The Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (Serve Illinois) today announced $20 million in Corporation for National and Community Service federal grants to place 1,830 AmeriCorps Members in 46 programs to serve Illinois communities. This is an increase of $2.5 million over last year, allowing AmeriCorps Members to serve in seven additional programs. These awards include $7.4 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 $15.7 million in local funding. The total investment into Illinois communities will be $35.7 million.
AmeriCorps Members dedicate up to one year to help communities with 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 $5,920 to help pay for college, graduate school, vocational training, or to pay off student loans.
“This is the largest AmeriCorps investment Illinois has seen in the history of the program,” said Serve Illinois Executive Director Scott McFarland. “Last year, AmeriCorps Illinois served nearly 400,000 Illinoisans, including more than 209,000 disadvantaged youth and nearly 40,000 veterans, active military, and military family members.”
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.
“These AmeriCorps Members represent the best of our state and nation,” said Scott McFarland. “We believe that service is the solution, and when you see the AmeriCorps “A,” you know things are getting done.”
Since 1994, more than 41,000 Illinoisans have served 59 million hours through AmeriCorps. Those hours equal more than $1.5 billion in community impact. They have also earned $140.8 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 a full description of each AmeriCorps program, visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.
Serve Illinois’ AmeriCorps Programs:
| Grantee | Counties Served | AmeriCorps Members | Federal Award | Local Match |
| Academy for Urban School Leadership | Cook | 70 | $56,000 | N/A |
| American Red Cross – Chicago | Adams, Cook, Kankakee, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, Will, Winnebago | 27 | $372,482 | $380,471 |
| Asian Human Services | Cook | 11 | $164,230 | $195,856 |
| Beyond Sports Foundation | Cook, DuPage, Kendall, Lake, Will | 36 | $142,192 | $51,686 |
| Cahokia School District #187 | St. Claire | 28 | $268,776 | $558,500 |
| Chicago H.O.P.E.S. | Cook | 20 | $123,859 | $56,337 |
| City of Peoria | Peoria | 20 | $138,285 | $381,165 |
| City of Springfield | Sangamon | 16 | $115,635 | $36,612 |
| City Year Chicago | Cook | 212 | $3,165,583 | $3,165,583 |
| College Possible Illinois | Cook | 20 | $260,000 | $556,313 |
| East Aurora School District #131 | Kane | 37 | $178,963 | $205,831 |
| East St. Louis School District #189 | St. Claire | 61 | $300,228 | $153,151 |
| First Defense Legal Aid | Cook | 9 | $128,320 | $50,384 |
| Gardeneers | Cook | 8 | $119,452 | $124,435 |
| Girl Scouts of Northern IL | Boone, DeKalb, Kane, McHenry, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago | 21 | $163,711 | $125,091 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository | Cook | 25 | $210,520 | $286,142 |
| Housing Forward | Cook | 12 | $166,898 | $168,818 |
| Illinois Bar Foundation | Champaign, Cook, Kankakee, Lake, Madison, McLean, Winnebago | 58 | $278,316 | $278,219 |
| Illinois Campus Compact | Cook, Macon, Rock Island | 30 | $5,504 | $3,846 |
| Illinois Public Health Association | Adams, Cook, Kane, Lake, Lee, Macoupin, McLean, Ogle, Peoria, Sangamon, St. Claire | 20 | $298,638 | $298,640 |
| Leave No Veteran Behind | Cook | 18 | $253,668 | $257,985 |
| Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House | St. Claire | 198 | $861,571 | $1,035,657 |
| Literacy Volunteers of America | Bureau, Cook, DuPage, Henry, Jersey, Kane, Lake, Saline, Scott | 42 | $355,349 | $679,388 |
| Lutheran Social Services of Illinois | Alexander, Randolph, St. Clair, Williamson, Winnebago | 20 | $137,859 | $158,975 |
| Mercy Home for Boys & Girls | Cook | 12 | $179,184 | $130,095 |
| Metropolitan Mayors Caucus | Cook, Lake, Will | 8 | $119,456 | $127,998 |
| Northwestern University Settlement Association | Cook | 72 | $496,894 | $496,896 |
| Public Allies Chicago | Cook | 50 | $649,618 | $667,027 |
| Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago | Cook | 12 | $179,184 | $263,440 |
| Relay Graduate School of Education | Cook | 30 | $20,140 | $414,251 |
| Rend Lake College | Alexander, Clinton, Franklin, Hamilton, Jackson, Johnson, Jefferson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pulaski, Union, Washington, Williamson | 60 | $445,500 | $445,500 |
| Sauk Valley Community College | Bureau, Carrol, Henry, Lee, Ogle, Whiteside | 40 | $180,038 | $191,994 |
| Schuler Family Foundation | Cook, Lake | 45 | N/A | $1,300,000 |
| Severson Dells Educational Foundation | Boone, DeKalb, Winnebago | 23 | $119,304 | $101,468 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | St. Claire | 68 | $372,716 | $479,206 |
| Springfield Urban League | Morgan, Sangamon | 54 | $214,182 | $212,810 |
| Teach for America | Cook | 195 | N/A | $8,070,500 |
| The University of Chicago | Cook | 10 | $148,938 | $208,369 |
| Triton College | Cook | 24 | $179,131 | $79,366 |
| UIC – Project MORE | Cook | 21 | $151,474 | $151,474 |
| United Way of Metropolitan Chi. | Cook | 12 | $179,176 | $94,269 |
| Up2Us Sports Coaches | Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Will | 20 | $158,855 | $253,080 |
| WIU – Peace Corps Fellows | McDonough | 14 | $142,506 | $142,506 |
| YMCA Rock River Valley | Boone, Winnebago | 19 | $141,642 | $62,886 |
| Youth & Opportunity United | Cook | 22 | $270,326 | $665,695 |
