PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Education has awarded $1.5 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service, RIDE announced Wednesday.
The grants will support volunteer efforts of 207 AmeriCorps members working with 12 organizations in Rhode Island.
The state received $1.8 million in AmeriCorps funding in 2018, although individual grant amounts were not given.
“Service and volunteerism are the heart and soul of healthy communities, and Rhode Islanders clearly step up and deliver for theirs,” said R.I. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Angélica Infante-Green in a statement Wednesday.
- Advertisement -
The organizations and efforts are:
- Accessing Home, an initiative of NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley, is expected to have 15 AmeriCorps members work to prevent evictions and aid residents’ transition to safe, affordable rental units
- Attendance Improvement Matters, an initiative at Family Service of Rhode Island plans on having 20 AmeriCorps members work to increase school attendance and engagement in two Providence schools
- Breakthrough Providence will develop an AmeriCorps program to address academic achievement and college trajectory of Providence middle school students
- College Advising Corps at Brown University plans to have 20 AmeriCorps members provide in-school and summer advising to high school students with the goal of increasing first-generation students entering and completing higher education
- College Crusade plans to develop a program to address the scarcity of education professionals who mirror the demographic characteristics of students in urban Rhode Island
- FabNewport hopes to have 12 AmeriCorps members increase K-12 attendance and engagement for Newport students
- Farm Fresh Rhode Island plans to use the grant to pilot an effort to provide nutrition education in schools, teach culinary job skills and distribute fresh vegetables to food pantries
- Generations of Learning expects to use 12 AmeriCorps members improve third-grade reading comprehension by providing small-group tutoring and in-classroom and afterschool support. An additional 16 members are expected to provide summer learning courses for three Woonsocket schools
- The Learning Community Education Fellows Program will have 10 members provide small group reading and math tutoring for K-8 students at The Learning Community
- Providence After School Alliance plans to have 20 members support five after-school sites that provide hands-on learning, help with homework and general enrichment
- Providence Children’s Museum plans to use 20 members engage students through play-based learning in creative design and STEM lessons, in addition to after-school math programs with Boys and Girls Clubs
- Teach For America-Rhode Island plans to have 60 members commit to two years of teaching in Providence County to increase reading and STEM proficiency as well as to expand access to quality public education
