•
One of the largest full time Americorps programs in the state
• Over 70 participating non-profit sponsors
• 85 full-time/15 part-time members
• Incorporates 3Americorps priority areas
(Education, Environment, and Human Needs)
• Members have ranged in age from 18 - 77
• At least 63% of the members have a bachelors degree or
higher
• At Least 92% have some college credits
• Program year typically runs from mid September to August
• Full-time members who successfully complete 1700 hours
earn an education award of $4,725
• Part-time members who successfully complete 900 hours
earn an education award of $2,362.50
• Managed by a team of 5 staff members: A program manager,
3 regional coordinators, and a secretarial assistant
• Serving rural and urban locations
• Serving 12 counties in Southwest/South-central PA covering
10,000 sq. miles
• Spanning 4 congressional districts: 3, 9, 5, 12
• In addition to regular placement activities members serve
in community service projects throughout the region
• Program recognized nationally for research contributions
in the area of childhood lead poisoning
• Program known internationally for children’s text
published “My Mommy’s in Prison”
• PMSC Stream Team winner of the Governor’s Excellence
Award for Environmental Education
• Over 30,000 hours of community volunteer service has been
generated through the PMSC
Background
The
AmeriCorps program was created in the spirit of community service
that has been a traditional and integral part of our American
history. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt organized the
Civilian Conservation Corps. Following WWII, the GI Bill was passed,
and service was tied to educational benefits. In 1960, President
John F. Kennedy sought to relieve international distress and poverty
through the Peace Corps. And in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson
was instrumental in the creation of the Vista program as a Domestic
Peace Corps.
Experimental
youth, and senior service programs sprang up all over the country
during the 1970’s and 1980’s, depending primarily
on the political climate. With this movement, the private and
nonprofit sectors began to play a substantial role in both advocacy
and the development of volunteer service.
In
1990 President G.H. Bush introduced the National And Community
Service Act as a way of formalizing citizen service. In September
of 1993, as a means to further consolidate and bring collaboration
to the many service programs that existed, President William Clinton,
with strong bipartisan support, signed the National and Community
Service Trust Act into law. This law created a national headquarters
that would administer the funds set aside to support community
service programs including Vistas, The Senior Corps, Learn and
Serve, and AmeriCorps.
In
the early part of 1994, Congressmen John Murtha called a community
meeting to propose the submission of a grant that would allow
this rural region of Pennsylvania to support a branch of AmeriCorps.
As a result of that initial meeting, the Appalachia Intermediate
Unit 8 became the administering agency for the regional AmeriCorps
initiative.
The
Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps was created in 1994, and began
with a 40 member Corps that would be partnered with non-profit
and governmental organizations across 10 Pennsylvania counties,
(Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Huntingdon,
Indiana, Somerset, and Westmoreland.) The Corps was designed to
address all four major AmeriCorps initiatives, Education, Human
Needs, Public Safety, and Environment.
Today
the Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps has grown to 135 members,
covers 12 counties, and has a staff of 5. Since its inception,
there have been hundreds of students tutored in math and reading,
thousands of seniors and families provided with services that
would have otherwise gone undone, hundreds of after school and
educational activities presented to at-risk youths, hundreds of
miles of water tested and cleaned up, thousands of volunteer hours
generated, and a unique collaborative effort of community organizations
formed.
In
2001, following the tragedies of September 11th, President Bush
further consolidated many of the national service programs under
the USA Freedom Corps, and added a Citizens Corps that would help
with homeland security measures. American citizens were also urged
to devote 4,000 hours of service to their country over a lifetime.
With
the continued support of our community partner organizations,
and the commitment to service, the Pennsylvania Mountain Service
Corps “will get things done”.
Press
Release
Contact:
Carol L. Vogel, PMSC Program Manager
PHONE: 814-472-7690
FAX: 814-472-5033
Created in 1994 as a branch of the national AmeriCorps service
program.
Currently serving in 12 PA Counties that cover over 10,000
square miles: Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre,
Fayette,Franklin, Fulton,Huntingdon, Indiana, Somerset,
Westmoreland.
One of the largest full-time AmeriCorps programs in Pennsylvania.
Partner with over 70 community organizations each year.
Tri-state award winners for
work on lead poisoning.
Awarded the Governor's excellence award for environmental
education.
Generates over 5000 hours of community volunteerism each
program year.
Has over 700 alumni
members.
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Ebensburg,
PA - Southwestern Pennsylvania is a region abundant
in scenic waterways, rolling hills, rural villages, and
ethnic influenced urban centers. But, not unlike other communities
it has challenges too. The coal, steel, and railroad industries
that once thrived in the region are slowly disappearing
leaving instead abandoned mines, streams polluted with acid
mine drainage and lands marked with rusting train rails;
the region has a rapidly growing population of seniors with
unique needs; and, our communities have children who need
additional educational and emotional support.
Meeting
challenges head on by determination and ingenuity has been
the legacy of the American spirit, and was the concept behind
the AmeriCorps program. During 1993, shortly after The Corporation
For National And Community Service and AmeriCorps were created,
regional political representatives, organizations, and concerned
citizens met to discuss bringing a branch of AmeriCorps
to our area. As a result, Congressman Murtha’s staff
teamed with the Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8, to write
the grant that would create The Pennsylvania Mountain Service
Corps. The original Corps began serving in October 1994
with a 40 member team assigned to over 30 nonprofit organizations
in 10 counties. Corps members addressed environmental, public
safety, educational, and community needs.
Since
1994 over 700 citizens have served our communities through
the PA Mountain Service Corps. AmeriCorps members have tested,
monitored, and helped to clean thousands of miles of public
waterways effected by mine drainage and initiated or completed
over 100 conservation projects; provided outreach services
to the elderly, homebound, and military veterans; tutored
or mentored over 10,000 children K-12; distributed food
and clothing or helped to find shelter for hundreds of families
in crisis; and generated an additional cadre of over 5,000
community volunteers who contributed at least 15,000 hours
of community service. PMSC members have also been recognized
locally with many awards for leadership in addressing community
needs; state wide with the Governor’s Excellence Award
for environmental education; and nationally for our contributions
to the awareness of childhood lead poisoning.
Today, the Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps has grown
to 88 members serving with over 70 community organizations.
Full-time members are required to serve 1700 hours over
a one- year period, and can serve up to two years in the
corps. In return for their service, members receive a modest
living stipend and an educational stipend to be used to
pay off student loans or to advance their education. Members
must be at least 17, however, the PMSC generally has members
ranging from their early twenties to senior citizens. Applications
to sponsor a member or to become a member, are available
at our web site at www.pmsc.org , or by calling the AmeriCorps
office at 814-472-7690. ###
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