Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today announced that Community Action Network in Ann Arbor will receive $435,784 in federal funding to support 14 full time and 25 summer AmeriCorps VISTA members who will implement partnerships with children, youth, and families from under-resourced Washtenaw County neighborhoods to create better futures for them and improve the communities in which they live.
"AmeriCorps members are leading the fight for the betterment of our country through service and volunteer work," said Dingell. "I am excited for Community Action Network to receive this funding to further their work supporting underserved children, youth, and families throughout Washtenaw County."
The VISTA project will seek to increase the scale, reach and leveraging of new resources to expand CAN's impact in the community. CAN estimates it will be able to reach over 3,200 community beneficiaries. Fourteen VISTA members will contribute to the Healthy Futures and Education goals of the project by engaging in activities including, but not limited to, increasing financial resource and material development over the course of 3-5 years. More specifically, CAN's VISTA members will develop new STEAM-infused educational curricula, reformat educational materials for collaborator usage, and develop a robust online resource interface to address youth experiencing poverty on a larger scale. Learn more about the award and project here.
Michigan will receive more than $2 million total in AmeriCorps VISTA awards. AmeriCorps VISTA members serve full-time for 1 full year at a community organization, such as a nonprofit, faith-based organization, college or university, local government agency, and more, on anti-poverty projects across the country. AmeriCorps VISTA members work on projects that build the capacity of their organization. The AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate program offers individuals the opportunity to become engaged in a community through an existing AmeriCorps VISTA project for 8, 9, or 10 weeks during the summer. Learn more about AmeriCorps VISTA here.
