The Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (Serve Illinois) today announced $17.5 million in Corporation for National and Community Service federal grants to place 1,671 AmeriCorps Members in 39 programs to serve Illinois communities. This is an increase of $1.9 million over last year, allowing AmeriCorps Members to serve in 20 additional counties. These awards include $6.4 million in education awards that AmeriCorps Members can use to pay for college after their term of service. AmeriCorps programs will match these funds with an additional $15.9 million in local funding.
AmeriCorps Members dedicate up to one year to help communities meet unmet economic, education, health, public safety, disaster preparedness, veteran services, and environmental needs. Members may receive a modest living allowance, student loan deferment, health insurance, childcare, and professional development. Members who successfully complete their service receive an educational award of up to $5,815 to help pay for college, graduate school, vocational training, or to pay off student loans.
“This is the largest AmeriCorps award that Illinois has seen in the 24 year history of the program,” said Serve Illinois Executive Director Scott McFarland. “Last year, AmeriCorps Illinois served nearly 300,000 Illinoisans, including more than 180,000 disadvantaged youth; nearly 40,000 veterans, active military, and military family members; and more than 13,000 people impacted by disasters.”
These federal grants will be used for services in Illinois, including tutoring and mentoring at-risk youth, preparing communities to respond effectively to emergencies, feeding those in need, providing legal support services, assisting incarcerated individuals re-enter into their communities, promoting environmental stewardship, supporting veterans, and improving youth and adult literacy. Serve Illinois, a part of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), administers the AmeriCorps programs in Illinois.
“The growth of this program in Illinois is a testament to the hard work our AmeriCorps Members perform each day in their communities throughout Illinois,” said Scott McFarland. “When you see the AmeriCorps “A”, you know things are getting done.”
Since 1994, 39,000 people have served 55 million hours in Illinois through AmeriCorps. Those hours equal more than $1.4 billion in community impact. AmeriCorps Members have also earned $131.7 million in education awards.
Serve Illinois is a 40 member (25 voting and 15 non-voting), bipartisan commission appointed by the Governor and administered by IDPH. Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing traditional volunteer activities and supporting national service programs. Serve Illinois supports local community-based efforts to enhance volunteer opportunities and the administration of Illinois’ AmeriCorps program. For more information on the Serve Illinois and AmeriCorps, visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.
Serve Illinois’ AmeriCorps Programs:
Program | Focus Areas | Counties Served | Funding | Members |
American Red Cross | Disaster Services | Jo Davies, Stephenson, Carroll, Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Lee, McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, DuPage, Cook, Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee, Vermillion, Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, Piatt, De Witt, Macon, Whiteside, Bureau, Henry, Rock Island, Mercer, Hancock, McDonough, Adams, Brown, Pike, Logan, Menard, Sangamon, Cass, Morgan, Christian, Monroe, St. Clair, Clinton, Washington, Marion, Jefferson | $372,482 | 27 |
Asian Human Services | Economic Opportunity, Education, Healthy Futures | Cook | $195,825 | 14 |
Beyond Sports | Education, Healthy Futures, Economic Opportunity | Lake, Cook, Will, DuPage, Kendall | $112,677 | 21 |
Chicago HOPES for Kids | Education | Cook | $142,300 | 20 |
City of Peoria | Environmental Stewardship, Economic Opportunity | Peoria | $138,285 | 20 |
City Year Chicago | Education | Cook | $2,274,799 | 188 |
College Possible | Education | Cook | $260,000 | 20 |
East St. Louis School District #189 | Education, Economic Opportunity | St. Clair | $457,477 | 75 |
First Defense Legal Aid | Other Community Priorities | Cook | $127,500 | 9 |
Gardeneers | Healthy Futures | Cook | $114,637 | 8 |
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois | Education | Boone, DeKalb, Kane, McHenry, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago | $167,711 | 19 |
Greater Chicago Food Depository | Healthy Futures, Veterans and Military Families | Cook | $158,482 | 15 |
Housing Forward | Economic Opportunity, Capacity Building | Cook | $166,898 | 12 |
Illinois Bar Foundation | Veteran and Military Families, Other Community Priorities | McLean, Champaign, Cook, Madison, Knox, Will, DuPage, Kankakee, Lake, Winnebago | $280,641 | 68 |
Illinois Public Health Association | Disaster Services, Healthy Futures | Lake, Cook, Ogle, Lee, Kane, McLean, Sangamon, Adams, Schuyler, Macoupin, St. Clair, Douglas | $264,622 | 22 |
Leave No Veteran Behind | Veteran and Military Families, Disaster Services | Cook | $240,380 | 18 |
Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House | Education, Healthy Futures, Capacity Building, Veteran and Military Families, Economic Opportunity | St. Clair | $861,570 | 190 |
Literacy Volunteers of Illinois | Economic Opportunity, Education | Cook, Bureau, DuPage, Henry, Jersey, Kane, Saline, Scott | $355,808 | 42 |
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois | Economic Opportunity, Capacity Building | Franklin, Williamson, Jackson, Madison, St. Clair | $131,935 | 20 |
Northwestern University Settlement Association | Education, Capacity Building | Cook | $508,728 | 75 |
Public Allies | Education | Cook | $649,627 | 50 |
Rend Lake College | Education, Environmental Stewardship, Economic Opportunity | Alexander, Clinton, Franklin, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pulaski, Washington, Williamson, Union | $445,500 | 60 |
Relay Graduate School of Education | Education | Cook | $20,140 | 30 |
Rincon | Healthy Futures | Lake, Cook | $114,640 | 8 |
Sauk Valley Community College | Education, Capacity Building, Economic Opportunity | Whiteside, Lee, Ogle, Carroll, Bureau, Henry | $195,132 | 45 |
Schuler Family Foundation | Education | Cook | $0 | 40 |
Southwestern Illinois College | Education, Capacity Building | St. Clair | $372,716 | 68 |
Springfield Urban League | Education, Economic Opportunity | Sangamon | $209,902 | 56 |
Teach for America | Education | Cook | $101,500 | 195 |
Trails for Illinois | Environmental Stewardship | Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson | $153,292 | 60 |
United Way Of Metropolitan Chicago | Education, Healthy Futures, Economic Opportunity | Cook | $168,760 | 12 |
University of Illinois – Chicago | Economic Opportunity, Capacity Building | Cook | $151,474 | 21 |
Up2Us – Coach Across America | Healthy Futures, Veterans and Military Families | Cook | $166,990 | 20 |
Western Illinois University | Capacity Building, Disaster Services | McDonough | $142,506 | 14 |
Western Illinois University – Quad Cities | Education | Rock Island | $211,791 | 35 |
YMCA – Rock River Valley | Education, Capacity Building | Winnebago | $141,642 | 26 |
Youth and Opportunity United, Inc. (YOU) | Education | Cook | $245,872 | 22 |
Youth Conservation Corps | Education, Economic Opportunity | Lake | $119,000 | 10 |
Youth Guidance | Education | Cook | $109,813 | 16 |
