Latest News – Page 38 – The Corps Network

$3 million commitment to Serve a Year Campaign announced at Clinton Global Initiative

On September 22^nd, at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual conference, President Bill Clinton announced a $3 million commitment to the Serve a Year Campaign. The campaign – which is led by ServiceNation and partners representing all of the country’s leading national service organizations, including The Corps Network – is focused on working with leaders in the entertainment industry to raise awareness about national service through incorporating programs like AmeriCorps into TV shows, movies and other pop culture outlets.

Press release from ServiceNation
September 22, 2014
Tim Smith, Director of Online Engagement, Service Nation

Chelsea Clinton, President Clinton, ServiceNation Announce Commitment to Reach Millions of Americans Through Serve A Year Campaign

Comcast and NBCUniversal, Airbnb, & Philanthropists Jonathan and Jeanne Lavine and Josh and Anita Bekenstein Commit Over $3 MM in support of campaign led by ServiceNation

New York, NY – Today, at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual conference, President Bill Clinton announced a $3 million commitment to the Serve a Year Campaign. The Campaign, led by the grassroots advocacy organization ServiceNation, will work with leaders in the entertainment industry to popularize the idea of national service by integrating programs like AmeriCorps into television and movie scripts, as well as content created by cutting-edge online and social media artists.

“If more young people participated in full time service programs like AmeriCorps, it would have a transformative impact on our country,” said Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation. “Through our work with the National Service Alliance, we seek to accomplish just that. We have proven time and again that we are stronger when we work together and by giving more Americans the opportunity to come together in service, we make our nation stronger.”

Building on more than 20 years of support for national service, philanthropists Jonathan and Jeannie Lavine and Josh and Anita Bekenstein have each committed $1 million to this effort. Longtime supporters of Service Year organizations, they are excited about a new future for this movement.

“We strongly support the idea of a Service Year,” said Jonathan Lavine. “We believe that ServiceNation’s cultural campaign will have a powerful impact on establishing a year of service as a common opportunity and expectation for a new generation that is ready serve.”

President Clinton also announced a number of ambitious goals and grants that will promote and strengthen national service programs. Those include:

Developing 30,000 new national service positions by 2017

Working with institutions of higher education and establishing a new “Employers of Service” program

New partnerships and commitments from major companies like Airbnb, Cisco, the Lumina Foundation, Comcast and NBCUniversal

The creation of the National Service Alliance – a group consisting of ServiceNation, Voices for National Service, National Conference on Citizenship, and The Franklin Project at the Aspen Institute – that will be responsible for fulfilling the commitments.

“Enriching the neighborhoods we serve is at the core of Airbnb’s mission, and we are thrilled to support national service and AmeriCorps members in their commitment to give back,” said Joe Gebbia, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Airbnb. “Airbnb’s partnership with the Clinton Foundation and ServiceNation will help provide new service corps members with a place to call home as they embark on their year of service to strengthen America’s cities and communities.”

“Our nation faces immense challenges, and we know that there is no better way to tackle them than by encouraging young people to dedicate a Service Year in their communities,” said Zach Maurin, Executive Director of ServiceNation. “We also know that the millennial generation wants to serve if they are given the right information and opportunities. With the support of partners like Airbnb and Comcast and NBCUniversal, we can effectively reach this generation and connect them to the opportunities they so desperately want.”

Airbnb, the global hospitality company, will support this initiative by donating accommodations and support for approximately 1,000 AmeriCorps members during their transition to new cities for their Service year. Comcast Corporation will commit $1 million in airtime to promote the Serve A Year Campaign.

“Comcast and NBCUniversal have been proud to support ServiceNation and the idea of a Service Year for many years,” said Charisse R. Lillie, Vice President of Community Investment at Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast Foundation. “As a company uniquely positioned to inform, empower and inspire, we are excited to leverage our assets to support this bold new plan through our many platforms. Together, we will reach a new generation ready to serve.”

California Conservation Corps responds to the King Fire

THE CCC DISPATCHES 16 CREWS TO KING FIRE

This is one of the largest contingents of California Conservation Corps crews on one fire. Sixteen crews — 214 corpsmembers — are assisting the U.S. Forest Service and Cal Fire on the King Fire about 60 miles north of Sacramento.

The crews are providing both fire camp support and firefighting assistance on the wildfire.

An additional eight CCC crews are helping with logistical support at two other locations.

Since July 1, the CCC has devoted nearly 200,000 hours to fire response efforts.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin pays a visit to Civic Works

Press Release from the Office of Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.)

August 29, 2014
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Sue Walitsky 202-224-4524/Tim Zink 410-962-4436

Cardin Meets Students, Employers at Civic Works’ Baltimore Center for Green Careers

“The green technology sector is one of the most overlooked growth areas of our economy. Opportunities are everywhere.”

