Happy AmeriCorps Week!!! I’m sure you just got excited at me saying that, because even if you don’t know what AmeriCorps Week is, most of Americans love to celebrate. Heck, we’ll even celebrate other countries’ holidays with them! Cinco de Mayo? Yes, please! Oktoberfest? Soo there. In fact, if you’re ever looking for a reason to celebrate, you can find an appropriate holiday here!

 

But “holidays of the world” is not the point of this blog. The point is to kick off AmeriCorps Week! Now, you may be asking, what is AmeriCorps and why does it get its own week? Well, I can answer that.

 

AmeriCorps is a national service program, funded through the Corporation for National Community Service in which adults of all ages and backgrounds agree to a term of service from three months up to a year. AmeriCorps members work with different agencies and organizations on the local, state, and national level to create more resilient communities and better the lives of current and future community members.

 

Of course, the joy of service is not the only benefit to AmeriCorps. There are training opportunities, valuable work experience, a living stipend, and an education award at the end of the term, just to name a few. And there are opportunities for service in all fifty states and most U.S. territories. And contrary to what you may picture, you choose what programs to apply to and where. Want to stick close to home during your year of service? There’s probably something close by! Feel like striking out on a big adventure? Just pick a stick and AmeriCorps can get you there.

 

“Well, what kind of work does an AmeriCorps member do?” you’re probably asking yourself right now. Answer: anything and everything! Ok, vague answer, I know, but that’s another blog topic for another day!

 

Until tomorrow…

 

Jillian