New Mexico to Celebrate Opening Day of New AmeriCorps Program Year
For Immediate Release
October 4, 2016
Contact: Joy Forehand
Office: 505.841.8450
Media Inquiries: 505.250.3926
New Mexico to Celebrate Opening Day of New AmeriCorps Program Year
New Mexico is part of the 1 of 1 million
Albuquerque, NM – The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism will celebrate the new AmeriCorps program year by recognizing this year’s members with an official swearing-in ceremony at Albuquerque’s historic KiMo Theater on October 5th at 11 a.m. New Mexico received more than $2 million in federal funding and more than $2.6 million has been committed by the awarded organizations as match to operate eight AmeriCorps programs across the state that will provide over 425 opportunities for individuals to become national service members. AmeriCorps members address the nation’s critical needs by providing direct service for education, environmental services, healthy futures, disaster services, economic opportunity, and veterans and military families.
New Mexico programs that were awarded AmeriCorps funding include the following:
· Atrisco Heritage Foundation - serving the Albuquerque area
· Earth Care - serving in Santa Fe and Rio Rancho
· EcoServants - serving in Ruidoso
· Families and Youth Inc. - serving in Las Cruces
· NACA-Inspired School Network - serving in Albuquerque and select tribal communities
· New Mexico Highlands University - serving in cultural institutions statewide
· Rocky Mountain Youth Corps - serving in Taos and Albuquerque
· Teach for America - serving in the four corners region, Gallup, and southwest NM
Through these programs, members and communities will come together and create a better tomorrow and strive to embody the AmeriCorps motto of “Getting Things Done.” The induction of this year’s members mark an incredible milestone for the nation as we surpass 1 million men and women who have joined AmeriCorps to make our country stronger. New Mexico is honored to welcome the Corporation for National and Community Service CEO Wendy Spencer to the Land of Enchantment as she personally swears in this year’s members and commemorates the fact that the New Mexico members are 1 of 1 million strong national service movement.
The New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism (NMCCV) is a Governor-appointed commission and is a diverse, non-partisan body of, among others, representatives of business, labor, education, government, human service agencies, and community based-organizations. The Commission directs the national service policy for the state and directly administers AmeriCorps funding award by the Corporation for National and Community Services (CNCS or the Corporation) to support New Mexico AmeriCorps programs.
AmeriCorps is sometimes referred to as the “Domestic Peace Corps.” It is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects more than 75,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country’s critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, and other critical areas. For additional information, please visit http://www.dws.state.nm.us/nmccv.