(ARLINGTON, VA) July 12, 2016 – The Student Conservation Association (SCA), the national leader in youth service and stewardship, has received a $322,000 AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).
In addition to the grant funding, CNCS will make available $2,443,000 in education scholarships for the SCA-AmeriCorps members funded by these grants to help pay for college and vocational training or to repay student loans. After completing 1,700 hours of service, eligible AmeriCorps members earn an education award of $5,775.
“As an AmeriCorps partner of more than 20 years, SCA is grateful that the Corporation for National and Community Service continues to recognize the considerable value these young adults provide to our environment and communities,” says SCA President and CEO Jaime Berman Matyas. “Together, we are providing transformative opportunities for our members, who address pressing local needs as they develop civic and leadership skills that last a lifetime.”
Matyas says the grant will support 1,194 young adults enrolled in AmeriCorps-affiliated positions in all 50 states, where they protect and restore public lands while addressing critical resource management needs.
“AmeriCorps members make a powerful impact on the toughest challenges facing our nation,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “As they serve others, AmeriCorps members will also expand opportunity for themselves – gaining skills and experience to jumpstart their careers. We congratulate SCA for their strong application, and thank all AmeriCorps members for their service.”
Since 1994, 980,000 AmeriCorps members have given more than 1.3 billion hours of service to their country, earning more than $3 billion in education scholarships. Later this year, the one millionth AmeriCorps member will take the AmeriCorps pledge, committing to “get things done” for America.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.
About SCA
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America’s oldest and largest youth conservation organization. SCA conserves lands and transforms lives by empowering young people of all backgrounds to plan, act, and lead, while they protect and restore our natural and cultural resources. Founded in 1957, its mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders, and seven in 10 of SCA’s 80,000 alumni worldwide are employed or studying in conservation-related fields. For more, visit www.thesca.org.