The funding will support 17 AmeriCorps programs and nearly 500 AmeriCorps members serving South Carolina communities.
Columbia, S.C. (August 29, 2018) – August is a highly anticipated month for AmeriCorps Programs throughout South Carolina, as it is the beginning of a new grant year for the South Carolina Commission on National and Community Service. The Commission is the Governor’s lead agency on volunteerism in South Carolina.
Commission Chair Missy Santorum proudly shared, “The SC Service Commission was awarded $3.2 million in AmeriCorps funding for the 2018-2019 program year. That total includes 3 grants earned through a national competition, which brought an additional $885,347 to South Carolina to expand AmeriCorps Service.”
The grants were secured through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs. The grants will be matched with over $1 million local dollars to support 17 AmeriCorps programs and nearly 500 AmeriCorps members serving South Carolina communities.
The total federal investment includes 17 AmeriCorps grants to South Carolina nonprofits, with four new programs and a planning grant, totaling $3,187,638. South Carolina AmeriCorps programs will tackle some of the toughest problems in the state, including education, disaster response, economic opportunity, healthy futures, and environmental stewardship.
“South Carolina is largely defined by the selfless spirit of the people who call it home,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “These funds are going into the hands of people and organizations that embody that spirit and I know that countless South Carolinians will benefit by their service.”
Dedicating one year to service in your state has tremendous benefits to the community and to the individual AmeriCorps Member. Through their service, AmeriCorps Members will collectively earn $1.89 million in Eli Segal Education Awards, which can be used to fund continuing education or repay existing student loans. Commission Director Carson Carroll said, “The Education Award is a very popular benefit to AmeriCorps Members who can use the award for their own continued education. Additionally, members over the age of 55 can pass the benefit to a child or grandchild! Each AmeriCorps Member leaves with a new perspective towards addressing problems and skillsets strengthened through true experience.”
The following organizations will receive AmeriCorps funding for the 2018-19 service year:
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Education
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City Year - 24 AmeriCorps Members
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Reading Partners - 35 AmeriCorps Members
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University of South Carolina – Aiken - 30 AmeriCorps Members
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United Way of the Lowcountry – 10 AmeriCorps Members
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Indian Waters Council, Boy Scouts of America – 14 AmeriCorps Members
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Black River United Way – 35 AmeriCorps Members
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Teach for America – 102 AmeriCorps Members
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United Way of Sumter, Clarendon and Lee Counties – 28 AmeriCorps Members
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Lancaster County School District – 13 AmeriCorps Members
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Disaster Response
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United Way of Anderson County – 10 AmeriCorps Members
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Economic Opportunity
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United Way of Greenville County – 27 AmeriCorps Members
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United Way of Piedmont – 16 AmeriCorps Members
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Trident United Way – 16 AmeriCorps Members
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Healthy Futures
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Mental Health America of Greenville – 40 AmeriCorps Members
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Spartanburg School District 6 – 8 AmeriCorps Members
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Neighbor to Neighbor – Planning Grant
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Environmental Stewardship
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Palmetto Conservation Foundation – 18 AmeriCorps Members
Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than one million men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.4 billion hours of service and earning more than $3.3 billion in education scholarships, more than $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student loan debt.
AmeriCorps programs are currently recruiting members for the 2018-19 service year. Those interested in serving can learn more by visiting www.AmeriCorpsSC.org.
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United Way Association of South Carolina serves as the Governor’s Commission on National and Community Service to improve South Carolina communities through volunteerism and national service programs. The Commission promotes and increases: (1) an ethic of service and volunteerism in the state of South Carolina, (2) the capacity of faith-based and community organizations within the state to better compete for funding opportunities and (3) the collaboration among communities and organizations that are trying to meet the greatest needs of the Palmetto State. The SC Service Commission receives funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service for AmeriCorps programming. For more information, visit www.AmeriCorpsSC.org.
AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.
For media inquiries, please contact Nichole Mayberry at nichole.mayberry@uwasc.org.