Earlier this month, the Corporation for National and Community Service issued a national competitive AmeriCorps grant-award to Social Capital Inc., along with hundreds of other organizations across the United States. The grant will enable to SCI to place 25 full-time AmeriCorps members with local nonprofits across the Eastern Massachusetts, including 3 positions serving Milford and Bellingham.
The Hockomock YMCA, the Milford Youth Center, and the Bellingham Police Department Youth Service Center are local host sites for the SCI AmeriCorps program.
The national AmeriCorps grant awards are made through a highly competitive application process. Though SCI has been part of the AmeriCorps program for the past nine years, this is the first time SCI has been chosen for national funding; having previously received grants through state formula funding. SCI is one of five programs in Massachusetts picked to receive a competitive AmeriCorps grant for the first time through this recent grant process. AmeriCorps programs in the state are overseen by the Massachusetts Service Alliance.
“We are thrilled to have been selected as a national competitive AmeriCorps program,” commented SCI President David Crowley. “This grant award is a testament to the hard work of our staff team and the powerful service SCI AmeriCorps members have provided along with our community partners.”
Serving with SCI AmeriCorps is an amazing opportunity to gain valuable experience, make lifelong connections, and help build community. Members implement volunteer outreach and capacity building activities that increase volunteer participation, and provide leadership training and community service opportunities for youth. Members receive a stipend and post-service educational award for their service. To learn more about SCI AmeriCorps and available positions, www.socialcapitalinc.org/become-a-member .
SCI AmeriCorps members will be responsible for implementing effective volunteer management best practices at 20 organizations and increasing social capital and leadership skills of 150 youth through training and support. In addition, the 25 AmeriCorps members will leverage 2,575 volunteers each year that will be engaged in providing mentoring, leading workshops, coordinating resource fairs, and participating in service learning and community projects.
SCI was founded in 2002 with a mission to strengthen communities by connecting diverse individuals and organizations through civic engagement initiatives. SCI has grown to serve 19 Eastern Massachusetts communities, with its headquarters in Woburn.