SILVER CITY — Volunteers and AmeriCorps workers took advantage of the warm, sunny weather on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to pick up trash along the San Vicente trail.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just one of several mandatory service days for AmeriCorps workers. Others include 9/11 and Cesar Chavez Day.
As you are likely aware, Congress failed to reach a deal on balanced deficit reduction to avoid the across-the-board budget reductions commonly known as “sequestration.” Thus, the President was required by law to issue a sequestration order. This order cancels approximately $85 billion in budgetary resources across the Federal government for the remainder of the Federal fiscal year.
The
2012-2013 New Mexico State Profile is live and available on the State Profiles page of
The Corporation for National and Community Service website. In addition to the current program year, you can also access the previous eight years of New Mexico State Profiles.
As an Iraq War veteran, I am honored to work at the
Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). We are home to more than 70,000 AmeriCorps members, whom we are celebrating as part of
AmeriCorps Week.
Romaine Serna, NMCCV Executive Director with Tara Livingston, Regional Director of Emergency Services for the Red Cross. Photo was taken on Saturday, March 15, 2013, at a Disaster Preparedness Training event. Disaster Relief is a CNCS Tier 1 Priority. The NMCCV is pleased with the partnership between the Commission and Red Cross. We plan to provide the training to all AMERICORPS members.
Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF) celebrated AmeriCorps week, 2013 by hosting a demonstration open to the public, of progressive farming techniques. This workshop was sponsored by RGCF and the Mid Region Council of Governments and occurred on March 13, 2013. The New Mexico State University Extension Service also was a sponsor, as 2 of their employees were featured and honored at the event.
In honor of the United We Serve initiative, the President's call to national service, the San Juan County Partnership (SJCP) AmeriCorps members planned and implemented activities with elementary school students in Aztec and Blanco. The SJCP AmeriCorps members worked for several weeks to plan a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers after school programs at Park Avenue, McCoy and Blanco Elementary schools. The message they wished to share was of MLK's belief in freedom and justice for all by encouraging citizens of all ages to come together through service to strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers and create solutions.
San Juan County Partnership AmeriCorps members participated in a wide range of exciting community activities during AmeriCorps Week, March 9th- March 17th. On Monday March 11th and Wednesday March 12th the members assisted with an Equine Therapy program for the youth enrolled in the court mandated Drug Court program. The members assisted the youth in caring for the horses, learning to put on saddles and learning to ride the horses. This activity focused on positive nonverbal communication, patience and compassion as a therapy tool while working with large animals.
In honor of AmeriCorps Week, Teach For America corps members focused on community engagement by inviting speakers into their classroom to teach a guest lesson. Two of the guest lessons are profiled below.
Rio Grande Community Farm was honored to participate in the first ever national AmeriCorps Mayor's Week on April 9, 2013 by assisting and enjoying Mayors Day of Volunteerism at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque.