, and certified as teachers to maintain employment or to gain employment in high need teacher certification areas in Milwaukee Public Schools. As a result of this program, teachers will acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for them to be successfully employed, certified teachers.

Operation Fresh Start, Inc. (OFS) will receive $100,000 to offset costs of site supervisor staff wages and fringe benefits. These are the people who train young people in the skills needed to build or renovate affordable, energy efficient housing.

Partners for Community Development will receive $52,400 for four positions. Members will provide weatherization and other energy conservation services in the Sheboygan area to low income family dwellings.

Public Allies, Inc., Public Allies Milwaukee will receive $312,759 to fund 10 positions. Members will be called on to meet the demand of greater need of assistance as a result of the increased number of Milwaukee residents that are unemployed, homeless, and hungry.

United Way of Dane County, Schools of Hope Project will receive $72,894 to fund six positions. Members will tutor children who are struggling to achieve academically in high school, particularly in the area of math; these students are disproportionately low-income, children of color and/or English language learners.

Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association, Wausau Fresh Start will receive $122,592 to fund 19 positions. Members, all youth, will receive on-site mental health and life skills counseling, work readiness skills, residential construction experience, industry recognized credits in solar and other renewable energy applications or in construction and GED/HSED tutoring/completion through the local area Technical Colleges. Particular focus will be on work readiness, financial literacy, and service-learning experiences designed to increase leadership skill, employability skills, and community connectedness.

Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council will receive $31,499 to fund two positions. The members will develop and implement a financial literacy curriculum that will be utilized by not only homeowners but other agency clients as well. The Volunteer Generation position would work specifically with current Fresh Start Programs to develop and enhance volunteer recruitment and services. One goal is to encourage baby boomers to become invested in the Fresh Start program.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, Financial Literacy for Farm Families will receive $58,548 to fund two positions. Members will offer financial literacy education to farm families and connect them to financial experts who can help them identify steps to avoid foreclosure or deal with it in an informed manner. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will help farm families connect to resources, such as those offering assistance with basic needs, job retraining, and mental health counseling services. Farmers receiving financial literacy services will be better informed about debt restructuring options, foreclosure processes, and rights during foreclosure, debt mediation options, and negotiating with lenders. In addition, they will be better able to identify options for their operations and create plans of action. Finally, they will be aware of community resources that can help them. The target community is dairy farmers throughout Wisconsin.

YMCA of Metro Milwaukee, YMCA AmeriCorps will receive $65,280 to fund six positions. Members will provide youth and adults with access to health centered programs that help bring stability to the community as a whole.

Corporation Funds

The Corporation for National and Community Service received $201 million from the ARRA to expand existing AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps VISTA programs. Only existing AmeriCorps programs were eligible to apply for this one-time funding opportunity.

AmeriCorps, a national service initiative funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is designed to increase public service and civic engagement in America. Since 1994, more than 13,166 individuals have participated in AmeriCorps programs in Wisconsin, serving 18,488,799 hours with a total Segal Education Award of $41,876,939. This ARRA award will provide an additional $632,961 in education awards for AmeriCorps Members to attend college and place 199 individuals in AmeriCorps positions across Wisconsin.

Serve Wisconsin administers funding for Wisconsin AmeriCorps programs and is a federal and state-funded agency attached to the Department of Administration and housed at the Department of Children and Families.

Source: Wisconsin Governor