Since 1994, more than 250,000 men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing needed assistance to millions of Americans. AmeriCorps provides trained, dedicated people to help nonprofit groups, both secular and faith-based. Members tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, help communities respond to disasters, and recruit and manage traditional volunteers. At the request of President Bush, AmeriCorps has expanded its work to include projects directly related to homeland security.

AmeriCorps engages 50,000 Americans age 17 and older each year in intensive service to meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas. Members serve with national nonprofit organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, and Teach for America, as well as with hundreds of smaller community organizations, both secular and faith-based. In exchange for a year of service, AmeriCorps members earn an education award that can be used to pay for college or to pay back qualified student loans.

AmeriCorps is a National Service Program dedicated to serving the needs of local communities. AmeriCorps members in Lake County make a year-long commitment to serve their community, dedicating 450 or 900 hours over 10 month period. For their volunteer time, members will receive a living allowance to offset their living expenses while they are serving their community. Upon completion of their commitment, they are also qualified for an Education Award that can be used to pay for college expenses. “Community College students, stay at home moms, displaced school paraprofessionals, and grandparents all make wonderful AmeriCorps members. We will need many local residents to make a commitment to serve their community in order to fill all of the member slots we have available.