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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2017 |
CONTACT: Erin VanSickle
evansickle@volunteerflorida.org |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — This week, Volunteer Florida presented its 2016-2017 AmeriCorps Awards at the 2017 AmeriCorps New Program Director Orientation and Fall Program Director Training in Tallahassee. The awards included the AmeriCorps Retention Award, the AmeriCorps Rising Star Award, and the AmeriCorps Program of the Year Award.
Volunteer Florida Chief Executive Officer Vivian Myrtetus said, “These programs exemplify each of Volunteer Florida’s values – service, leadership, collaboration, excellence, inspiration and innovation. They have exceeded their performance measures and continue to make a significant impact on the communities they serve. Volunteer Florida is proud to administer these award-winning programs!”
The Retention Award, which recognizes programs that have achieved 90% or higher member retention for the 2016-2017 program year, was presented to seven different Americorps programs including Northwest Florida Environmental Stewards, Teach For America Miami-Dade, Teach For America Jacksonville, AmeriCorps Peacemakers (Trinity Church, Miami) City Year Orlando Formula, City Year Orlando Competitive, and Florida Reading Corps (Reading and Math, Inc., Miami).
Volunteer Florida selected the AmeriCorps Firewall program (Firewall Centers, Inc., Davie) as the 2016-2017 Rising Star. This award recognizes an AmeriCorps program that, within its first year of funding, demonstrates excellent member recruitment and retention, provides exemplary member management systems, and exceeds performance measures. AmeriCorps Firewall has provided tutoring and mentoring to 484 economically disadvantaged middle and high school students. The program has also exceeded its volunteer generation targets for both volunteers recruited and volunteer hours served.
The 2016-2017 AmeriCorps Program of the Year award was presented to City Year Orlando. In 2016-2017, City Year Orlando has impacted more than 2,900 students at seven schools in Orange County, improving the academic performance of 350 students in literacy and/or math. City Year Orlando AmeriCorps members also provided almost 400 hours of service following Hurricane Irma.
Volunteer Florida administers AmeriCorps programs in Florida, which offers individuals the opportunity to engage in intensive service to their community while increasing capacity for nonprofits and other service organizations. Volunteer Florida’s grantees include schools, educational foundations, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and other community organizations. AmeriCorps members dedicate a year of their life to service.