Three-Year Program Funded by the Citi Foundation Will Deploy 225 AmeriCorps Members and Thousands of Volunteers to Help 25,000 Underserved Young Adults Prepare for College and Careers
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2014 —- Points of Light,one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to volunteer service, today announced the 10 organizations chosen to execute its ServiceWorks program. ServiceWorks is a three-year nationwide initiative that will use community engagement and volunteer service to help underserved young adults develop the skills they need to prepare for college and careers.
Funded by the Citi Foundation, the program will deploy 225 AmeriCorps members over the next three years, making it the largest corporate-sponsored AmeriCorps VISTA program in the country. ServiceWorks will provide 25,000 underserved young adults, between the ages of 16 and 24, training in critical 21st century leadership and project management skills, the chance to build their networks and connections to community, and the opportunity to use their new skills by participating in and leading volunteer service projects. Thousands of professionals – including Citi employees – will volunteer as success coaches and professional skills trainers.
The 10 chosen ServiceWorks host sites are:
- Boston Private Industry Council, Boston, MA
Boston Private Industry Council connects business, the Boston Public Schools, higher education, government, labor, and community organizations to create innovative workforce and education solutions that benefit Boston residents and businesses alike.
- Casa Central, Chicago, IL
Casa Central’s network of social services propels a diverse population of all ages toward self-sufficiency and a higher quality of life, transforming lives and strengthening communities, with a special focus on Hispanics.
- Covenant House Washington, Washington, DC
Covenant House Washington is one of the largest and leading nonprofits serving homeless, disconnected, and exploited young people in the Greater Washington, DC Region.
- Greater Miami Service Corps, Miami, FL
Greater Miami Service Corps transforms the lives of young people through education and service activities that improve their communities and strengthen Miami’s local workforce.
- Jersey Cares, Newark, NJ
Jersey Cares increases the level of meaningful volunteer engagement by creating and managing efficient, high-impact projects that address critical community-identified needs.
- Public Allies, Los Angeles, CA and San Francisco, CA
Public Allies Los Angeles in partnership with CD tech and Public Allies San Francisco advances new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.
- The Door, New York, NY
The Door empowers young people to reach their potential by providing comprehensive youth development services in a diverse and caring environment.
- United Way of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
United Way of Greater St. Louis mobilizes the community with one goal in mind – helping people live their best possible lives.
- Volunteer Center of North Texas, Dallas, TX
The Volunteer Center of North Texas is one of the largest and most active volunteer centers in America. It recruits volunteers to serve local nonprofit agencies, while also providing a range of essential programs and services to member organizations that help them build capacity, go further, and achieve success for their clients and all the causes they serve.
“The ServiceWorks host sites were selected for their national leadership in addressing issues critical to our nation’s youth and for their expertise in building community partnerships, creating innovative solutions and sparking action,” said Tracy Hoover, president of Points of Light. “We’re excited to see how ServiceWorks will help these organizations accelerate change in the lives of young people and in their communities.”
ServiceWorks reflects the spirit of a presidential Memorandum issued in July 2013 that established the Task Force on Expanding National Service and calls for new public-private partnerships that use national service to help solve our nation’s most pressing challenges.
The first 50 AmeriCorps VISTA members will be sworn in later this summer. An additional 75 AmeriCorps members are expected to be chosen in 2015, and a final 100 in 2016. All AmeriCorps VISTA members in the ServiceWorks program will be hosted and managed by the chosen local nonprofits and city agencies.
Powered by AmeriCorps, the Citi Foundation and Points of Light, ServiceWorks will formally launch in August 2014 when the first 50 AmeriCorps VISTA members are trained and stationed at host sites in the 10 cities.
ServiceWorks is a key component of the Citi Foundation’s recently launched Pathways to Progress initiative, a three-year $50 million commitment to give 100,000 low-income youth in the United States the opportunity to develop the workplace skills and leadership experience necessary to compete in a 21st Century economy.
To watch a video on ServiceWorks click here.
The Corporation for National and Community Service is the federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress in communities around the world and focuses on initiatives that expand financial inclusion. We collaborate with best-in-class partners to create measurable economic improvements that strengthen low-income families and communities. Through a “More than Philanthropy” approach, Citi’s business resources and human capital enhance our philanthropic investments and impact. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.
