News

RALEIGH – Gov. Perdue today announced that the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service received $891,387 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding to expand the capacity of four of its existing AmeriCorps programs.

“This funding makes sure that our AmeriCorps programs and the important services they provide will continue to benefit the people of North Carolina,” said Gov. Perdue.  “Through these programs, at-risk children and families in need will continue receiving the services they need.”

The following N.C. AmeriCorps programs received funding:

• Black Child Development Institute of Greensboro Inc., The Spirit of Excellence will receive $74,085 to fund 10 positions.  Members will provide tutoring and mentoring services to at-risk elementary school students in Guilford County.


• Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Project Conserve will receive $183,300 to fund 13 full-time positions.  Members will weatherize homes for families below the poverty line in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties.


• East Carolina University, Project HEART (High Expectations For At-Risk Teens) will receive $410,816 to fund 40 positions.  Members will provide health and wellness tutors for students at-risk of developing juvenile diabetes in Lenoir, Martin and Pitt counties.


• University of North Carolina at Greensboro Center for New North Carolinians, ACCESS (AmeriCorps Cross Cultural Education Service Systems) will receive $223,186 to fund 24 full-time positions.  Members will continue to provide interpretation and translation services to the state’s newest citizens in Guilford County.

The Corporation for National and Community Service received $201 million from the ARRA to expand existing AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.  Only existing AmeriCorps programs were eligible to apply for this one-time funding opportunity.

AmeriCorps, a national service initiative funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is designed to increase volunteerism and civic engagement in America.  Since 1994, more than 4,500 individuals have participated in AmeriCorps programs in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, a federal and state-funded agency housed in the Governor’s Office, administers funding for North Carolina AmeriCorps programs.  For more information on the AmeriCorps programs, visit www.volunteernc.org or call 1-800-820-4483.