BALTIMORE, Md. – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate committees on Finance and Environment and Public Works, today toured the educational facilities and met with current students and graduates of Civic Works’ Baltimore Center for Green Careers. The center is helping to build an inclusive and equitable green economy by providing job training in brownfields remediation, home energy efficiency retrofitting and green space beautification, among other programs.

Senator Cardin participated in demonstrations of the hands-on training laboratory for energy retrofit installers, attended a career fair for recent graduates of Civic Works’ brownfields remediation training and participated in a roundtable discussion with graduates, staff and supporters of the program.

“Green jobs are helping our communities and, at Civic Works, providing a fresh start for those willing to work for it. More than 400 people have graduated from these programs since 2003 and the program maintains an average job placement rate of 85 percent,” said Senator Cardin. “That’s incredibly successful, especially considering that 9 of 10 graduates had a history of involvement in the criminal justice system. What’s more, by gaining skills in brownfields remediation and improving residential energy efficiency, the types of jobs done by the program’s graduates enhance the environment for all Marylanders.”

The Baltimore Center for Green Careers has a unique model that combines workforce development, social enterprise and demand generation. It is one of Civic Works’ key program areas; others include community improvement, workforce development, and education.

Civic Works builds partnerships between AmeriCorps members and the community. AmeriCorps members tutor and mentor students, create community parks and gardens, help homeowners conserve energy, grow food for low-income residents, rehabilitate abandoned houses, involve families in Baltimore City schools, make homes safer for older adults, and recruit volunteers. Civic Works also trains Baltimore residents for employment in the healthcare and green job industries.

“The program’s success shows what the power of partnerships can do for our communities,” Senator Cardin said. “It also proves that we can build greener communities and strengthen our economy at the same time.”

Job Corps Celebrates 50th Anniversary

To learn more about the 50^th Anniversary of Job Corps, check out the anniversary edition of their newsletter, the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Courier.

On Wednesday, September 17^th the USDA hosted a celebration in honor of the 50^th anniversary of Job Corps. In attendance were students and staff from Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers in North Carolina, West Virginia, Colorado and Oregon. Each Center had a table in the USDA’s Jamie L. Whitten building to showcase some of their tools, as well as the products of their work. The displays demonstrated the variety of career training programs Job Corps offers: Schenk Job Corps exhibited tools and safety equipment used in their wilderness firefighting program; Harpers Ferry Job Corps demonstrated the software used by students in their IT training program; and students from Colorado displayed food from their farm and culinary programs. The event featured speeches from Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service; Tina Terrell, Job Corps National Director; Butch Blazer, Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment; and Meryl Harrell, Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Wooden coin engraved by Job Corps students

Job Corps 50th Anniversary poster designed by Tiffany Gottberg, a student at Timber Lake Job Corps in Oregon.

Announcement of Grants Caps Big Week for 21st Century Conservation Service Corps

This week was a notable one in the continuing cultivation of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Initiative (21CSC). On Monday, The Partnership for the 21CSC hosted it’s 4th meeting at the Department of Agriculture’s Washington D.C. Headquarters.

On Wednesday, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell with Coca Cola North America President Sandy Douglas announced new 21CSC grants at an event on the Los Angeles River with several Corps in attendance. Keep reading below for more detail on what it means.

4th Partnership for 21CSC Meeting Focuses on Collaboration, Funding, and Celebrating Successes

Representatives from numerous federal agencies, partnering organizations, and 21CSC program operators met in Washington to discuss how to continue making the 21CSC a successful initiative. Most discussions were held in small groups, and focused on key themes including

how to find solutions to challenges and barriers that exist in inter-agency collaboration and internal communications
how to collect data that is consistent and meaningful across agencies and partners, as well as implement standards across 21CSC program operators to ensure high-quality programs and projects
how to identify and put sources of long-term federal funding in place for the 21CSC
challenges and opportunities for securing private funding to support the initiative, and how to negotiate meaningful public-private partnerships that are beneficial to all parties
federal legislation that would ensure 21CSC has staying power across political administrations

A public afternoon presentation celebrated the successes of the 21CSC to date, and featured speakers from numerous agencies and partners. The next Partnership for 21CSC meeting will be held during The Corps Network’s 2015 National Conference, which will take place from February 8-11 in Washington, D.C.

New 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Grants Support 23 Projects in Collaboration with Six Department of Interior Agencies

On Wednesday, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced new Department of Interior 21CSC grants that were made possible by combining $530,823 private funds with matching funds to create project funds totaling $740,000. According to the Department of Interior, “The projects will employ approximately 160 youth and up to 10 veterans in conservation work benefiting our public lands. These projects will engage approximately 300 volunteers within the local communities and conduct restoration activities on over 200 miles of public land.”

The agencies that will partner with 21CSC organizations include the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey.

