FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PR- 390-10 September 14, 2010 MAYOR BLOOMBERG SWEARS-IN NEW CLASS OF NYC CIVIC CORPS TO MOBILIZE NEW YORKERS TO VOLUNTEER New Class will Create and Bolster Volunteer Programs at 60 Nonprofit and Public Organizations Across the City Program Serves as a ‘Force Multiplier’ – with 200 Members from Last Year’s Class Recruiting more than 55,000 New Volunteers, who Served Nearly 1 Million New Yorkers in Need Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today swore-in the City’s second-ever class of the NYC Civic Corps – a specially trained group of AmeriCorps members who work at nonprofit organizations across the city to help those nonprofits increase the number of volunteers they can utilize, increasing the number of New Yorkers in need who can be served. The 150 new Civic Corps members will work to create sustainable volunteer management structures within nonprofits, which will remain in place after their year-long terms of service end. The first-ever class of Civic Corps members completed their service in July and during their one-year of service, the Civic Corps members helped 57 nonprofits recruit more than 55,000 new volunteers, and those volunteers provided services to nearly one million New Yorkers. The NYC Civic Corps is the signature initiative of NYC Service, the Mayor’s comprehensive initiative to promote a new era of volunteerism in New York City and strategically direct volunteers toward the City’s areas of greatest need. The Mayor was joined at the swearing-in ceremony at City Hall Plaza by First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris; the City’s Chief Service Officer Diahann Billings-Burford; Ariel Estevez, a member of the NYC Civic Corps inaugural class; and Gloria Dandridge of the Department for the Aging and Yves Telemaque of New York City Fire Department, who were presented with the new NYC Service Award for their exemplary service to their communities and the city. “The Civic Corps is the cornerstone of our ambitious NYC Service program,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “In its first year of operation, the Civic Corps delivered on its promise, with 200 Corps members helping nonprofits utilize more than 55,000 new volunteers, and those volunteers served nearly a million New Yorkers in need. Think about that – the work of 200 dedicated people affected the lives of 1 million. That’s why we call the Civic Corps our ‘force multiplier’.” “The NYC Civic Corp program has helped build a lasting volunteer infrastructure at nonprofits across the city to allow them to increase the services that so many people in our city rely on,” said First Deputy Mayor Harris. NYC Civic Corps members are dispatched in teams, typically comprised of three members, and this year 60 public and nonprofit organizations received a Civic Corps member or team. The program is made possible through a partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service and its AmeriCorps program. The Corporation provided funding for the first year of the program with dollars made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This June, Mayor Bloomberg and Corporation CEO Patrick Corvington announced a $5.85 million AmeriCorps grant to support the NYC Civic Corps for the next three years. Nearly 162 public and nonprofit organizations and 350 individuals applied to be a part of this year’s NYC Civic Corps. Civic Corps members and host organizations were selected through a rigorous application process, screened by the AmeriCorps program and a City committee formed by NYC Service. All Civic Corps members receive a $1,163 monthly living allowance, which is standard for all AmeriCorps members; health benefits; and educational awards, which can be used towards existing student loans or future education expenses. The 2010 class of the NYC Civic Corps:
The new class of NYC Civic Corps received extensive training joined the host organization where they will be serving earlier this month. The 60 public and nonprofit organizations receiving assistance this year are:
During the first year of the program, which is a first-of-its-kind in the nation, NYC Civic Corps members helped build or expand volunteer programs at a wide range of organizations throughout the five boroughs. At Year Up, Civic Corps members expanded a mentorship program for at-risk youths. At the New York City Housing Authority, Civic Corps members worked to create and expand a program where volunteer residents worked to make housing complexes more sustainable. Working with Common Cents, Civic Corps members helped provide service opportunities at hundreds of City public schools. Civic Corps members also led the City’s efforts to recruit volunteers to assist in H1N1 vaccination efforts. In addition to the funding provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service, NYC Civic Corps benefits from the generous contributions of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund and the Lizzie and Jonathan M. Tisch Foundation. NYC Civic Corps also benefits from a partnership with the Hands on Network and in-kind support provided by Gap, Inc. About NYC Service The NYC Civic Corps is the signature initiative of NYC Service, which was launched by Mayor Bloomberg in April 2009 to meet his State of the City pledge for New York City to lead the nation in answering President Obama’s national call to volunteerism. NYC Service is meeting its goals to make New York City the easiest place in the world to volunteer, target volunteer efforts to address the most pressing local challenges, and promote service as a core part of what it means to be a New Yorker. NYC Service aims to drive volunteer resources to six impact areas where New York City’s needs are greatest: strengthening communities, helping neighbors in need, improving education, increasing public health, enhancing emergency preparedness and protecting our environment. Since its inception in April of 2009, NYC Service has engaged more than 500,000 New Yorkers in a wide range of volunteer activities, from helping with the City’s H1N1 vaccination and education efforts, to providing tax assistance to low-income families, to beautifying neighborhood blocks, to coating rooftops with reflective white paint. NYC Service launched 33 new or expanded volunteer initiatives and the comprehensive website, located at www.nyc.gov, has made it easier for New Yorkers to find opportunities to make a difference. More than 350,000 unique visitors to the NYC Service website had access to 1,000 volunteer opportunities. New Yorkers can find opportunities to serve their communities by visiting www.nyc.gov or by calling 311. MEDIA CONTACT: Stu Loeser / Marc La Vorgna (212) 788-2958 |
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