FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jul 30, 2019

ORLANDO, FLA. – As 80 young Floridians entered week two of training to become AmeriCorps members, they were greeted by AmeriCorps leadership from the national and state levels. These AmeriCorps members will begin their service with City Year Orlando next month as part of the 25th anniversary class of AmeriCorps. Photos from today’s visit are available here.

At City Year Orlando headquarters, the teams were visited by Barbara Stewart, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that administers the AmeriCorps program, and Clay Ingram, CEO of Volunteer Florida, the Governor’s lead agency for volunteerism and national service in Florida, that helps administer AmeriCorps programs in the state.

“We are proud of the longtime partnership we have with City Year at the Corporation for National and Community Service,” said Barbara Stewart, CEO of CNCS. “Over the next year, City Year AmeriCorps members will ‘Make Better Happen’ in Orlando. I thank them and salute all our AmeriCorps members for their service.”

“We were honored to host CNCS CEO Barbara Stewart today in Orlando,” said Clay Ingram, CEO of Volunteer Florida. “It was especially rewarding to have the opportunity to showcase one of our AmeriCorps programs, highlighting the incredible impact made at the local level from the support made available through CNCS.”

Through AmeriCorps, City Year Orlando helps students succeed at eight Orlando Public Schools. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members provide research-based student, classroom, and school-wide support to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high-school and get ready for college and career success. A 2015 study found that schools that partner with City Year were up to two- to three- times more likely to improve on math and English assessments.

Earlier this week, CEO Stewart delivered remarks at a convening of more than 600 nonprofit leaders from around the country who were in Orlando for a national symposium of AmeriCorps VISTA sponsors. The VISTA sponsors, which are organizations that host AmeriCorps VISTA members, gathered to share best practices and learn new tactics for recruitment and training AmeriCorps VISTA members, discover the latest developments in project management and evaluation, and build critical connections with other nonprofit leaders from across the country.

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.