I blogged on this 100 blogs ago, under "The easiet Scholarship to Attain." Another blogger has give up some very good follow up--And here is the plan:
Currently there ar 75,000 volunteers. He plans to increase it to 250,000.
The points of Lights program was created by Reagan and expanded by Clinton in1994.
The participants,and almost no one is turned away unless you have a drug conviciton-volunteer to work and mentor inner-city kids, weatherize homes, care for the elderly, combat poverty, help communities to recover from natural disasters and even work on
Native Reservations, in agricultural endeavors or assisting with any request for example compiling a cookbook for the Shoshone Tribe, in Nevada of their ancestral family's recipes.
There is the NCCC for 18-21, Americorps and the Vista for older volunteers. You get paid every two weeks which will probably go up as he plans to increase the federal minimum wage, and at the exit of your tour, you also receive a scholarship to be applied for drawing down your loans or paying for existing and future plans of study in all Federal Title VII colleges.
The "vouchers" then are good for 4 years with extensions for hardships--Mine will expire February 2009, after having two extensions with no problem, because of my situation as a full time caregiver for my mother. If I do not use them then I will forfeit the $6500 voucher.
In my two tours I taught first graders how to read at Fitzgerald Elemenatry school in Las Vegas,and worked with Homeless Veterans Initiatives.
He envisions AmeriCorps expanding further :
* Classroom Corps- to recruit parents,grandparents,college students, or communitymembers to mentor and provide one-on-one assistance to students, assist with classroom activities, under the direction of teachers and support after-school programs.
*Health Corps- to improve public health information and outreach to areas with inadequate health systems, such as rural areas( think Appalachia) and inner cities.
*Clean Energy Corps- to promote energy independence through efforts like clearing up polluted land and water, planting trees, renewable energy, projects an educational outreach.
*Veterans Corps- to help keep America's sacred trust with its veterans by providing assistance at Departments of Veterans Affairs facilities,nursing homes, homeless shelters and elsewhere.
* Homeland Security Corps- to help communites plan prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Our only wish as AmeriCorps graduates is that we could pass the scholarship vouchers to our children rather than lose them.
Sorce: Change We Can Believe in and my Own experiences.
Everyone can particpate
Posted By: Marta Fernandez
Sunday, December 28th 2008 at 6:25PM
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