Of the 23 projects, 19 are going to be completed by members or affiliates of The Corps Network. Many of the projects focus on traditional Corps work such as improving trails, restoring habitat, and environmental education. Some unique project highlights include

Conservation Legacy employing two AmeriCorps Environmental Steward program members in South Florida’s Everglades ecosystems to work with U.S. Geological Survey biologists to help research and control expanding populations of invasive reptile species.
Nevada Conservation Corps working with the Bureau of Land Management with six AmeriCorps members to clean-up and reduce the impacts of a recreational shooting range within the Coyote Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
Utah Conservation Corps employing four Corpsmembers to work with the Bureau of Land Management to build a short trail around the Mill Canyon dinosaur track site to enable more visitors to see the dinosaur tracks while maintaining the site in good condition.
Arizona and Utah Conservation Corps employing two four-person crews to construct and install several micro-irrigation systems in the northern Navajo Nation that can help encourage gardening, an activity that has obtained renewed interest recently among local communities.

For more information on the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps initiative, please visit www.21csc.org

National Public Lands Day 2014

In celebration of National Public Lands Day 2014, check out our video about Corps and their importance to America’s public lands.

David Muraki Honored as One of 20 AmeriCorps Trailblazers

Story submitted by the California Conservation Corps

California Conservation Corps Director David Muraki was honored as one of 20 AmeriCorps Service Trailblazers during a 20th anniversary AmeriCorps event in San Francisco last week.

David served as deputy director for CaliforniaVolunteers from 1996 to 2007, leading public policy efforts and supporting AmeriCorps national service and disaster volunteer programs. He was also architect of a statewide system matching volunteers with organizations that need them.

In 2007, David was appointed director of the California Conservation Corps.

Among those also honored as Trailblazers at the San Francisco ceremony were former first lady Maria Shriver and Sacramento Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary: How Service and Conservation Corps Celebrated

Last week, AmeriCorps celebrated it’s 20th anniversary. Nationwide, champions, alumni, and current members joined forces to recognize the accomplishments of our national service program. There was even a little gathering at the White House.

Here are some of the ways that members of The Corps Network celebrated:

Post by Reading Partners.

Post by Washington Conservation Corps.

Post by Mile High Youth Corps.

Post by AmeriCorps NCCC.

Post by Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.

Post by SAGA.

Post by Montana Conservation Corps.

Post by Urban Conservation Corps of the Inland Empire.

Post by Utah Conservation Corps.

Post by Conservation Legacy.

Post by Southwest Conservation Corps.

Post by New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg.

Post by LA Conservation Corps.

Post by Green City Force.

Post by Southeast Youth Corps.

Post by Greater Miami Service Corps (GMSC).

Post by Maine Conservation Corps.

Post by Earthcorps.

Post by Washington Conservation Corps.

Post by Kupu.

Post by Arizona Conservation Corps.

Post by Limitless Vistas.

Post by AmeriCorps St. Louis.

Post by American YouthWorks.

Post by City Year.

Post by New York Restoration Project.

Post by The Corps Network.

Post by Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa.

Post by SEEDS.

Post by Green City Force.

Post by California Conservation Corps Foundation.

Support The Corps Network Youth Council

During the month of September, The Corps Network is running a CrowdRise campaign to raise money to support the creation of our new Youth Council.

At our annual National Conference, The Corps Network honors a select group of young men and women from our member programs as Corpsmembers of the Year. These extraordinary individuals are strong leaders and excellent ambassadors of the Corps movement. We plan to build upon the Corpsmember of the Year model to establish a Youth Council.

We believe it is critical to solicit and include the input and ideas of the young people we serve. Therefore, through this campaign, we are seeking donations to develop our 2015 Corpsmembers of the Year into spokespeople who can influence programs and policy here at The Corps Network, as well as at the federal, state, and local level. The funds we raise will help offset their travel costs to Washington, D.C and allow these bright young adults to make their voice heard at the national level, get in front of important decision makers, and help steer the future of America’s Service and Conservation Corps.

Your gift to The Corps Network will enable us to foster the next generation of America’s leaders.

The Corps Network has a New Mission Statement!

The Corps Network provides critical leadership to the Corps movement and our nation’s Service and Conservation Corps as they harness the power of youth and young adults to tackle some of America’s greatest challenges and transform their own lives.

All throughout the month of September, we will highlight the many ways Corps tackle some of America’s Greatest challenges. The Corps Network and our member programs:

Restore and improve America’s detriorating parks and natural spaces

Provide valuable career training and work experience to curtail high levels of youth unemployment

Give low-income and disadvantaged youth access to education and pathways to improved economic opportunities

Combat climate change and natural disasters, and promote community resiliency

Transform lives

Provide critical leadership to the Corps movement

Post by The Corps Network.